There is nothing quite like standing on a pickleball court while someone across the net is trying to slam every single ball back at you.
But here’s the slightly annoying news: you may be helping them.
This week Tracie talks with Coach Lisa Palcic, IPTPA Master Teaching Professional and author of The Complete Illustrated Guide to Pickleball, about one of the questions recreational players ask all the time:
How do I stop the bangers?
Lisa’s answer begins before the banging even starts.
Hit your serve deep. Return deep. As you get better, aim those balls at your opponent’s body so they have to move instead of conveniently receiving the ball in their perfect strike zone.
And perhaps most importantly: stop looking at their face.
Contest ends 9/30/26
Lisa says if you can tell her what your opponent’s earrings look like, you’re looking in the wrong place. You should know what color their shoes are. Why? Because where you look influences where the ball goes, and looking too high can send it right into that lovely waist-high strike zone a banger is waiting for.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
Why deep serves and returns can prevent the banging before it begins
Why hitting directly into a banger’s strike zone is basically an engraved invitation to clobber the ball
The surprisingly important reason you should be looking down, not at your opponent’s face
Why rushing to the kitchen can actually put you in a worse position
Lisa’s wonderfully simple rule: serve and stay
Why you and your partner should move together instead of winding up “one up, one back”
The safest place to put the ball when you don’t know what else to do: between their feet
The big takeaway:
You beat a banger by not feeding the banger.
Don’t give them the juicy, medium-height ball they’re waiting for. Make them move. Put the ball at their body or their feet. Give yourself enough room to hit your own shot properly.
Because no matter how hard someone likes to hit the ball, it’s awfully difficult to slam one that’s sitting between their sneakers.
Share this with the person who complains about bangers…while repeatedly serving the ball directly to their forehand. and tell them to SUBSCRIBE.
Short, practical insights for recreational players who want answers.
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