Kitchen defense is often talked about in absolute terms: you want to be a brick wall up there, defending the line like your life depends on it.
But in reality, the soft game is much more fluid. It ebbs and flows. Sometimes you’re in the power position, pressing the other team on attack. Others, you’re retreating back a few steps, playing defense and biding your time to get back to neutral.
More often than not, you’re somewhere in the middle. There’s a term for this. It’s called playing “squishy.”
According to top female pro Kate Fahey, it could very well be the game strategy you’re missing to get to that next level.
First, be comfortable playing a step or two off the kitchen line. This isn’t bad. You’re not committing some unforgivable offense. You’re simply giving yourself more time to get into position. And even an extra millisecond or two can be everything.
The “squish” happens when you step onto the line at the last second and take the next ball out of the air. The move is small, deliberate, and late on purpose.
When a speedup comes, the squishy answer is to absorb the power with your positioning, melting back off the line as needed, inch by inch, to reset rather than swing back in a panic.
Every shot at the kitchen should extend the rally without offering the other team a ball they can attack. Squishy footwork helps you stay alive until it’s your turn to go on offense. Then don’t hesitate to turn the tables.
Start thinking about the kitchen “line” as a two-step zone and the entire court starts to open up. The key to building any great point is not rushing your way to the kitchen. And knowing you’re not stuck there is the next step in advanced strategy.
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First Time Buyers Only
Why we are different
There are well over 100 paddle manufacturers serving the pickleball industry. We are the ONLY custom paddle manufacturer in the world. In order to understand what it is we do and why it’s unique, it’s necessary to understand how a paddle is made.
Every paddle with few exceptions has a honeycomb core. The different companies in the industry use one of three different materials for the core- aluminum, polymer and Nomex. We use all three. The core provides 75% of the way a paddle performs.
Then the honeycomb core is sandwiched between two thin layers of surface materials. Again, the different companies in the industry use three different materials- graphite, fiberglass composite and carbon fiber. We use all three. The surface material is about 25% of the way a paddle performs. Think of it as fine tuning the paddle’s performance characteristics.
The three different core materials combined with the three different surface materials make 9 different combinations of materials. Each plays differently. We make two (soon to be three) different shapes for our paddles. The Chaos has a large square sweet spot- at 8 1/2”, it is the widest paddle on the market. The Kratos has an equally large rectangular shaped sweet spot. Each combination of cores and surfaces is available in both the Chaos and Kratos shape.
Then we give each player the opportunity to select their paddle’s weight (ranging from 7.4-10.5 ounces).
Now comes the grip. Players can choose one of three different handle shapes, their grip size from 3 7/8” to 6”, one of three different grip materials and more than 10 colors for each grip style.
Now that the player has chosen the best paddle shape, core, surface and grip for their individual game comes the fun part. We can put any custom graphic the player chooses on their paddle face- either one of our many choices or one of their own- a picture, logo or graphic of their choosing.
Now every player can play with a totally bespoke paddle and watch their game immediately improve because they are playing with the right paddle for them in every way.
Every other sport has specialized equipment for every player except pickleball. Not anymore- now pickleball is catching up to other sports. Pickleball players spend a lot of time playing the game they love. Now they can play with the gear that suits them and not be forced to use a one size fits all paddle.
Want to Join Team TSD?
We are actively seeking avid pickleballers with sales experience to educate, demonstrate and promote Third
Shot Drop pickleball paddles.
Please send your prior sales experience, where you play, how often you play, what level player you are, if you
play Tournaments, how many players you can reach and your contact information to:
Ashley@ThirdShotDrop.com
