The First Rule of Pickleball

I tell every new player I coach:
The #1 rule of pickleball is simple — keep the ball in play.

Power is fun. Trick shots are flashy. But if the ball doesn’t land in bounds, it’s just fancy failure.

In most games, points are lost more from unforced errors than from your opponent’s brilliance. That means you beat you. So let’s fix that.

✅ Get your dinks over the net — don’t flirt with the tape.
✅ Place your third-shot drop safely in the kitchen — think control, not perfection.
✅ Serve like a boss — aim deep and consistent, not fancy.
✅ Reset when needed — don’t force a highlight reel when a safe shot will do.

Pro tip within a pro tip:
Pickleball isn’t about hitting the hardest — it’s about who messes up the least. So play smart. Be steady. Make your opponent earn every single point.

If you're going to lose a rally, make sure it’s because of something amazing they did — not because you just tried to out-youtube a YouTuber.