We all know about the importance of developing an effective third shot drop, but have you ever considered pickleball’s 5th shot? I was working with a player recently who kept giving away opportunities to put the ball away on their fifth shot. When I asked him why, he replied, “I thought I was always supposed to drop it.”
Rule #1: There Are Not any Hard and Fast Rules for Shot Selection!
I would never tell a student that they must hit a particular shot every time. As I previously wrote, while a third shot drop is often an effective tool, changing things up from time to time is important.
Rule #2: Get to the Line
Often I see players hit a great third shot drop and as they are moving toward the line, they make a hard stop in the middle of the court. It seems that prior play has conditioned them not to move all the way to the NVZ line even when there is time. If you have hit an effective third shot drop, you can almost walk to the line. It doesn’t require you to run full tilt, instead consider these items:
- As you hit the shot, allow your weight transfer and forward motion to continue;
- A big jump or jolting start is not required, simply follow your shot forward;
- Even as you are moving forward, paddle position is important. Keep your paddle out in front. If you paddle is low or too close to you, you will actually impede your forward progress.
- A huge jump resulting in a wide split step is not required. There is a difference between pausing to engage your lower body and jarring your body to a complete stop.
Rule #3: Don’t Ignore Opportunities to Attack
If your opponent puts up a floater, don’t ignore the opportunity to attack. Take every good opportunity that is presented to you to win the point. There is not a rule that you can’t hit a put away until both you and your partner are at the non-volley zone line. By keeping your paddle up and in front of you, you will be in a better position to capitalize.
When you drill combine technique drills with situational drills. By that I mean, allow time to practice a particular shot (e.g. a well-executed third shot drop) using proper technique from anywhere on the court. But also allow drill time for identifying opportunities and putting away shots when a ball is returned too high. You might even want to have your drill partner to toss you balls as you move forward to get a feel for which balls you can attack and which are best to drop. I prefer to place targets on the court as I practice…you can do this with practice discs, hand towels or chalk.
Rule #4: Move Forward
After hitting pickleball’s 5th shot continue to move forward. As long as there is room to step forward, keep moving. This will not only assure you get to the NVZ line but also will enable your weight to move forward which is critically important to get the ball over the net.
Remember your goal on every shot is to set up the next shot. Perhaps your partner can poach. Perhaps your opponent will hit a ball you or your partner can attack. There is not a rule saying every 5th shot must be a drop shot.
