Desert pickleball fans, don't forget this is the last call for my first outdoor round-robin event. It's Oct. 18 at Paradise Pickleball Club. For all the details and to register, email me at mgbarsaleau@gmail.com to register. You can do up to 4 events for $50.00.
Coach Mary's Tip of the Week: Don't be glued to the NVZ line
According to online instructor Jill Braverman, pickleball players should not be glued to the traditional NVZ (non-volley zone). She suggests an updated approach.
Jill calls the area 3 feet behind the NVZ line, the new kitchen line. She says you should be moving up and back from the modern NVZ to the regular NVZ. If you watch pros play, you'll see that they move around in that space and aren't attached to the NVZ line.
Here are four benefits to this strategy:
- Better bounce speed-up. Better weight transference. Weight goes forward. Never move backwards! Start at new NVZ, and you will always be moving in. Move back to move forward. Constant movement in this zone. Up and back.
- Less attackable, and counter will be improved. With more distance from traditional NVZ. If you hit a bad dink, move back quickly, get low, get paddle in front so you can reset. Move forward after the shot.
- Less lob-able! If you are a couple of feet off the line, it will be harder for your opponent to lob you. You can execute an overhead or run down a good lob.
- If you are further back, you can move into your fourth from the new NVZ to the traditional NVZ. Better aerial attacks!
Keep these things in mind
- It is more difficult to move backward than forward
- Even if you take it in the air, you can still move in. These two things go together.
- Your split-step should be at the modern kitchen line, not at the traditional NVZ. You can move in from there.
- Dance on and off the line, depending on how good your dink was. Good dink, move in. Bad dink, stay at the new NVZ line.
- Close to the NVZ if your opponent's head is down.
One final thought
Pickleball is changing. I used
to tell my students that they had to position at the NVZ.. Do not get stuck in the transition zone. I am adapting my instruction to include the “New NVZ zone!”
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Pickleball tip of the week: Don't be glued to the NVZ line
