I’ve written before about pickleball communication…I even wrote a book about it. And we see examples of the importance of communication in every team sport. People playing volleyball, soccer, football, baseball…are always talking, calling the ball, directing other players during play.
pickleball communication
I am happy to report that pickleball players are embracing the importance of communication. I recently heard a player on a nearby court say, “The biggest gift you can give someone on the court is the gift of communication.” Yes, communication is
key to any team. But we communicate not only through the words we say. We actually communicate more via our body language and our tone
My 5 Tips
- Always remember you are on the same team with a common goal. You can work together toward that goal or work at cross purposes and fail.
- Consistency is essential. Consistent communication…. a paddle tap, high five or other supportive gesture after every point is key.
- You are partners, not coaches. Too often a player assumes the role of coach…telling their partner what he or she should do. Rather than hearing advice, often the partner hears criticism. This can be demoralizing or confusing which can’t lead to good things.
- Keep it simple and stick to the strategy. You aren’t going to fix technical errors in your partner during tournament play…focus instead on what strategy we can apply.
- Trust your partner. You demonstrate this when you give your partner room to hit a shot or reassure your partner after a shot.
Pickleball’s Golden Rule
As children, we were all taught the golden rule…”treat others as you would like to be treated.” Perhaps that is the real key to pickleball communication.
