When you are dinking at the Non-Volley Zone or Kitchen Line, as long as you are hitting quality, unattackable dinks, you can stay low and keep your paddle slightly down around your belly button in the 10 o’clock position (or, if you are a lefty, the 2 o’clock position), as your opponents will be unable to attack your quality dink. However, if the pickleball is popped up in an attackable position, your opponents will likely be on the offensive and hit a volley at you and your partner. To defend against the offensive volley, you should try two things:

1. First, change your paddle position. Raise your paddle to about your lower chest so that you are in a position to hit a block volley or a defensive shot. Remember to remain in Pickleball Ready with your paddle in the 10 o’clock position (or, if you are a lefty, the 2 o’clock position). Make sure you really focus on staying low and compressed in the Pickleball Ready position.

2. Second, if you have time to split step after you recognize your poor dink, consider taking a step back off of the Non-Volley Zone or Kitchen Line. Although you generally want to hold the Non-Volley Zone or Kitchen Line, a defensive shot may sometimes be an exception to this general rule, as the extra step back will give you a split second more reaction time to successfully make the defensive shot. Remember, after you hit the defensive shot, step back up and take the Non-Volley Zone or Kitchen Line.

Key Takeaways:

1. To defend against a volley:

a. Make sure you are in Pickleball Ready (really get LOW!);

b. Raise your paddle to in front of your lower chest area; and

2. Consider taking a step back off of the Non-Volley Zone or Kitchen Line to buy yourself more time to react to the pickleball.