Pickleball Point Breakdown - Learn to Avoid the Pickleball Pop Up

Pickleball Point Breakdown - Learn to Avoid the Pickleball Pop Up

In this video, we're going to talk about one of the most feared events that happen on a pickleball court: the pop up. We're going to focus on movement and shot selection decisions that resulted in the pop up, allowing the team on the far side of the screen to slam it, ending the rally.

If you want more tips on how to reduce your pop ups, make sure you join CJ Johnson and me for our free webinar on how to reduce pop ups in your game link above and below to the free webinar.
https://www.wearepickleball.com/pl/257739

This is from the 2017 USA Pickleball Association Nationals, a 4.5 women's match. And this is a bronze medal match. No criticism is intended of any of the players on the court.

The first thing I want to focus on is a shot selection. The player chooses to hit a driven ball down the middle. Generally speaking, these areas here, high in the middle, are what I would consider areas that you really want to try and stay away from. Because the ball goes up into that zone, allowing the player crosscourt to slam down on it. As soon as that player can slam down on it, it puts a puts the players on this side closest to us into a terrible spot because now the players on this site are on their heels and having to dig balls, even though the pop up and slam is what ultimately ended the rally.

You can look at things like this during rallies; these kinds of shot selection decisions are made during rallies that then snowball into ultimately resulting in the end being a pop up and a slam. But the problem in the slam usually is occasioned by something that occurred before. In this case, the shot down the middle, allowing the other team to slam down on it, creates a movement situation for the team on this site, ultimately resulting in the pop up and the slam.

Next, let's look at how the shot selection puts the team on this site at a disadvantage in its positioning and movement. This is an essential part of the game.

The players on the other side of the net have taken the Non Volley Zone line. There's no space between their feet and the line. They're taking the best position possible on the court.

The players on this site have given up some space, and there is space between the Non Volley Zone line and their feet. Space ultimately becomes critical in how the popup is developed and the rally's loss by the team closest to us.

It's important to recognize - critical, I would say - to recognize that the serving team, which is the team farthest from us, has now gained the advantage. The return team is now on its heels and has lost its advantage. The script effectively has been flipped where the service team now has a positional advantage relative to the return team. Understanding the relative positional advantages or disadvantages of the serve and return team is critical to sound pickleball play. It's something that we spend a lot of time on.

The player opposite her is off of the Non Volley Zone line, giving space for her to hit into. This shot pulls the player to her left out of balance, and being out of balance ultimately results in the pop up that sets the ball up for the slam.

It would not be a point break down without a little extra credit at the end. Maybe you noticed this at the beginning of the rally. Maybe you did not. It's essential to hit your returns to serve deep in this case. The player on the right, the returner, hits a short return of serve that allows the opponent on the other side to come in and have an easier third shot and get to the Non Volley Zone line sooner rather than later. You want to make sure you return to serve are deep to avoid this sort of advantage or giving up an advantage to the service team.

The two takeaways that I want to give you that you can take away from this video for the next time you play our number one hit your shots with intentionality. Know where and why you're hitting the ball to a certain spot. And number two, it's making sure you're hitting from a solid foundation, trying to avoid reaching too far in front of you, and losing balance when you hit the ball. And remember, for more tips on reducing pop ups in your game, you can check out our Free VIPickleball webinar at the link above and below.

Stay well out there.

Tony
In2Pickle Player Development
Tony@In2Pickle.com
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