Play pickleball long enough and you’ll find yourself teamed up with a considerably weaker partner. We’ve all been there, gritting our teeth as Larry dumps yet another sitter into the middle of the net.
This can be frustrating, but there are some strategies for leveling the playing field and boosting Larry’s morale in the process. Here, pro Eric Roddy — a 6.13 DUPR and member of the MLP’s Bay Area Breakers — breaks it down.
✅ Provide cover. Communicate with your partner that you’ll take thirds and fifths, regardless of what side you’re on. This takes the pressure off and allows them to creep closer toward the kitchen while you’re doing the heavy lifting.
✅ Serve big. As the stronger player, you need to dictate play when the ball is in your hands. This means going for your serve more often and targeting your opponents’ weaker sides to force neutral, short returns that you can easily put away.
✅ Control middle. Your teammate isn’t going to win many cross-court dinking battles. Instead, tell them to reset the dinking pattern back to the middle of the court as often as they need to. It’s up to you to find an opportunity to attack.
✅ Drop it. Remember, your job is to help your lesser-skilled teammate get to the kitchen. A controlled third or fifth-shot drop to the middle of the court achieves this far better than a drive. Play to your teammate’s weaknesses rather than to your strengths.
✅ Stay patient. Once you’ve gained the kitchen line, wait for the right opportunity to attack. As Roddy puts it, “Reckless speedups are the easiest way to get your weaker partner killed, which will further hurt their confidence.”
Larry is trying his best out there. So have fun and play smart, and remember, you were once the weaker teammate for someone else. And you likely will be again.
