Category: Blog

5 Keys to Playing Smart Pickleball One of the reasons I love pickleball so much is that it’s a sport that virtually anybody can enjoy. It’s easy to learn and regardless of your age, level of fitness, or experience playing racquet sports, you can grab a paddle and start playing after only one lesson. But […]

Death Grip! How Deadly Is It? Death Grip! How Deadly Is It? Players come to my Bootcamps for a variety of reasons. Some want to improve a specific shot. Others are looking to learn strategy. While others want to mix some pickleball instruction with their vacation. Bootcamps are designed to meet players wherever they are […]

How to Play Those Awkward, Down-the-Middle Shots Part 1 – Call the Ball Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “Down the middle solves the riddle.” In pickleball, a soft or hard shot down the middle often leaves your opponents both thinking the other person was going to get the ball and as a result of a […]

When It is ok to Talk Like a Top Pickleball Player, Even if You Don’t Play Like One (Really!) Yes, it’s true. There is a time when it is absolutely ok to talk like a top pickleball player, even if you don’t play like one. But I don’t mean trash-talking or even friendly banter (though […]

Why You Can Hit the Ball Wrong 99 Times Out of 100 Pickleball, Like Life Is About the Journey, Not the Destination. If there is one thing I’ve heard about life from pickleball players around the country, it’s this. From retirees, to people who have quit their job to build a business around pickleball, to […]

The 7 Principles & Teachings of The Pickleball Guru All of my pickleball tips, drills and suggestions are based off of 7 strategy principles: Serve deep Hit the service return slow and deep Move up to the kitchen – fast 3rd shot = drop shot Keep them deep Never hit up Keep your paddle up […]

How to Pick the Right Pickleball Paddle So It Helps If you’ve been playing pickleball for any length of time, you’ve probably asked yourself three questions: Should I buy a new pickleball paddle? What kind of paddle should I buy? With so many options, how do I know which one is right for me? Without […]

The Pickleball Guru’s Tips for “Playing Up” and “Playing Down” One of the best ways to improve your pickleball game is to play with better players. It forces you to play at the top of your ability, makes you pay for your mistakes, and puts you on the fast-track to a higher skill level. All […]

The Difference Between Being Committed to Improving & Just Wanting to Complain Okay, here’s a little bit of a rant… Ready? Getting Better Takes Effort You have to practice to get better. You have to play against different players to get better. You have to pay for your mistakes in order to get better. You […]

The Pickleball Lob Shot: A Winning or Losing Strategy? This may be the first time I’ve dedicated an entire article to a single shot, and it’s not even about the dink or the drop shot. This month, we’re talking about The Sometimes-Boring-and-Annoying-But-Sometimes-OH-SO!-Gratifying Pickleball Lob Shot. Of course, whether it’s boring or whether it’s gratifying usually […]