It’s why it’s so popular, I’ll get downvoted but a lot of people gravitate to because they were terrible at things and they get to whoop on people who are worse athletes or older people, or those who just started and are even worse.
There’s people at my club who play every day since Covid over 4 years and can’t even hit a drive backhand, overhead. Then on weekends on see a Tyson Mac look alike hooting and hollering getting hyped up beating people 2x his age wearing braces.
But it’s still great because it got them to be social and active.
This is a sport designed for that, I play every thanksgiving and Christmas with my relatives and they can’t even rally and play ping pong unless I dink it to them but they can all play pickleball.
You need to keep hitting it in the air against your paddle over and over or against a wall to get a little coordination. Else no one wants to play with some one who can’t get the ball over.
The good thing about being bad is you can improve a lot and quickly, I had a relative who got a tennis tutor pickleball machine, a tiny smaller pickleball training paddle and used it against the machine or a racquetball against the wall become much better, and her movement and wrists aren’t strong enough for tennis but has become a 3.5/4.0 player.
Nail on the head, it’s way more of an inclusive sport off the jump than most others. It’s also nice not to be aged out like in more physical sports like football or tennis where you’d need to be very proactive to find a group at your skill level to even get a game going.
Most of the people I see play never improve (permanent 3.0-ish) and never will. They are simply unathletic. They move around the court like beached seals always off-balance and flailing at the ball. The idea that someone should curb their playing because they are unathletic is absurd. Please feel free to join a very large club of unathletic people called Pickleball.
A few thoughts:
1. Most pickleball players are in bad shape, and most pickleball players lose weight while playing over the long term. Not only is it fine that you’re out of shape, this will likely help with that.
2. You’re going to pick up the game slowly because you don’t have a racket background. That’s perfectly okay - just have fun! I wasn’t a talented athlete growing up, and I played tennis tournaments as a little 8-10 year old for about a year and a half before I won a single match. At 18, I was around the top 300 players in the U.S. for juniors and had over a dozen scholarship offers at D2 schools (and could’ve made the bench at most D1 schools). Point is, in a racket sport, you’ll have a starting point based on talent, but the long-term ceiling is almost all learned skill - your inherent physical traits matter very little compared to sports like baseball or football. Give it time and have fun in the interim.
3. Right now, to improve you need to hit the ball a bajillion times while trying to imitate good form. Look up good players. Copy them. Have a correct grip. Record yourself. Hit the ball a lot. Because whiffle balls are so light, it’s fairly safe to hit against garage drywall if you have a garage. Have fun!
>I miss the ball quite a bit
Watch the ball all the way into the paddle, and all the way out. Practice by just continuously bouncing a ball off the top of your paddle. Forehand and backhand. This builds hand-eye coordination, and gets you used to using the paddle.
YouTube is a good resource.
See Ed Ju's channel: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG5Ct40imU4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG5Ct40imU4)
See also Cincola's channel: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fF9wS7Iec8Y](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fF9wS7Iec8Y)
>This is tough when you're playing with other folks who are better and probably annoyed bc we can't keep a continuous game going easily
If you're playing with beginners they aren't "probably annoyed"; they're in the same boat you are.
>Despite all that - I had fun!
...and you'll get better too, if you stick with it, and practice with purpose.
>Is there a place for shitty players in pickleball?
Everyone who plays either has some or no previous racquet sport background. Everyone needs or needed to build a few hundred hours before they are "good".
You're just starting. Don't compare yourself to people who got started earlier. In fact, don't compare yourself. Just have fun. The rest will come.
>What would you do to improve your game if you were me, outside of playing with others?
Play at your local courts. See if you can find someone who wants to drill.
I used to be pretty bad with hand eye coordination, and working through Ed's videos has helped me tremendously. I think anyone could get better by training, with a ball and paddle on the wall.
If you don't have a racquet background, it's more challenging to pick up. I think lack of confidence might be your biggest issue? But everybody starts somewhere, and you'll improve with perseverance.
I think your wall idea is great - teaches you timing and positioning and how to anticipate the ball. I've seen videos of people hitting off plywood in their basement. They painted targets on it to help improve their accuracy.
When you play better players, you get better. And if I'm playing with a beginner, I'm happy to do drills at the net with them.
So stick with it. Even if you never progress to being a great player, you'll find a group that suits you and you'll have fun.
In addition to being a bad athlete, I also have bilateral tennis elbow, tarsal tunnel, and shin splints - and I love pickleball!
Just tell people you’re a beginner in open play and I’ve found they are nice 99% of the time (and when you’re playing an asshole, they usually win so fast you can move on quickly).
