If you’ve been hearing all about trying this new sport of pickleball, you may wonder what skills you would need to play. The good news is you can come from any or no sports background, be of any shape, and be as young or old as you’re comfortable being and still be able to play. But here are 5 pickleball skills for beginners that will really help you get into the sport. Don’t worry, these are skills that you can develop over time.
5 Pickleball Skills You Will Need As A Beginner
Hand-Eye Coordination
Since pickleball is a racket sport that involves hitting a target (ball), it does require some hand-eye coordination. If you have a background in baseball, volleyball, basketball, or even golf, it is helpful to play pickleball. Many of the skills transfer over well to pickleball.
If you don’t have a background in any of these sports or any sports, that’s ok! You can learn to play pickleball and play well. It may take some learning and muscle memory to make the motions. Just be patient with yourself as you’re getting used to the movements of swinging your arms to hit a ball.
Beginner pickleball clinics can be very helpful to get you started. Check your local area to see if there is a pickleball instructor that may offer these clinics for a small fee. They will even teach you how to play the game!
Footwork
Even if you’re a fit person, the footwork required for sports can take some time to develop and get used to. You have to move up and down the court and side to side when you’re playing pickleball. There have been many foot-related injuries because players are not used to the medial and lateral movements.
You may see professional tennis players do ladder drills in their training. That is how important good footwork is, no matter your skill level. So learning footwork is never too early. Being mindful of your steps as you’re looking for the ball to hit will help prevent injuries on the court.
Mobility
Pickleball is a sport that a lot of people can play, including if you’re in a wheelchair. If you’re not in a wheelchair though, there is a certain level of bending your knees and reaching that is required. While you don’t want to push yourself beyond what your body is able to do, knowing the types of movements to expect is helpful.
Stretching your body before starting to play and warming up is so important, for both beginners and pickleball veterans.
Cardiovascular Endurance
Although playing pickleball doubles is popular because it doesn’t require a crazy amount of cardio, it still requires some movements. As mentioned earlier in footwork, you will have to move up the court towards the net and move laterally to follow the ball.
While cardiovascular endurance may not be one of the most obvious pickleball skills for beginners, it is one that is worth mentioning. Especially when you start to level up and play with experienced players, they may be better at controlling the ball to move you around. The good news is, the more you play, the better your endurance will be over time.
A Good Attitude
Like all sports, a good attitude is an important skill to have when you’re learning something new. Be patient with yourself. Don’t compare your ability to other people. Especially if you don’t have any racket sport or sports background.
The time it takes for you to learn versus other people with completely different backgrounds is not comparable. The fact that you’re going to be out there to learn a new sport, make new friends, and get some great exercise indoors or outdoors is a great accomplishment.
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