Definitions
Ground Stroke - A ball that is hit after it bounces.
Volley - A ball that is hit before it touches the ground.
Lob - A ball that is hit over your opponents head and bounces inside the baseline.
Unforced Error - When a player misses a shot that is not very difficult.
No Volley Zone - (NVZ or Kitchen) - The area of the court between the net and the front line of the serving boxes.
Backhand - When hitting the ball on your left side of your body for right handed players and the opposite for left handed players.
Forehand - When hitting the ball on your right side of your body for right handed players and the opposite for left handed players.
3/4 Winner - Not hitting a shot the fastest that you are capable of hitting so you will not sacrifice placement for power.
Split Step - When both feet are parallel to each other and ready to cross in either direction.
Cross Step - From a split step position moving your right foot toward the left post or left foot toward the right post without moving your other foot at all.
Pure Winner - When your opponent never even touches your shot.
Top Spin - When a player makes the ball spin away from him low to high, the ball tends to drop because the contact of paddle of the ball is up and over the ball.
Underspin - A player makes the ball spin toward his body high to low, the ball tends to rise because the contact point of paddle is high to low.
Overhead - A ball hit at center of paddle from a point as high as you can reach over your head.
Drop Volley - A soft hit ball that is placed just over the net with an underspin on the ball so it won't bounce high.
Poach - When a player cuts in front of his partner to take his shot.
Continental Grip - When the point of the V between your thumb and index finger is placed at the middle of the top of the handle when your paddle is perpendicular to the ground.
Additional Tips
When two right hand players are playing together, the player facing the net on the left, who has his forehand to the middle of the court, takes the balls on his side of the court plus about 8 to 12 inches toward the center line.
When two left hand players are playing together, the player with his forehand toward the center of the court should take any ball on his side of the court plus any ball 8 to 12 inches to the left of center court.
When a right handed and a left handed player are playing together and both players backhands are to the middle of the court, the player facing the net on the on the left side should be considered the fore hand and cover his side plus 8 to 12 inches to the right of center court unless both players agree the other player has the stronger backhand.
Types of Poaching
Waiting at the net until you actually see an easy return from your opponent and move across court to cut the shot off for a winner.
Player anticipates an easy return from his opponent and moves across the court to cut the shot off a split second before his opponent hits the ball.
It is important to pick the proper time in the game to poach.
Early in the game so that your team has time to recover in case you lose the point.
When your team is way ahead or way behind.
When you or your partner has just hit a very difficult shot at you opponents feet and you feel the opponent will be lucky just to return the ball without being accurate.
Don’t help your opponent
Never yell anything that may help your opponent. Think of the shot that you just hit that was wrong. Don’t yell because your opponent may hit your out ball if you do not bring his attention to that possibility that it may go out.
If both players on the opposing team are much better than one of the players on the other team than the stronger player of that team must poach and fake like he is about to poach to level the playing field. Only if you are playing to win, not playing for fun and the opposing team is hitting all their balls to your partner.
An excellent poacher should poach as much as possible even if all four are of equal ability His partner should not take this as a personal affront. It is proper play and good strategy. To poach is to cut off and hit the shot that your opponent hit to your partner.
Learn all the proper tennis stroking techniques to help improve your pickle ball game.
If two players with the same natural ability play pickle ball any and one uses the proper tennis technique, that player will be a steadier and better player.
If both players are self taught players then the one with the most athletic sense and ability will be the better player. Learn proper technique. It will give you an edge over your opponent.
A player should try not to have any bad out bursts after missing their shots. This type of reaction builds confidence in your opponents. Your partner will also lose confidence in you.