If you are coaching pickleball students, whether they are beginners or experts, the pickleball serve and return of serve are two of the most important lessons to teach. Here are some lessons to take your students through serving progressions, and a few teaching the pickleball return of serve.
Pickleball serve 101: The ultimate beginner's guide to pickleball serving rules, tips, and technique
Struggling with your pickleball serve? Whether you're new to the game or just want to up your serving skills, this guide is perfect for you! Dive into the ins and outs of pickleball serving with our comprehensive video tutorial.
- Basic pickleball serve rules: Understand the critical rules around ball landing locations and what lines to avoid.
- Standing positioning: Learn where to stand for optimal serving and the common mistakes to avoid.
- Pickleball serve swing path techniques: Master the low-to-high swing path and find out why the highest point of your paddle matters.
- Pickleball drop serve: Discover a less common but perfectly legal way to serve and practice it effectively.
- Pickleball serve drills & practice tips: Get practical tips and drills to improve your serve from the kitchen line to the baseline.
Learn more about the rules of pickleball serving.
How to weaponize your pickleball serve
If you want to improve your pickleball serve, the most important steps you can take are to improve your serve depth and power. Barrett and Danea Bass will teach you five ways to weaponize your pickleball serve, including where (and how) to stand, where the ball should be, and how “wrist-y” you should get. Plus, they will take you through two drills you can practice to improve your serve before your next pickleball game.
Learn more about weaponizing your pickleball serve.
How to serve legally: Learn the 2 pickleball serves
USA Pickleball ref Maddie Toren will take you through ways to serve legally in pickleball, including the volley serve and drop serve. What can and can't you do during your pickleball serve, according to the official USA Pickleball rules, including spin, location of your paddle and wrist, and other pickleball serve requirements.
Read the full rules for legal pickleball serving here.
Illegal pickleball serves: The rules of pickleball serving
Is your pickleball serve legal or illegal? Learn more about all the pickleball serve rules, the two types of pickleball serves (the drop serve and volley serve), and what makes a pickleball serve legal. What can and can’t you do when you are serving and what are the differences between the volley and drop serves in pickleball? Plus, can you spot an illegal pickleball serve? Take our test to find out.
Learn more about illegal pickleball serves.
Where to stand on the pickleball court as the server
USA Pickleball ref Maddie Toren will teach you where to stand on the pickleball court during your serve, including when the rules apply (at the moment your paddle hits the ball), where your feet can be, how to serve, and where the ball must land during the pickleball serve. She will also explain where you can stand after the moment your pickleball paddle hits the ball. If you are new to pickleball, this video will teach you everything you need to know about the pickleball serve.
Maddie Toren is a pro pickleball official and the first teen-certified pickleball referee. In this series, she will take you through 10 rules every beginner pickleball player should know.
Learn more about where to stand as the pickleball server.
The PERFECT pickleball return of serve: Rules & tips to level up
Your pickleball serve return will set up the entire rally to earn the serve back to your team. Learn more about tips and strategies for your return of serve, including how to pressure your opponents, why momentum after your serve return is important, and where you should be standing on the court during this underrated pickleball shot.
Follow along for the best tips and a drill to become an expert in your pickleball return of serve.
Read more about the pickleball return of serve.
4 most common mistakes killing your pickleball return of serve
The pickleball return of serve is one of THE most important shots in the game, but so many players don't spend time to perfect it. In this video, Barrett and Danea Bass will go through the 4 most common mistakes that pickleball players make when returning the serve in pickleball, including the swing path, pickleball spin, paddle swing, and your feet positioning.
Learn why you should be spending more time to improve your return of serve and why it's such an important pickleball shot.