Pickleball Academy

Learn the pickleball court layout: a 44 by 20 foot court with white tennis lines and yellow pickleball lines, including the baseline, center line, and seven-foot non-volley zone.

Learn singles scoring to 11, win by two, with score announced as yours and opponent's. Introduce server number in doubles, providing two opportunities to score per side before side out.

Learn the two-bounce rule in pickleball: both server and receiver must let the ball bounce once. If the server advances, the receiver should try to hit it again.

Learn how the kitchen, the no fly zone, limits entry; enter only when the ball bounces in, else a fault occurs, and keep balance while returning shots.

Master the continental grip, a universal hold for forehand and backhand shots. Visualize a handshake to place the paddle, avoiding grip changes and embracing consistency.

Learn the pickleball serve basics: behind the baseline on the right, paddle below the waist, cross-court contact, kitchen line faults, let serves, and drop variations.

Master a compact overhand volley with a punch through the ball, not a wind up. Stay behind the line, keep the ball in, and deke with your partner.

Learn to execute a dink at the kitchen line, keeping the ball soft and low to land in the kitchen and create a neutral shot that’s hard to attack.

Push back to the kitchen line and keep the ball in play. Keep it deep when receiving to aid communication and reduce errors; learn strategies and shots to win matches.

Learn the third shot drop as a neutralizing shot that lands in the kitchen, the net creating a hurdle for returns and helping you move to the front line.

Learn the third shot drive to test your opponent's reaction time by driving a ball that may pop up, then finish the point with your partner.

Execute a third shot lob to push the opponents back to baseline, creating space and advancing the point; use crosscourt lob to force who has the ball and establish width.

The pickleball receiving team positions one up front and one back, gaining advantage. They hit deep middle to push opponents back, then target feet for no man's land or kitchen.

Learn to execute a high percentage dink by hitting crosscourt in dink battles, keep a loose grip, one smooth motion, and stay in the rally by placing shots crosscourt.

Adopt an athletic, low stance at kitchen line with the paddle out front to defend and dink with forehand or backhand; stay loose and wait for the right overhand shot.

Learn to execute compact overhead and forehand and backhand volleys with a flat paddle. Stay through the ball for a punchy finish shot with minimal wind up.

Master the forehand and backhand roll by brushing up with a stiff wrist to create a late-dipping topspin at the kitchen line, hitting first and disguising the shot.

Master the third shot drive to set up your first shot drop and move toward the net, using a chicken wing placement to force a difficult return.

Celebrate finishing the course and enjoying the journey; you learned a lot and had fun. Check out our social media links for more good stuff.