Third Shot Drop

Third Shot Drop Blog

September 25 2023
Keep the Ball in Front

A recent trip out to the court with some beginners reminded me of an easy tip to improve your game: keep the ball in front.

September 18 2023
Hitting the Short Corner

Everybody loves ripping a powerful serve at their opponents. It's your chance to start the point and dictate the pace.

September 11 2023
Use Footwork to Add Power

Generating power in pickleball is all about managing space — specifically, the space between you and the ball. Ideally, you want the ball to be at arm’s length to maximize your power.

September 05 2023
One if by Air, Two if by Bounce

The decision to hit the ball out of the air vs off the bounce is a core tenant of pickleball. Forcing the opponent to make the wrong decision is one of the quickest ways to win a point.

August 28 2023
When You’re on the Ropes

We covered the three states of pickleball in our last blog post. Now, let's go over how to react in these scenarios.

August 21 2023
Offense vs Defense vs Neutral

Knowing who controls the point dictates how you should prepare for your next shot. A transition from defense to offense can happen in a split second. Below are the three states of pickleball.

Here are the examples to identify if you’re on offense, defense, or in a neutral state.

August 14 2023
Cover Me
  • The pickleball version of 'cover me' happens on the 4th shot
  • Your partner returns serve and hightails it up to the kitchen line
  • As they’re on the run, you provide cover as your opponent plays a third shot drop (or drive)

August 07 2023
The Human Scoreboard

So here’s the thing. Even the most experienced pickleballers forget the score. I think we’ve all experienced a fun game turn contentious:

“No no, you’re on the 2".
“We got one. It’s 6-4, not 6-3”

It happens to all of us, so here are a couple of tips to prevent you from seeming like a newbie on the court

July 31 2023
Attacking Off the Bounce

Height is the most important factor in determining if a ball is attackable. That means both the height out of the air and off of the bounce.

Just because a ball lands in the kitchen doesn't mean it's unattackable. Just ask Morgan Evans — he outlines how to attack off the bounce in a new video.

June 27 2023
This Pickleball Strategy Works at Every Level…

The sport of pickleball has a range of skill levels, typically broken down by pickleball ratings from about 3.0 to 6.0+. The skills and strategies to be successful at each level generally differ. In other words, what works at the 3.0 level may not work at the professional levels. However, there are some pickleball strategies that transcend ratings.

June 19 2023
I Had That

Stop poaching this ball from your partner.

You're both trying to move towards the kitchen and you're a step ahead. The next ball is headed directly for your inside foot.

June 12 2023
Timing is Everything

You just crushed a serve. The return is on its way back. Time to decide: drop or drive.

If you're still thinking about it, it might be too late. For a drive, you want to meet the ball early. Catch it on its way up.

June 05 2023
When a lob goes up, all hell breaks loose

When a lob goes up, all hell breaks loose. Partners forget how to communicate, people trip over their own feet, and somebody always steps in the kitchen while hitting an overhead.

Let's go over some of the basics of the lob culture so you can keep a level head next time the ball hits the sky.

May 29 2023
The Lead Tape Guide

More and more pros and advanced-level players now add lead to the edges of their paddle to add weight or change the weight distribution. Adding weight adds power to your game. Force = mass x acceleration. More mass, more force. When it comes to weight distribution, the effects vary based on where the weight is placed.

May 22 2023
ATP Perfection

The ATP is one of the most beautiful shots in pickleball. It's hard to find one more beautiful than a match-ender to advance to the gold medal.

April 17 2023
Hand Speed is the key to pickleball

Hand speed is a luxury in the game of pickleball. With fast hands, you can be more aggressive and play with more margin for error.

"The future of the game is in hand speed.”