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New Pickleball Student Evaluation and Training Plan
This plan is designed to help a new pickleball student improve foundational skills and progressively build advanced techniques and strategic understanding. It begins with a comprehensive Initial Skill Assessment covering baseline shots, serve/return, footwork, dinking, volleys, and game awareness. Each of these areas is observed to establish a starting skill level.
Published in
2 min readNov 14, 2024
1. Initial Skill Assessment
- Baseline Shots: Check their forehand and backhand for consistency and form.
- Serve and Return: Observe their serving technique, accuracy, and ability to return serves effectively.
- Movement and Footwork: Notice how they move on the court and if they naturally position themselves well. Good footwork is key in pickleball, especially for higher-level play.
- Dinking: Assess their dinking skills at the non-volley zone (NVZ) to gauge control and patience.
- Volleys and Overheads: Evaluate their comfort and timing with volleys and any experience with overheads or smashes.
- Game IQ: If possible, have them play a quick rally or game to see how they respond in real-time, paying attention to shot selection and positioning.
