You’ve heard it.
You’ve probably even said it.
A ball whizzes cleanly between two teammates, nobody touches it, and an opponent declares—very smugly:
“Down the middle solves the riddle.”
But according to Coach Greg Dedrick?
That phrase makes no sense at all.
Because if a ball goes untouched down the middle, there was no riddle to solve—there was a breakdown.
In this episode of Pickleball Obsession, Tracie and Greg unpack one of the most misunderstood ideas in rec and competitive play: who actually owns the middle—and why it’s not as simple as forehands, backhands, or who’s the “stronger” player.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
Why balls shouldn’t be sailing through the middle—at any level
The real reason partners freeze and look at each other after “your ball / my ball” moments
Why defaulting to “it was your forehand” often causes more problems than it solves
The concept of being “big in the middle”—and how it changes everything
How communication (not power) is what actually shuts the door on the middle
There’s also a surprisingly perfect Jurassic Park analogy that explains how smart players “test the fence” to expose weaknesses—before deciding where the real opening is.
💡 The big takeaway?
The riddle isn’t about where the ball goes.
It’s about how two players move, communicate, and make decisions together.
If you play rec with new partners…
If you don’t want to sound bossy—but also don’t want balls flying past you…
If you’ve ever thought, “Wait, whose was that?”
This episode is for you.
👉 Listen now and solve the real riddle.
Short, practical insights for recreational players who want answers.
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