One "simple" way to get better is to concentrate on the skills that are missing from the level above your current level (based on these criteria as noted by the USAPA). ​

Let's say You haven't been playing pickleball that long and you want to get to be a 4.5 player. What do you need to do? What are the major differences between 3.0 and 4.5?

The table below (info from the USAPA website) lists these definitions:

I highlighted the two items in the table that popped out at me most often: CONSISTENCY and STRATEGY. Other elements are important, of course, but by the time a player has achieved 3.0-level skills, he or she knows how to do a lot of things—just not how to do them well, or consistently. What that player doesn't really know yet is the strategy that goes along with what is known: when to hit a dink instead of a drive, when to break out of dinking, and so on. That's the strategy bit, and learning is not all—it's also being able to know how to do it automatically and not have to think about it.

If you've read my posts before, you know I stress PRACTICE, and not just aimless hitting back and forth over the net. It's important to have a goal—one that's reachable and measured. Like consistently hitting that forehand that sometimes goes out of bounds or into the net.

Get a friend to work with you (or better yet, take classes) and make sure 1) you're doing the stroke correctly before you continue to learn it wrong; 2) concentrate your focus not on everything about that shot but rather small parts of it: hitting it at about the same height and to roughly the same spot on the court.

Once you have mastered that, move the shot to other areas. When that's easy, work on your backhand and do the same thing. All of this takes time, but if you do this practice consistently (couldn't resist putting that in), your game will improve.

Take things slowly and methodically, knowing it took a while to get from novice to 3.0. With patience and some help from your friends, you'll get there.

If you've had an opportunity to watch a tournament and saw stacking in action, you may have wondered why the players were moving around the court, standing together, or standing outside the court completely. If you're curious about stacking and how and when to incorporate it into your game, read on.

Stacking is used during tournament play to exploit a team's strength and minimize its weakness. The technique increases the number of times a person plays on the right (even) or left (odd) side of the court.

According to the rules, the non-serving partner or the receiver's partner may stand in any position (even off the court), as long as they stay on their side of the net. Therefore, both team members may stand inside their service court, and partner of the person receiving the serve may stand outside the court at the time of the serve. 

Some examples may help explain how and why stacking works, and why you might want to try it.

3) When receiving. The players in example 1 above are receiving the serve. Judy is the receiver, and John would normally be up at the non-volley-zone line in the left court. However, since John would rather be on the right, he stands outside the sideline, just behind the non-volley zone line on the right. ​After Judy returns the service, John moves in, and Judy rushes to the non-volley-zone line on the left.

Stacking isn't something you must do, but it can help your team play better and more consistently. You can choose to stack during only a portion of the game. Stacking can confuse your opponents and is sometimes good as a way to change things up. 

If you understand what stacking is and how your team (and your opponents) can use it, you'll have an advantage over those who don't.

​Happy stacking!

One thing I know is that many (or most) of the things you learn can help you understand, do better with, or improve upon something else. So bear with me if this sounds a bit crazy. ​​

I took a break from my current writing project—an update of The Art of Pickleball--and headed to the living room. I'm not much on watching lots of TV, but I adore Shark Tank. (If you haven't watched this program, I urge you to give it a try.) I like the original sharks, but one of my other favorites is Chris Sacca, an investor in major online platforms, such as Twitter, Uber, Instagram, and Kickstarter; he also owns & operates Lowercase Capital, a venture capital fund.

Many of us get caught up in the idea that there’s a right and a wrong way to do things, and that includes playing pickleball. Since you're reading this post, I would guess that you'd like to find that "right" way, the one that works for most people, and steer away from the "wrong" ways that go against conventional wisdom.

I cite myself as a perfect example. When I was first learning pickleball, I searched for a book that would tell me how to play better. I also asked good players how they did what they did. Later, as I began compiling material for The Art of Pickleball, I realized that, while some techniques were suggested more often than others, there was still a fair amount of difference of opinion among the "experts."

