Stacking is one of those strategies that looks beautifully choreographed when the pros do it and, when gone awry, like two people who have suddenly forgotten where they live.
When done correctly, stacking can give your team a genuine advantage.
It keeps a stronger player’s forehand in the middle, gives that player more opportunities to take over the court and prevents a lefty-righty partnership from leaving two backhands guarding the most important real estate.
So why doesn’t everyone do it?
Because you still have to remember where you’re supposed to stand.
In this episode, Coach Lisa Palcic explains:
Why lefty-righty teams often benefit from stacking
How stacking can highlight one partner’s stronger overall game
Where each player moves after the serve
Why the stronger player may cover nearly three-quarters of the court
How opponents will try to exploit the player moving into position
Why communication about middle balls matters even more when stacking
When mobility, confusion or poor positioning make stacking a terrible idea
Why you should never unveil your brand-new stacking strategy for the first time during a tournament
Stacking also changes the roles within a partnership.
The stronger player may take more balls, but the other partner cannot mentally disappear into the landscaping. That player’s job is to stay steady, keep the ball low, create opportunities and remain ready, because the opponents will almost certainly decide that you are the person they would most like to meet.
And stacking is never an all-or-nothing commitment.
If it is helping you win points, keep going. If both players are scrambling, arriving late and leaving half the court open, abandon the experiment and return to your regularly scheduled positions.
The big takeaway:
Stacking is useful when it creates a clear tactical advantage and both partners can move, communicate and keep track of the score.
Otherwise, it is simply cardio with additional math.
Share this with a partner who says, “Of course I know where to stand,” immediately before asking where to stand and tell them to SUBSCRIBE.
Short, practical insights for recreational players who want answers.
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