David Zapatka Evaluate: * Watch your opponents during pregame warmups to discover weaknesses and tendencies. Be sure you notice if they are right-handed or left-handed. * Be patient. Take your time. Learn to dink the ball cross court and straight ahead. * Play soft. Hit the ball hard only when you have proper timing and…
Tag: Relishing Pickleball
Sports, May 2024
Relishing Pickleball: New Player Tips
David Zapatka New to pickleball and want to improve quickly? Try these tips: * Seek out a mentor to help you learn the game. Talk with experienced players to glean information and helpful tips. Try what they suggest. Practice using their advice. * Serve deep and into the middle of the opponents’ court. Do not…
March 2024, Sports
Relishing Pickleball: Countering the Slice Shot
David Zapatka Last month we discussed hitting slice returns of serve and dinks. This month we are discussing how to counter the opponent’s slice returns and dinks. Consider using these strategies to counter the opponent’s slice shots. * Hit through the spin using a flat drive shot. By driving the ball, you are countering the…
January 2024, Sports
Relishing Pickleball: Pickleball Comes to U.S. Universities
David Zapatka Pickleball continues to grow in popularity around the country. It’s now making its way into U.S. universities. The leading example of this is my friend, Jarrod Smith, coach of Drury University’s men’s and women’s tennis teams, and in 2024, coach of Drury’s co-ed pickleball team in Springfield, Mo. In August, Drury announced the…
Sports, November 2023
Relishing Pickleball: Doubles Strategies (Continued!)
David Zapatka Continuing our study of Pickleball Fundamentals Master the basics and compete with confidence by Mary Littlewood, Ms. Littlewood offers these basic doubles strategies for players of any level. To read all her advice, buy her book. Strive for 100% accuracy on serves. The serve is the only shot in the game that is uncontested. There…
October 2023, Sports
Relishing Pickleball: More Doubles Strategies
David Zapatka Continuing our study of Pickleball Fundamentals Master the basics and compete with confidence by Mary Littlewood, we will continue to learn from two professional Hall-of-Fame players, Alex Hamner and Jennifer Lucore. (Quotes are paraphrased for brevity. Buy Ms. Littlewood’s book to get the whole story!) Unforced errors happen! Nobody means to hit an unforced…
Sports, July 2023
Relishing Pickleball
Shot Selection David Zapatka Continuing our study of Pickleball Fundamentals Master the basics and compete with confidence by Mary Littlewood, it is time now to learn about shot selection. Mary Littlewood says the ideal sequence of shots provides a means for all four players to get to the net where pickleball is won and lost…
Sports, June 2023
Relishing Pickleball: The Drop Shot
David Zapatka Continuing our study of Pickleball Fundamentals Master the basics and compete with confidence by Mary Littlewood, it is time now to learn about the drop shot after learning about the overhead smash the past two months. Mary Littlewood says the reason to hit a drop shot is to give the team deep in their…
Sports, May 2023
Relishing Pickleball: The Backhand Smash
David Zapatka Continuing our study of Pickleball Fundamentals Master the basics and compete with confidence by Mary Littlewood, this month we will focus on the backhand smash. Last month we introduced the overhead smash. Most overhead smashes are hit with a forehand. What should we do with that ball that is high over our head on…
Sports, February 2023
Relishing Pickleball: The Lob–Part 2
David Zapatka Continuing our study of Pickleball Fundamentals Master the basics and compete with confidence by Mary Littlewood, “The lob is a lofted shot hit off a bounce that can be either offensive or defensive in nature. The object of lobbing is to force your opponents, who are in a strong position at the non-volley…