David Zapatka Last month we discussed how to beat the bangers. Blocking at the kitchen line was a key strategy. This article will pick up with that focus. Consider these strategies to improve your blocking skills. 1. You know the hard shot is coming. Be prepared, knees bent, relaxed, eyes on the ball, paddle out…
Tag: Relishing Pickleball
April 2025, Card Games & Sports
Relishing Pickleball: Resetting the Rally
David Zapatka You’re in a crosscourt dinking rally and your opponent continues to put you under pressure with consistent dinking that tries your patience. The rally becomes more difficult as your opponent pushes you closer to the sidelines with shots close to the net. How long can you dink like this? Is it a battle…
February 2025, Card Games & Sports
Relishing Pickleball: Teaching Pickleball to Your Relatives
David Zapatka With the holidays behind us, there has been quite a bit of talk about how to introduce relatives to pickleball, the game we discovered and love. The debate about how best to do this centers around two concepts. The first is to begin teaching new players how to serve. The second is to…
December 2024, Card Games & Sports
Relishing Pickleball: Be Courteous on the Pickleball Court—Make It Fun!
David Zapatka I play pickleball for fun. Do you? If it wasn’t fun, I wouldn’t play it. I like to play with fun people. Don’t you? Are these things important to you? If they are, this article is for you and your friends. Being courteous and having fun means finding enjoyment in the sport and…
July 2024, Card Games & Sports
Relishing Pickleball: The 4th Shot
David Zapatka We have learned the importance of the 3rd shot drop and that the receiving team has the initial advantage in the rally. The question now becomes, what does the receiving team need to do to maintain their advantage? Court positioning is vital as you prepare for the 4th shot. Only the player receiving…
Card Games & Sports, March 2024
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…
February 2024, Card Games & Sports
Relishing Pickleball: Slicing the Ball
David Zapatka Slicing serve returns and dinks are favorite shots of mine. A slice puts backspin on the ball. The slice makes the ball travel from 6 o’clock to 12 o’clock back toward the player who contacted the ball. These shots can be hit with a forehand or a backhand. A slice is effective for these reasons.…
January 2024, Card Games & 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…
December 2023, Card Games & Sports
Relishing Pickleball: Doubles Tactics for Players of Any Level
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. Always face the ball on the other side of the net. Regardless of where you are on the court…
November 2023, Card Games & Sports
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…