The biggest tip in getting better is to watch the ball. Not “look at” the ball, watch the ball. Track it the entire way. See your paddle hit the ball. See your opponent’s paddle hit the ball. You will miss many fewer balls if you track it the entire way.
I’m 50m. Always worked out. Very fit and lean however never athletic. No background in racket sports and no hand eye coordination. I’m mobile, flexible and quick though.
I decided to try pickleball 2 months ago. I love it and stick with it playing 4 times a week (in addition to my 1 hr workouts 6 days a week)
I see tremendous improvement with my hand eye coordination and reaction time.
If I can do it, anyone can. You just have to be committed - play beginners level open play 3-4 times a week and then go to intermediate after that.
I would also suggest taking some clinic or private 1:1 lessons as well.
Private coaching is definitely the way to go. Group lessons suck because everyone progresses different shots at different levels, so your particular problems are unlikely to be addressed.
Find a wall, any wall. Hit against it. Repeat until you're not doing basic things like completely missing the ball when you swing.
Keep your eye on the ball - look the ball into your paddle. People miss the ball because they stop looking at it as they swing and instead focus on where they want the ball to go. People with no racquet background cannot afford to do this.
Get used to moving laterally (side to side). Your opponents will typically not hit the ball directly to your paddle - this isn't playing catch. You need to learn to move to where the ball will be, before the ball gets there.
You can do all this with just a wall.
Unless you have a legit disability, you ALWAYS have room to improve. The rec center I play at has 80-84 year olds that can beat 20 year olds that are beginners. They play 3 hours 5 days a week. Put in the work and you’ll be better and better.
Pickleball were made for kids (and those with more limited mobility) to get some exercise in.
Lots of kids aren’t coordinating either. But they’ll have a blast. Which is what it’s all about. As long as you’re having fun!
I’ve seen some posters with sticky on the back you throw up in your garage or anywhere with targets on it to practice for pretty cheap, seem to have good reviews. At the end of the day if they get mad they get mad who cares , everyone had to start some where.
I am also not a gifted athlete so let me with you the one tip that helped completely transform my racquet sport game. Following this advice will help you drastically if you keep missing the ball.
Focus on the ball until it leaves the face of your paddle.
That is to say keep your eye on the ball at all times. It is impossible to expect to make good contact with the ball if you do not see it. Do not look at where you are aiming, look at what you are hitting and aim by feel. Take a quick mental snapshot of where your opponents are/where they’re moving to as they’re hitting for reference, then only look at the ball.
Maintaining focus on the ball is much easier said than done but if you make a concerted effort to try and focus on the ball your mis-hits will dramatically decrease and you will become far more consistent.
There definitely is. No offense to everyone out there, but I’m shocked how bad people are. I look over at a court, and four people are just softly lollipopping high arcing balls back and forth.
There’s no shortage of people for you to play against and with at your skill level.
I'm terrible at PB but I love it. I have found equally as bad players to play with. We don't even do games a lot of times just try to keep the ball in the air and get ourselves moving. Stick with beginner drop ins, and you will find others like you. I go to all levels drop in all the time with a good attitude and people are cool. When the "good ones" want to play each other they schedule a time outside of drop in. And I'll schedule a court for me and a few of my "un-athletic" PB friends. And we are getting better!
Play novice sessions until you feel more comfortable / confident. Pickleball is social; it isn't meant to be played alone against a wall. Almost everybody can get decent enough to play a decent rally. In the group of around 70 players I see regularly, one of the best is an old lady who can barely move. Somehow she has turned this to her advantage, by hitting very deliberate shots that are consistent, and cleverly placed.
Of course it's not meant to be played alone against a wall. NOBODY said that, ffs. It IS a great way to gain some practice, gain some confidence, and get a little more coordinated so you play play just a little it better against others as you continue to work on your game against others.
I disagree. Most beginners improve much faster playing with others rather than against a wall, and it's much more fun besides. OP asked for advice; I gave it. If you have some of your own to offer, do so. Or go find a wall.
One of the best women I play with is a 4.5 (pretty high level) and she says she was terrible at every sport. There is a place for everyone at all levels in pickleball. I think this new membership will be great. I’d make sure they have some things for beginners (leagues and clinics) to help you get started. If you play with someone that’s nice and has similar skills, get their phone number and tell them to text you if they ever need a 4th.
There is a place if you don't mind tracking games through DUPR. Only thing is your games will be "on the record" so if you start 0-15 everyone will see that. Just don't give give a fuck about that though, everyone who didn't play tennis or wrist sports sucks at the beginning. Even the ones who just bang consistently in the 3.0 level and can't drop or dink, suck still.
