Hey!

Before we keep going, welcome back to another edition of the blog. If you’re new to the blog and want to go back and check out past editions, go here!

Today’s edition has three parts: 

1. A Helpful Tip (Video) – Part Two: 6 Overlooked Skills You Need in Your Game (Film Breakdown)

2. For the Pickleball Nerds – Mastering the Third Shot Drop: Remember the Three L's!

3. My Journey Playing Pro – Tourney Time in Texas!

A Helpful Tip (Video): 

Why you should improve your third shot drop ("3rds") and how to do it.

WHY:

The goal of the shot is to hit the ball into the kitchen, allowing you and your partner time to advance to the kitchen line and gain an advantage in neutralizing the point. Because remember, if one team is up at the kitchen line and their opponent isn't, they have the advantage.

So unless you’ve won the point before getting to the kitchen (maybe with a 3rd shot drive, which is fine and works too), get to the kitchen with a 3rd shot drop because that’s your best position to win the point.

HOW:

With that being said, let’s talk about techniques for improving your 3rd shot drop. 

Few talk about this, but a BIG way to do it is actually to focus on a different shot first. 

“Wait, what?”

Yes, in the last few months, I’ve realized the #1 way to improve your 3rd shot drop is actually to hit a bigger serve. Because if you hit a big serve that generates a short return. You’ll be hitting 3rds from closer to the net and that’s much easier than hitting it from back near the baseline. 

So when going out to practice your 3rd shot, take into account the importance of working on a powerful serve in addition to the 3 L’s:

Loose. Less. And Lift. 

1. Loose Grip
2. Less Swing 
3. Lift the Ball 

1. Loose Grip

• To be honest, I heard this a lot when I first started playing. And wasn’t that big of a believer in it. I'm not sure why, it just didn’t click for me. But now, I get it. It’s huge. It seems counterintuitive, but the looser your grip, the more control you have. It’s when you give the paddle the death grip that balls pop up toward the sky. 

2. Less Swing 

• I say less because my guess is, your swing's too big. And if you're swing's too big, there's a good chance you’ll struggle to drop well into the kitchen. Instead, imagine your body is a wall. And you can’t bring the paddle behind your body because it would hit the imaginary wall. In fact, when I hit my shot, the paddle actually starts a bit in front of my body. Because at the end of the day, you need lift and touch to execute a well hit 3rd shot drop. Speaking of lift…

3. Lift the Ball 

• The worst thing you can do on a 3rd shot drop is hit the net. Because if you do that, the point is over (obviously I know). BUT, if you “miss high,” you still get a chance to fight through the high ball and win the point. What I often see is, players hit the ball with a side to side motion like a tennis swing rather than a down to up motion. Pickleball is not tennis. Yes, there's similarities but there are many differences when talking pickleball doubles strokes. So next time you’re working at it, lift the ball up to raise its trajectory and drop it like butter into your opponent's kitchen. 

Whew, that was a lot. But it's important because this shot is crucial to becoming a better pickleball player. 

So Now What...

Next time you go out on court, invest 5 minutes before playing rec to work on it.

Have one player at the baseline and one at the kitchen feeding balls. 

And a quick note (because this drives me nuts): Make sure the person up at the kitchen isn’t hitting heavy topspin volleys. That’s not simulating the ball you’d receive before hitting a third shot drop.

That’s simulating a reset that might come on a 5th shot or a 7th shot. 

Instead, ask them to hit flat balls, backspin, or maybe some light topspin because that’s how you’ll receive the return which will help simulate a more realistic third shot drop!

Of course, it won’t perfectly simulate a return, but it’ll be a good starting point for you to focus on the technique :)

Give this a shot and see how it works! 

Back at it again this weekend in Dallas, Texas at the PPA Dallas. I’ll be playing mixed with my friend Jennifer and mens with my buddy Craig. 

In addition, I’ll be debuting a new paddle from Selkirk, the 006. I’ve been hitting with it and there’s a lot I really like about it. So we’ll see how it goes! 

Talk next week,

Kyle

PS: If you enjoyed this blog and you want to subscribe to the newsletter, you can do that by clicking here!

PPS: I'm exploring the idea of looking for a host at my next few tournaments. So, if you happen to live in one of these areas and would be open to the idea, let me know!

San Clemente - June 8 - 11

Denver Open - July 13 - 16 

Beer City Open July 19 - 23