​Making it more confusing is that new methods appear as the game evolves. Take the ready position, for example. For years, it was accepted that you should stand facing the net with your knees bent and your paddle in front of you aimed at the 12-o'clock position (as viewed from above). Recently, an alternative method emerged at the net, where the paddle is held in the backhand position, ready to volley the ball back over the net. Now that's being refuted. Which method is best?

My point isn't to argue about how you should hold the paddle but to emphasize that there isn't one right way to do anything in pickleball. Instead, there are accepted practices—until someone comes up with a better way. Sometimes those best practices work for you; sometimes they don't. You must be the judge.

Remember, too, that no two bodies are alike. The person suggesting you hold your paddle at a certain angle might be quicker than you in moving from one position to another. What works for her might be terrible in your hand. 

My advice is to check out different ways of doing things and settle (for now) on what seems best to you. When a new method comes along, embrace it if it's better. Just remember: there's no one right way to do anything in pickleball, or in life.

Photo credits: Sarah Ansboury and the RV Picklers, Paul Aaron, Deb Harrison, Simone Jardim, The Pickleball Channel, Stacie Townsend, and Mark Renneson.

​This afternoon, I received an email from an 82-year-old gentleman who said he'd read and enjoyed The Art of Pickleball. He said he hoped I had some tips regarding playing singles—his game of choice—as he'll be playing in a tournament soon. After applauding him for playing singles at his age, I scoured my notes, watched some videos by YouTube pros, and collected these tips. I hope they're useful to you when you are 82!

Tips for Better Singles Play

• Stay close to the center line when you serve, so you can reach the returned shot with fewer steps. Face your opponent and watch his paddle angle and the ball, so you'll know where it's headed.
• Singles pickleball is a lot like singles tennis, in that you should keep your feet moving. Don't get caught flat-footed, and you'll be able to get to the shots more easily.
• I watched a Kyle Yates video where he said his technique in singles was to hit mostly forehands (that's always good advice) and long drives as hard as he could. I don't think that will work for everyone, but it won him the gold. Deep, hard serves are more difficult to return and may help you on your way to the non-volley zone, if your opponent's return is weak. Same for the return of service—send it deep and hard, and hopefully you can gain the net or at least try for a good passing shot. 
• Regarding hitting forehand: many singles players seem to win by having that good footwork and the agility to "run around" their backhand, allowing them to hit forehand instead. Yet I heard one retired tennis coach take umbrage with that, insisting players should work on their backhands, as that was ultimately a lot easier. It's true that you usually hit harder with a forehand stroke, so when power is called for, stick to forehand when possible.
• When you're in the back court, hit deep to the corners, not down the middle—just opposite of typical doubles strategy. Keep your opponent running side to side, which he should find the most difficult. 
• Try not to get stuck in mid court, where your opponent can send shots to your feet. If you can't get to the net, stay in the back third of the court until you can, or hit a split step if you get caught, grounding yourself for a good return, and then hustle toward the net again. 
• Get to the non-volley zone, just as in doubles. That's where your power is. From there, volley your opponent's returns and, again, hit toward the corners to keep him moving and ultimately to put away the shot. You can use a hard drive, if he's in the back court, or a drop volley to get to the net (add underspin/backspin to the ball to make it tougher for him to return it). Don't use a drop shot if your opponent is deep—you want to keep him away from the net. Keep pounding him with long drives to the back court.
• If your opponent does get to the net, you can force him back with a lob (not commonly done anymore, because many players often smash it back for a put-away) or hit a passing shot. Which you use depends on your skill and your opponent's skill. 
• Stay on the attack. Send shots to your opponent's backhand, as it's typically weaker.

Drills for Singles Play
This man also asked if I could suggest drills for singles. Here they are:

• Hit serves and returns so they land within two to three feet of the baseline. If practicing with a partner, send shots to your partner's backhand. Have your partner do the same for you.
• Practice drop volleys from the baseline, sending them to the sides rather than the center of the non-volley zone. 
• Have a partner send shots to you at the baseline, aiming for the corners. Concentrate on your footwork and staying mobile between the shots.
• All target practice drills are good.