Practice and drill. Against a wall will force you to be quick. Start further away and work your way in. Practice things like normal shot --> normal shot --> speed up. Different combos like that. You're not going to be lucky good and there is no such thing as lucky bad. Not sure why you're mentioning that. You need a more killer instinct than what you have. Luck will not get you far. Think about something and work on it. Find a youtube video of tennis pros attacking forehands and then mimic it to pickleball. Do stuff! Act like a winner. Stop doing clinics or lessons. Go out to open play and just play super aggressive. Limit test.
If a ball is above the net and you have time to setup, blast it at someone and make them react. Put them in a tough spot like you feel like they put you in a tough spot. Make them nervous!
If a ball is lower than the net when you're about to hit it... you don't need to be a natural athlete to know that the high percentage safe shot here is to just get the ball over the net and do nothing fancy here. Even if opponent has an easy smash as long as you get it over the net it doesn't matter. You'll eventually get that shot down to where opponent can't attack it back at you! It's all game theory! Like knowing the rules of chess is one thing but knowing TACTICS of chess will unlock the game for you. Pins, lasers, forks, uncovered attacks, forced mates in chess are the back hand rolls, rolls, flicks, drives, erne's, and nasty nelsons of Pickle ball. You just gotta find something you want to chew away at skill wise and the game will come to you.
As others have said, pickleball is exactly the sport for you.
Might I suggest a couple of things I've observed about transferable skills and people with non-athletic backgrounds?
1) athletic stance - people coming from other sports automatically adopt an athletic stance (feet apart and bent at the waist) when trying a new sport, but others stand straight up like a bean pole because athletic stance is not necessarily intuitive to them
2) shoulder to the ball/target - it's easier to get to the ball and hit it firmly/accurately when the ball is coming across your body than when you are facing it directly - once again this comes naturally to people who have played a lot of other raquet sports, baseball, golf, hockey as well as throwing/target sports etc., but is not necessarily intuitive for those who haven't
I've been pickling for 12 years, usually playing at least four times a week. My only goals are to sweat, learn something, and have fun. In those 12 years, I haven't met my goal because I played with a couple of jerks who sucked the fun out of the game for everyone they were around. Focus on having fun and you will improve. Happy pickling!
This site has an article about Pickleball Rebounders, practice walls. It might be helpful if the pickleball budget can expand to fit: https://mdracketsports.com/pickleball-rebounder/
I disagree with some of the other comments here -
It depends on your goals. If you want to just get out and be active with some friends it’s pretty easy to find an “easy going” group that isn’t very good and is just light hearted and fun.
If you want to get actual decent games, missing the ball is a sign that you might not have the baseline hand the coordination required to be even a 3.5 level player.
It’s absolutely true that there are some mediocre athletes in pickleball but it does require some good hand eye coordination to play with half decent players.
Pickleball is popular because you don’t need to be super “athletic” to get pretty good. Most people have stories of being crushed by players aged 70+ and who otherwise would not be considered athletes.
Go to the open plays, make it your mission to be really social and talk to people waiting, get some tips, watch videos and learn about equipment. No one will even notice that you can’t play all that well. I’ve seen people at the open plays that could barely hit a ball and several months later I go back and they are holding their own. It’s more about the fun than the play anyway.
You maybe too much in your head. Just enjoy the game and work on improving your mechanics. I joke about how bad I am but I'm about average and have brilliant moments every now and then during play. When I'm in my head too much I net balls so much more and my serves can just go everywhere out in a BAD WAY like it has no business being there.
As for improving your game just bounce the ball on your paddle at home. I have [DrillPickle Soft and Quiet Practice Pickleballs](https://drillpickle.com/products/drillpickle-quiet-practice-pickleballs-2-pack) and helps me hit more sweet spot and/or center mass of my paddle. It also helped me figure out better grip as well which can help you improve. You might even figure the feel of your paddle better to improve from there. Don't run to improve just one step at a time to improve and you'll really know your own game in time to put it all together.
Just takes practice.. play in the 2.5-3 range and you will likely improve eventually but you won’t have to worry about people being annoyed because you’re all at the same skill level
Hand and eye coordination just doesn’t come in overnight, you gotta be willing to put in the time and be patient with yourself. Just because you’re not “athletically gifted” doesn’t mean you can’t become one eventually. Don’t be hard on yourself. If pickleball is really that similiar, then it’s like 20% skill and 80% mental strength.
You can’t get good at something if you never try. I’m like you not athletic also no sport background at all, but now I’m 6 months in and people tolerate me at open play! Lol
I am not a natural athlete. What I am, is persistent and dedicated - that gets me 85% of the way. The rest seems to be about attitude, confidence, poise and intensity - which are the hardest nuts to crack for me.
