Top Pro Dave Weinbach Spreads Love of Pickleball
By Dick Barton USAPA Member As a top professional in pickleball, Dave Weinbach, also known as The Badger, spreads the love for the game far and wide. At age 49,…
Playing Tip: Get a Grip on Pickleball Paddle Care
Taking care of your Pickleball Paddle is going to make it last longer and perform better. Paddles collect particles and body oils just as your sunglasses do. Grips get slippery…
Play Better Pickleball by Getting to the Ball Faster
If you have stepped on a pickleball court you have probably heard down the middle solves the riddle, hit at the feet you will defeat and keep your paddle up…
Playing Tip: Pickleball Language Primer
A game as fast as pickleball requires an abbreviated pickleball language to communicate. One of the first phrases of pickleball language new players learn is the “non-volley zone,” the first…
Rule Review: On the Clock
The clock matters only a couple times in pickleball. The entire score must be called before the server begins his or her service motion. When all players are in place, and…
Rule Review: That’s Handy
Perhaps unique to pickleball, a ball can be hit twice, bounced on your paddle, or “carried,” as long as this occurs during a continuous motion in a single direction. The ball…
Rule Review: Still The Most Misunderstood Rule In Pickleball
During a recent referee training, I asked Mark Peifer, to shoot a rules video. It didn’t take him long to pick a topic, rule 6.D.12. As a certified referee who…
Rule Review: Why All The Different Pickleballs?
Every player seems to have a preferred ball. While there are some differences, according to the rules there are a few things that all pickleballs have in common. You may think it’s…
Playing Tip: That’s what Friends are For
You always want a friend by your side. When you and your partner are together, you form a barrier that your opponents must penetrate. This is true whether at the…
Rules Review: Above the Net
Sometimes it’s okay to reach over the net; sometimes not so much. Here’s the difference. You may not cross the plane of the net with your arm or paddle before…
Playing Tip: Let It Go
If only those high fast balls weren’t so tempting! Most of us love them, but we must learn to let them go. When you are at the kitchen line, and…
Rules Review: Don’t Stop Playing Before a Legitimate Call
A ball is not out of bounds until it actually lands outside of the court. If a player yells “out” before the ball hits the ground, that “noise” is…
Playing Tip: Just Cause It’s Legal
Just because something is legal, doesn’t mean it is smart. You are permitted to stand in the kitchen, but doing so will only get you in trouble. When you…
Pickleball Rule Review: A “Standing” Rule
There is only one rule that requires you to stand in a certain place during pickleball: when you are serving at the time the ball is struck, you must stand…
Playing Tip: Stay in the Moment
Good players can lose points when they become mentally distracted. The biggest enemy of your pickleball game is self-flagellation. You miss a shot and you beat yourself up about it.…