Pickleball Drills for Beginners to Pros

Feb 14, 2018

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The beauty of pickleball is that people can start playing at any skill level. However, the specifics of the games are nuanced.

This is what creates the need for different skill levels in pickleball tournaments. With the right mindset and enough dedication to your practice, the sky is the limit in terms of realizing your full potential.

One of the keys to becoming a great pickleball athlete is practice. While nothing rivals on-the-court experience against another player, it's important to take some time on your own to hone the fundamentals you've already learned. The best way to do this is through pickleball drills.

Drills are a great way to figure out what your weaknesses are on the court and work out those kinks accordingly. Through repetition, drills drill (who would have thought?) consistently good habits into your repertoire.

If you're looking to step up your game, here's a list of some of the best instructors to follow and some insights on what they have to offer.

Sarah Ansboury

With a 2015 National Open Doubles Championship along with a 2016 Open Doubles and Mixed Championships under her belt, Sarah Ansboury knows the ins and outs when it comes to the sport of pickleball.

In the drill below, Sarah addresses one of the most important moves on the pickleball court—the dink:

What's so useful about this video is that Sarah doesn't only explain how to dink, but illustrates where you might be going wrong. This video is ideal for beginners, but also valuable for those looking to hone such a significant skill.

Joe Baker

While pros have firsthand knowledge of the intricacies of a sport, sometimes spectators can offer a fresh viewpoint. After all, with an objective point of view and a keen eye for detail, spectators can become great teachers in turn. Case in point, Joe Baker, who specializes not only in pickleball strategies, but golf and ballroom dancing.

In the video below, Joe shares backboard wall drills for pickleball:

What's so convenient about backboard wall drills is that they allow you 7 to 10 times more opportunity to hit the pickleball than you would have in a typical doubles game. The only way to get better at pickleball is to hit the pickleball more. Participating in backboard wall drills will help you find your form, create consistency and give you valuable court-time experience.

CJ Johnson

When you're looking to better yourself on the pickleball court, look no further than a website called Betterpickleball.com. Run by CJ Johnson, as the name suggests, they strive to make you better at pickleball!

As CJ explains in the video below, 'If you step onto a pickleball court, you know that being a little bit faster you will have a bit of an advantage of the other team.' The drill in the video will help you with hand-eye coordination and improve your reaction time:

What's interesting about this video is that this drill doesn't happen only the court. It begins with a simple eye test using a magazine. This is an effective drill for strengthening your focus. From there, CJ takes you onto the court to apply what you learned. This video is a fun way to break up the monotony of typical drills.

Primetime Pickleball

Ready for the Primetime? Primetime Pickleball was founded by two 5.0 rated IPTPA certified pickleball coaches, Nicole Havlicek and Jordan Briones. With such high placements, it's obvious that these two have honed their skills.

In the video below, the twosome work with U.S. Open and National Champion, Marcin Rozpedski in helping you find your sweet spot on the pickleball court:

This is a unique drill as Marcin holds the paddle like a pencil while using the round edge of the paddle bottom to hit the pickleball. Doing this will help your eyes get used to tracking the ball. Creating such pinpoint precision on a small surface will lead into the follow-up with a much larger target zone of a properly held paddle. There you will find your sweet spot!

Deb Harrison

Deb Harrison, or Picklepong Deb, was awarded Pickleball Athlete of the Decade, having won 15 gold medals over a 10 year period at the Florida State Senior Games. With a decade's worth of experience, Picklepong Deb has been kind of enough to share her knowledge with pickleball enthusiasts via her YouTube videos.

In the one below, Picklepong Deb teaches about footwork and walks you through a drill that involves simulating play. It's fun because it allows you to use your imagination and let loose a little:

What makes this drill so effective is that Deb breaks down the art of footwork and offers real insight into the steps. It's also an intense workout that can help you get some cardio in. Lastly, since you're not really playing, you don't need to be on the court to practice!

These drills will give you plenty of new concepts and techniques to work with so that you can improve your play outside of games. Are there any videos that have been of use to you in the past? Share them with us!