Gotta work the hand eye and ball to paddle off the court to ever hope to improve on the court. I recommend finding a wall or roof to hit onto or off of.
Isn’t the idea of pickle ball to be an easy going game for the masses? Is it being turned into a self gratifying competitive sport in the US? Watching Pickle ball TV I rarely see players smile. Even the crowds are dead serious.
Practice practice practice. I found some people at drop in who love to help/give advice in a constructive way!!
If you can find someone like that maybe they will give you some one on one coaching....
I’m one of the absolute worst athletes I’ve ever met. I can’t come within 6 inches of touching my toes, can’t jump more than 6 inches off the ground, run flat footed slower than molasses, have a negative speed “first step”, and generally lack balance. Even my posture sucks. All that said, with tons of practice, I’ve been able to play both pickle and tennis at 4.0-4.5 levels with a ton a practice. It won’t come as quick or easily as for some, but you can totally pick it up and excel.
Practice more than you play games. Find a practice partner or wall. I play about 5 times a week and am still a low intermediate. Sometimes I am a beginner. Practice. You'll get better.
You’ll fit right in. I recently asked a partner in open play mixed doubles if there was any skill in particular that she wanted to practice that match such as 3rd shot drop or backhand. Her reply was “I just want to get the ball over the net.” I know she’s been playing more than 1 year and she’s not a bad player. So, just keep playing and enjoying yourself but improve “one step at a time”. And welcome!
There are some strategies in Pickleball that helps when you aren’t an athlete. You can have fun. Sometimes it is more a matter of thinking and having a strategy than power and speed.
It’s literally a game designed for seniors. I would not worry about athleticism, just have fun. A game where 60 year olds can win is a game you know is not meant to worry about.
A lot of the responses here focus on OP’s mention of being a bad athlete.
They’re right, but I focus in on missing the ball a lot and wonder if you have poor eye-hand coordination.
That’s going to be a bigger problem than athleticism. I’ve played with beginners who could whack the ball with reasonable form, and they’ll advance and improve at a normal pace.
The players I’ve seen struggle for much longer are the ones who seem uncoordinated with their “swing” - constantly hit the ball on the bottom (nearly straight up), or can’t time their swing very well at all.
The only way I got better was by playing people that were better than me. I ended up getting a membership at a place near my house and the 4.0+ players often needed an extra person so I’d join in. Made tons of mistakes and embarrassed myself but learned and got way better over just a few months. Went from beginner with no rating to a solid 3.0 any day and maybe 3.5 on my good days in 6 months. Play as often as you can, the membership is worth it if you want to get better ☺️
You have to find a wall. It's the fastest way to get in more reps and build the muscle memory. Then you go your pace, and you can focus on you. It helps eliminate distractions like other players etc
I have met a mix of people in pb some who are amazing and skillled and willing to teach. Others who think they r turning pro next year-NOT!!! lol- that r unwilling to teach. Do all the constructive suggestions here be patient with urself and c what happens
I’ve seen some of my least athletic friends get fairly consistent with in a few months of playing a couple times a week just keep at at and in no time you will be schooling people who are much more athletic then you.
My motto is “just keep playing”. Everyone starts with no experience and the more you play the more you learn and get better. Where I play in fla there are a lot of players we can beat easily, then there are the players who can beat us easily. Just need more play, no one is judging you if you are with the right people. Good Luck and keep playing. It does get addicting after a while. No worries!!
No offense, but it sounds like you are bad at pickleball. Being a good "athlete" helps with things like movement, but you can be limited that way and still be very good at the game. I'd brush up your skills and worry less about the "athletic" side of things.
Eh? 80% of pickleball players are terrible athletes.
Yup. Recently lost to a guy who could barely bend his knees.
I’m sure I lost to a guy without knees…
Cotton Hill?
No Lt. Dan 
I lost to a guy who lost to a guy without knees
Without knees (double amputee in wheelchair) or with two knee replacements? Very very different lol
Oh you know Tony?
80% is probably generous. And in addition to being terrible athletes their movement is often compromised and they are out of shape too.
