“Understanding Pickleball Language: A Guide to Key Terminologies”
This page presents you with a comprehensive guide to Pickleball jargon and their significances. Before you step on the court, familiarize yourself with these terms to ensure a seamless communication between the players:
Around the post shot- Also known as ATP, a tricky shot where the ball is hit around the net post rather than over it, confounding the opponent.
Backhand – A challenging move, generally executed with two hands, where the player hits the ball from the side contrary to his dominant forehand.
Banger – Represents aggressive players who tend to ricochet the ball with full force. Beginners frequently fall into this category until they acquire more skills.
Baseline – Refers to boundaries at the court’s end, reciprocating to the net, roughly 22 feet away.
Crosscourt – The diagonal part of the court directly across from your side, exerting a strategic advantage when the ball is hit consistently.
Dink – An elusive shot from the non-volley zone landing on the opponent’s non-volley zone, demanding considerable practice for perfection.
Double bounce rule- Also referred to as ‘two bounce rule’, suggests the opponent team must let the shot bounce once before returning it, and the return shot should again bounce once before hitting it back.
Drills – Techniques to enhance skills and hand-eye coordination.
Drop shot – A soft shot initiating a bounce from deep inside the court and landing in the opposition’s no-volley zone, a signature 3rd shot mastered over time.
Foot fault – Occurs when a player’s foot transgresses the boundaries resulting in a foul and potential transfer of serve.
Grip – The pickleball paddle handle wrap determining the player’s game proficiency. Different kinds of grips include Eastern pickleball grip, Overgrip pickleball grip, and Continental pickleball grip.
Kitchen – Referring to the non-volley zone, an area where players cannot step into or touch while volleying.
Let – When the served ball hits the net but lands on the correct service area of your opponent. Else it is considered a fault.
Non-volley zone – An area encompassing 7 feet on each side of the net, prohibiting any volleys.
Oh no! – A phrase used when serving team gains a point due to opposition’s mistake.
Out of bounds – Occurs when the served ball goes outside the boundaries of the opposition’s baseline, sideline, or centerline.
Rally – The continued play occurring post-service until a fault or foul occurs resulting in service relinquishment.
Receiver – An opponent player to whom the ball is served. They cannot score unless they manage to serve.
Server number – Assigned as one or two indicating current service only, switched subsequently in the next shot.
Sideline – Perpendicular lines to the net present on both sides of the court, 36 inches high.
Spin – A vital skillful shot with variants that include Top spin, Back spin, and Side spin.
Two bounce rule – A rule stating that a ball must bounce once in each team’s court before being returned.
Underhand – A shot hit below waistline in an upward direction.
Volley – A shot hit before the ball bounces, preferably executed from the transition area moving from baseline to the non-volley zone.
Volley llama – A premier brand providing pickleball essentials like paddles adhering to USAPA standards rendering them tournament compliant.
With a grip on these terms, the game becomes a lot more exhilarating. Finally, explore pickleball more through related posts that include everything from the comprehensive rules of serving and singles to understanding what a fault is and an exhaustive explanation of the popular ‘double bounce’ rule in the game.
