Has your pickleball game hit a wall? Do you want to get better but find your game has stalled? Here are 5 reasons you may be stuck: 

1. You’re playing with the same PEOPLE all the time. 

While it’s great to play pickleball with friends, the familiarity that comes with your regular crew may be holding you back. If you know that Kris always attacks crosscourt or how to tell when Julie’s going to play that surprise lob, you’re likely entering a comfort zone you won’t be in when playing strangers. Mixing up opponents will force you to be more alert to different game styles and to learn how to play against a wide range of players. 

2. You’re playing the same WAY all the time. 

Like a chameleon, good pickleball players can adapt to different settings — they can change how they approach a match. Against one kind of team it may make sense to draw out the points — to rely more on the soft game and to wear down the opponents physically. Against other teams, it may be necessary to speed things up — to take away time to react.

If when you play pickleball you always rely on your preferred game style, you’re creating a significant liability; you’ll be poorly prepared when that style of play won’t work and will likely find it hard to switch gears. A good way around this is to deliberately choose to play different kinds of pickleball. Play a game where your team acts more like power players, even if that means attacking shots that normally you would hit more defensively. Throw in some movement like a shake and bake, or some aggressive poaching. Even if you wind up losing some of your rec games, there is a benefit to getting comfortable being a versatile player who can mix things up as needed. It takes work to be flexible.

3. You haven't identified your weaknesses. 

Nobody likes to think about what they’re not very good at, but if you want to be an effective pickleball player, it’s important to take a hard look in the mirror. A useful exercise is to ask yourself this question: if you were coaching someone who is about to play against you in a competitive match, what advice would you give them? To make you move? Hit to the backhand? Speed things up or slow them down? An honest conversation like this will point in the direction of what you should work on. After all, you won’t know what to work on if you’re not clear about your limitations. 

4. You’re scared to look bad.

Everyone loves to look like a pickleball hero. Whether it’s hitting a great ATP, putting away those high volleys or hitting a great reset, humans like to be successful. But this desire to look good comes at a cost; it prevents us from taking risks and experimenting. Whether it is using your weaker shots, experimenting with movement or even challenging a new opponent, many players let their ego prevent them from taking on new challenges. If you want to improve your pickleball game, you need to embrace the idea the you might look bad for a little while.

5. You don’t practice — or don’t practice well. 

This will usually be at the top of anyone’s list of things holding you back, but it’s worth repeating. If you don’t spend time deliberately working on your game, it’s hard to expect to get much better. And we don’t mean just casually hitting balls without keeping score. Good practice is focussed and has a clear intention. Even better if you can incorporate activities that create pressure. After all, that’s what’s going to happen in a real match.

Of course, not everyone is motivated to improve their pickleball skills. For many, the pleasure or exercising and playing with friends is sufficient. But if you are someone who wants to get better, consider the tips above as your roadmap.