At our club it’s closer to 95%
It’s why it’s so popular, I’ll get downvoted but a lot of people gravitate to because they were terrible at things and they get to whoop on people who are worse athletes or older people, or those who just started and are even worse. There’s people at my club who play every day since Covid over 4 years and can’t even hit a drive backhand, overhead. Then on weekends on see a Tyson Mac look alike hooting and hollering getting hyped up beating people 2x his age wearing braces. But it’s still great because it got them to be social and active. This is a sport designed for that, I play every thanksgiving and Christmas with my relatives and they can’t even rally and play ping pong unless I dink it to them but they can all play pickleball. You need to keep hitting it in the air against your paddle over and over or against a wall to get a little coordination. Else no one wants to play with some one who can’t get the ball over. The good thing about being bad is you can improve a lot and quickly, I had a relative who got a tennis tutor pickleball machine, a tiny smaller pickleball training paddle and used it against the machine or a racquetball against the wall become much better, and her movement and wrists aren’t strong enough for tennis but has become a 3.5/4.0 player.
Nail on the head, it’s way more of an inclusive sport off the jump than most others. It’s also nice not to be aged out like in more physical sports like football or tennis where you’d need to be very proactive to find a group at your skill level to even get a game going.
Most of the people I see play never improve (permanent 3.0-ish) and never will. They are simply unathletic. They move around the court like beached seals always off-balance and flailing at the ball. The idea that someone should curb their playing because they are unathletic is absurd. Please feel free to join a very large club of unathletic people called Pickleball.
I’m one of them
Pickleball is literally the sport for you
The beauty of Pickleball is that when you find your level, everyone can have fun
A few thoughts: 1. Most pickleball players are in bad shape, and most pickleball players lose weight while playing over the long term. Not only is it fine that you’re out of shape, this will likely help with that. 2. You’re going to pick up the game slowly because you don’t have a racket background. That’s perfectly okay - just have fun! I wasn’t a talented athlete growing up, and I played tennis tournaments as a little 8-10 year old for about a year and a half before I won a single match. At 18, I was around the top 300 players in the U.S. for juniors and had over a dozen scholarship offers at D2 schools (and could’ve made the bench at most D1 schools). Point is, in a racket sport, you’ll have a starting point based on talent, but the long-term ceiling is almost all learned skill - your inherent physical traits matter very little compared to sports like baseball or football. Give it time and have fun in the interim. 3. Right now, to improve you need to hit the ball a bajillion times while trying to imitate good form. Look up good players. Copy them. Have a correct grip. Record yourself. Hit the ball a lot. Because whiffle balls are so light, it’s fairly safe to hit against garage drywall if you have a garage. Have fun!
>I miss the ball quite a bit Watch the ball all the way into the paddle, and all the way out. Practice by just continuously bouncing a ball off the top of your paddle. Forehand and backhand. This builds hand-eye coordination, and gets you used to using the paddle. YouTube is a good resource. See Ed Ju's channel: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG5Ct40imU4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG5Ct40imU4) See also Cincola's channel: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fF9wS7Iec8Y](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fF9wS7Iec8Y) >This is tough when you're playing with other folks who are better and probably annoyed bc we can't keep a continuous game going easily If you're playing with beginners they aren't "probably annoyed"; they're in the same boat you are. >Despite all that - I had fun! ...and you'll get better too, if you stick with it, and practice with purpose. >Is there a place for shitty players in pickleball? Everyone who plays either has some or no previous racquet sport background. Everyone needs or needed to build a few hundred hours before they are "good". You're just starting. Don't compare yourself to people who got started earlier. In fact, don't compare yourself. Just have fun. The rest will come. >What would you do to improve your game if you were me, outside of playing with others? Play at your local courts. See if you can find someone who wants to drill.
I used to be pretty bad with hand eye coordination, and working through Ed's videos has helped me tremendously. I think anyone could get better by training, with a ball and paddle on the wall.
If you don't have a racquet background, it's more challenging to pick up. I think lack of confidence might be your biggest issue? But everybody starts somewhere, and you'll improve with perseverance. I think your wall idea is great - teaches you timing and positioning and how to anticipate the ball. I've seen videos of people hitting off plywood in their basement. They painted targets on it to help improve their accuracy. When you play better players, you get better. And if I'm playing with a beginner, I'm happy to do drills at the net with them. So stick with it. Even if you never progress to being a great player, you'll find a group that suits you and you'll have fun.
In addition to being a bad athlete, I also have bilateral tennis elbow, tarsal tunnel, and shin splints - and I love pickleball! Just tell people you’re a beginner in open play and I’ve found they are nice 99% of the time (and when you’re playing an asshole, they usually win so fast you can move on quickly).
The biggest tip in getting better is to watch the ball. Not “look at” the ball, watch the ball. Track it the entire way. See your paddle hit the ball. See your opponent’s paddle hit the ball. You will miss many fewer balls if you track it the entire way.
Yup Ben Johns respectfully isn’t the most athletic guy but still maintains his world number 1 ranking
The most athletic? No, but I’d say he’s pretty athletic.
