How to be a better (pickleball) partner
Smiles and paddle taps all around @rileynewmanpb
While self ratings based on individual skills are important, one aspect that is often overlooked is partner strategy. Since pickleball is mostly played in doubles, you want the sum of you and your partner to be greater than the parts. Here are some ways you can become a better partner, even if it's your first time meeting them during rec play.
Make sure your partner knows to take the middle when they are forehand, and offer to get out of the way to give them space. Hopefully this will encourage them to do the same for you. Why? There are two fundamental reasons to do this:
Most people’s forehands are more consistent, and more powerful than their backhands (Riley Newman is a notable exception).
Most mistakes are made when you are forced to think for an extra split second. Deciding early on who is taking that ball down the middle will prevent some of those mental errors.
In addition to acknowledging the general rule of forehand covering middle, encourage either you or your partner to be the “quarterback” and call out ‘mine’ or ‘yours’ to help ensure you stay on the same page. Communication is critical in any partnership!
Forehand covering middle is a general rule, but does not apply to all scenarios. Your primary objective should be to follow wherever the ball goes, and think about the potential cone of attack from that position. For example, if you’re in a right-handed forehand to forehand dink battle and you dink your opponent out wide, you and your teammate should shift to the left, and your backhand should be responsible for covering that middle ball and your partner should be ready to cover the line.
When you're at the net and your partner is receiving, watch the serve all the way to when your partner makes contact. Your viewing angle is the best one to call an out ball, not the receiving partner. In the latest update to rules, clear space must be seen between the ball and the line to be called out. Also, look back helps avoid the risk of your partner hitting you with the ball on their return.
If you are the receiver, the top ball may look in to you. Depend on your partner to call those serves out.
If you are working on a specific shot during rec play, let your partner know. Don't suddenly start setting up Ernes without giving your partner a heads up.
It’s critical to observe your own and your partner’s third shots to determine how to approach the net. At higher levels, you should know upon contact if your third is one where you should move up as a team or stay back. Help communicate that as soon as you know. If you know your partner can consistently hit good third shots, start making your way up through the transition zone earlier and be prepared to poach any fourth shot left in the air.
For left-handed players, learn how to stack and offer to do so. Here is a great detailed video by pro Sarah Ansboury on stacking
If you are playing with or against less experienced players, make it your goal to avoid any unforced errors, and play with precise execution. It will be a higher level of focus because you won’t be worried about the outcome of the game, but rather the way you get there.
When you engage in a hands battle, especially when your forehand is middle, clean up what you started. Don’t initiate a speed up, hit one or two balls, and then leave the next ball for your partner. Stay in rhythm, and go for the finish. Your partner should be there slightly behind you to get to anything that gets past you.
Stay positive when either you or your partner messes up. No one needs to play with a coach (unless they ask or are paying you), so try your best not to give unsolicited advice. Positive vibes are contagious just as much as negative vibes are. If your partner feels like you want to blame them for losing points, they will sense that and play tighter, creating a self fulfilling prophecy.
If you find yourself playing with someone who isn’t as mobile as you, offer ahead of time to chase down lobs, or even balls that roll away. This clears up any debate on who should go for what balls, and they will appreciate you letting them conserve their energy. In the same vein, if you know your overheads are not great, let your partner know they can take any overhead smashes they want. Just be sure to move out of the way! Thanks to Jules V for the suggestion!
If you think a ball is going out, let your partner know! Shout “bounce”, '“out”, or" “no” or any other word that tells your partner not to hit it. If they do, it’s ok, just stay focused on the point. On the other end, if you know a lob is going to land in, help your partner and tell them to hit it rather than waiting for it to bounce to take time away from your opponents.
Did we miss any tips? Let us know in the comments! And for more details on the Johns Brothers’ strategy and system, check out this great blog post by Kyle aka Thatpickleballguy.