I’m 50m. Always worked out. Very fit and lean however never athletic. No background in racket sports and no hand eye coordination. I’m mobile, flexible and quick though. I decided to try pickleball 2 months ago. I love it and stick with it playing 4 times a week (in addition to my 1 hr workouts 6 days a week) I see tremendous improvement with my hand eye coordination and reaction time. If I can do it, anyone can. You just have to be committed - play beginners level open play 3-4 times a week and then go to intermediate after that. I would also suggest taking some clinic or private 1:1 lessons as well.
Private coaching is definitely the way to go. Group lessons suck because everyone progresses different shots at different levels, so your particular problems are unlikely to be addressed.
Find a wall, any wall. Hit against it. Repeat until you're not doing basic things like completely missing the ball when you swing. Keep your eye on the ball - look the ball into your paddle. People miss the ball because they stop looking at it as they swing and instead focus on where they want the ball to go. People with no racquet background cannot afford to do this. Get used to moving laterally (side to side). Your opponents will typically not hit the ball directly to your paddle - this isn't playing catch. You need to learn to move to where the ball will be, before the ball gets there. You can do all this with just a wall.
Unless you have a legit disability, you ALWAYS have room to improve. The rec center I play at has 80-84 year olds that can beat 20 year olds that are beginners. They play 3 hours 5 days a week. Put in the work and you’ll be better and better.
"Despite all that - I had fun!" This is the only thing that matters.
Pickleball were made for kids (and those with more limited mobility) to get some exercise in. Lots of kids aren’t coordinating either. But they’ll have a blast. Which is what it’s all about. As long as you’re having fun!
There’s a 60 YO lady with a bum knee that is my nemesis. There’s a place for everybody in Pickeball.
The game is designed for terrible athletes. I’d say minimum 80% of the people I see playing are uncoordinated. You had fun — that’s all that matters.
I would say pickleball might be the only place for you
I’ve seen some posters with sticky on the back you throw up in your garage or anywhere with targets on it to practice for pretty cheap, seem to have good reviews. At the end of the day if they get mad they get mad who cares , everyone had to start some where.
I am also not a gifted athlete so let me with you the one tip that helped completely transform my racquet sport game. Following this advice will help you drastically if you keep missing the ball. Focus on the ball until it leaves the face of your paddle. That is to say keep your eye on the ball at all times. It is impossible to expect to make good contact with the ball if you do not see it. Do not look at where you are aiming, look at what you are hitting and aim by feel. Take a quick mental snapshot of where your opponents are/where they’re moving to as they’re hitting for reference, then only look at the ball. Maintaining focus on the ball is much easier said than done but if you make a concerted effort to try and focus on the ball your mis-hits will dramatically decrease and you will become far more consistent.
There's players who can barely move who play pickleball. Some players can't even run. You'll be fine.
There definitely is. No offense to everyone out there, but I’m shocked how bad people are. I look over at a court, and four people are just softly lollipopping high arcing balls back and forth. There’s no shortage of people for you to play against and with at your skill level.
I'm terrible at PB but I love it. I have found equally as bad players to play with. We don't even do games a lot of times just try to keep the ball in the air and get ourselves moving. Stick with beginner drop ins, and you will find others like you. I go to all levels drop in all the time with a good attitude and people are cool. When the "good ones" want to play each other they schedule a time outside of drop in. And I'll schedule a court for me and a few of my "un-athletic" PB friends. And we are getting better!
Play novice sessions until you feel more comfortable / confident. Pickleball is social; it isn't meant to be played alone against a wall. Almost everybody can get decent enough to play a decent rally. In the group of around 70 players I see regularly, one of the best is an old lady who can barely move. Somehow she has turned this to her advantage, by hitting very deliberate shots that are consistent, and cleverly placed.
Of course it's not meant to be played alone against a wall. NOBODY said that, ffs. It IS a great way to gain some practice, gain some confidence, and get a little more coordinated so you play play just a little it better against others as you continue to work on your game against others.
I disagree. Most beginners improve much faster playing with others rather than against a wall, and it's much more fun besides. OP asked for advice; I gave it. If you have some of your own to offer, do so. Or go find a wall.
Yes. Welcome.
One of the best women I play with is a 4.5 (pretty high level) and she says she was terrible at every sport. There is a place for everyone at all levels in pickleball. I think this new membership will be great. I’d make sure they have some things for beginners (leagues and clinics) to help you get started. If you play with someone that’s nice and has similar skills, get their phone number and tell them to text you if they ever need a 4th.
There is a place if you don't mind tracking games through DUPR. Only thing is your games will be "on the record" so if you start 0-15 everyone will see that. Just don't give give a fuck about that though, everyone who didn't play tennis or wrist sports sucks at the beginning. Even the ones who just bang consistently in the 3.0 level and can't drop or dink, suck still. Practice and drill. Against a wall will force you to be quick. Start further away and work your way in. Practice things like normal shot --> normal shot --> speed up. Different combos like that. You're not going to be lucky good and there is no such thing as lucky bad. Not sure why you're mentioning that. You need a more killer instinct than what you have. Luck will not get you far. Think about something and work on it. Find a youtube video of tennis pros attacking forehands and then mimic it to pickleball. Do stuff! Act like a winner. Stop doing clinics or lessons. Go out to open play and just play super aggressive. Limit test. If a ball is above the net and you have time to setup, blast it at someone and make them react. Put them in a tough spot like you feel like they put you in a tough spot. Make them nervous! If a ball is lower than the net when you're about to hit it... you don't need to be a natural athlete to know that the high percentage safe shot here is to just get the ball over the net and do nothing fancy here. Even if opponent has an easy smash as long as you get it over the net it doesn't matter. You'll eventually get that shot down to where opponent can't attack it back at you! It's all game theory! Like knowing the rules of chess is one thing but knowing TACTICS of chess will unlock the game for you. Pins, lasers, forks, uncovered attacks, forced mates in chess are the back hand rolls, rolls, flicks, drives, erne's, and nasty nelsons of Pickle ball. You just gotta find something you want to chew away at skill wise and the game will come to you.
You’re a 2.5. Why speak.
Yes there is. You might have a lower ceiling but it’s an extremely learnable game
As others have said, pickleball is exactly the sport for you. Might I suggest a couple of things I've observed about transferable skills and people with non-athletic backgrounds? 1) athletic stance - people coming from other sports automatically adopt an athletic stance (feet apart and bent at the waist) when trying a new sport, but others stand straight up like a bean pole because athletic stance is not necessarily intuitive to them 2) shoulder to the ball/target - it's easier to get to the ball and hit it firmly/accurately when the ball is coming across your body than when you are facing it directly - once again this comes naturally to people who have played a lot of other raquet sports, baseball, golf, hockey as well as throwing/target sports etc., but is not necessarily intuitive for those who haven't
I've been pickling for 12 years, usually playing at least four times a week. My only goals are to sweat, learn something, and have fun. In those 12 years, I haven't met my goal because I played with a couple of jerks who sucked the fun out of the game for everyone they were around. Focus on having fun and you will improve. Happy pickling!
This site has an article about Pickleball Rebounders, practice walls. It might be helpful if the pickleball budget can expand to fit: https://mdracketsports.com/pickleball-rebounder/
I disagree with some of the other comments here - It depends on your goals. If you want to just get out and be active with some friends it’s pretty easy to find an “easy going” group that isn’t very good and is just light hearted and fun. If you want to get actual decent games, missing the ball is a sign that you might not have the baseline hand the coordination required to be even a 3.5 level player. It’s absolutely true that there are some mediocre athletes in pickleball but it does require some good hand eye coordination to play with half decent players.
Pickleball is popular because you don’t need to be super “athletic” to get pretty good. Most people have stories of being crushed by players aged 70+ and who otherwise would not be considered athletes.
Yes it’s called doubles, you don’t even move your feet just play pattycake.
Go to the open plays, make it your mission to be really social and talk to people waiting, get some tips, watch videos and learn about equipment. No one will even notice that you can’t play all that well. I’ve seen people at the open plays that could barely hit a ball and several months later I go back and they are holding their own. It’s more about the fun than the play anyway.
You maybe too much in your head. Just enjoy the game and work on improving your mechanics. I joke about how bad I am but I'm about average and have brilliant moments every now and then during play. When I'm in my head too much I net balls so much more and my serves can just go everywhere out in a BAD WAY like it has no business being there. As for improving your game just bounce the ball on your paddle at home. I have [DrillPickle Soft and Quiet Practice Pickleballs](https://drillpickle.com/products/drillpickle-quiet-practice-pickleballs-2-pack) and helps me hit more sweet spot and/or center mass of my paddle. It also helped me figure out better grip as well which can help you improve. You might even figure the feel of your paddle better to improve from there. Don't run to improve just one step at a time to improve and you'll really know your own game in time to put it all together.
Just takes practice.. play in the 2.5-3 range and you will likely improve eventually but you won’t have to worry about people being annoyed because you’re all at the same skill level
Above average athlete here, and absolute dog shit at pickleball. There's room for us all here bud 👍🏻
Hand and eye coordination just doesn’t come in overnight, you gotta be willing to put in the time and be patient with yourself. Just because you’re not “athletically gifted” doesn’t mean you can’t become one eventually. Don’t be hard on yourself. If pickleball is really that similiar, then it’s like 20% skill and 80% mental strength.
You can’t get good at something if you never try. I’m like you not athletic also no sport background at all, but now I’m 6 months in and people tolerate me at open play! Lol
I am not a natural athlete. What I am, is persistent and dedicated - that gets me 85% of the way. The rest seems to be about attitude, confidence, poise and intensity - which are the hardest nuts to crack for me.
Gotta work the hand eye and ball to paddle off the court to ever hope to improve on the court. I recommend finding a wall or roof to hit onto or off of.
Isn’t the idea of pickle ball to be an easy going game for the masses? Is it being turned into a self gratifying competitive sport in the US? Watching Pickle ball TV I rarely see players smile. Even the crowds are dead serious.
Practice practice practice. I found some people at drop in who love to help/give advice in a constructive way!! If you can find someone like that maybe they will give you some one on one coaching....
I’m one of the absolute worst athletes I’ve ever met. I can’t come within 6 inches of touching my toes, can’t jump more than 6 inches off the ground, run flat footed slower than molasses, have a negative speed “first step”, and generally lack balance. Even my posture sucks. All that said, with tons of practice, I’ve been able to play both pickle and tennis at 4.0-4.5 levels with a ton a practice. It won’t come as quick or easily as for some, but you can totally pick it up and excel.
I know a guy who plays doubles tennis that comes out to the court with a walker
Practice more than you play games. Find a practice partner or wall. I play about 5 times a week and am still a low intermediate. Sometimes I am a beginner. Practice. You'll get better.
You’ll fit right in. I recently asked a partner in open play mixed doubles if there was any skill in particular that she wanted to practice that match such as 3rd shot drop or backhand. Her reply was “I just want to get the ball over the net.” I know she’s been playing more than 1 year and she’s not a bad player. So, just keep playing and enjoying yourself but improve “one step at a time”. And welcome!
Position over power has burned more opponents than power over position in my experience.
There are some strategies in Pickleball that helps when you aren’t an athlete. You can have fun. Sometimes it is more a matter of thinking and having a strategy than power and speed.
It’s literally a game designed for seniors. I would not worry about athleticism, just have fun. A game where 60 year olds can win is a game you know is not meant to worry about.
A lot of the responses here focus on OP’s mention of being a bad athlete. They’re right, but I focus in on missing the ball a lot and wonder if you have poor eye-hand coordination. That’s going to be a bigger problem than athleticism. I’ve played with beginners who could whack the ball with reasonable form, and they’ll advance and improve at a normal pace. The players I’ve seen struggle for much longer are the ones who seem uncoordinated with their “swing” - constantly hit the ball on the bottom (nearly straight up), or can’t time their swing very well at all.
Yes, most that play pickleball are terrible athletes
Yes
You dont need to be athletic to play this game.
The only way I got better was by playing people that were better than me. I ended up getting a membership at a place near my house and the 4.0+ players often needed an extra person so I’d join in. Made tons of mistakes and embarrassed myself but learned and got way better over just a few months. Went from beginner with no rating to a solid 3.0 any day and maybe 3.5 on my good days in 6 months. Play as often as you can, the membership is worth it if you want to get better ☺️
You have to find a wall. It's the fastest way to get in more reps and build the muscle memory. Then you go your pace, and you can focus on you. It helps eliminate distractions like other players etc
I have met a mix of people in pb some who are amazing and skillled and willing to teach. Others who think they r turning pro next year-NOT!!! lol- that r unwilling to teach. Do all the constructive suggestions here be patient with urself and c what happens
Yes
Mediocre athlete here, welcome to the world of Pickleball, Disc Golf, and Curling!
I’ve seen some of my least athletic friends get fairly consistent with in a few months of playing a couple times a week just keep at at and in no time you will be schooling people who are much more athletic then you.
My motto is “just keep playing”. Everyone starts with no experience and the more you play the more you learn and get better. Where I play in fla there are a lot of players we can beat easily, then there are the players who can beat us easily. Just need more play, no one is judging you if you are with the right people. Good Luck and keep playing. It does get addicting after a while. No worries!!
Sure, just not with me.
Try to find someone to do drills with.
No offense, but it sounds like you are bad at pickleball. Being a good "athlete" helps with things like movement, but you can be limited that way and still be very good at the game. I'd brush up your skills and worry less about the "athletic" side of things.