At the end of the day, aren’t we all just trying to put the pickleball exactly where we want? But if you are like us, it is rare for that to happen. The good news is, if the ball doesn’t end up going right where you want there is a simple problem-solving approach – think PAS.
PATH - This is the direction of the paddle movement at the moment of contact. Is the swing low-to-high? High-to-low? Level? If your ball is popping up, you may need a swing path that isn’t so low-to-high? Tired of not finishing points at the net? A high-to-low swing path might be what you need to get that ball in the dirt rather than at your opponent’s midsection.
ANGLE - When thinking about direction, the horizontal angle of the paddle does the majority of the work. Tilt the paddle so it is facing your target and the ball is more likely to go there. When it comes to height, it is the vertical angle that matters.
SPEED - How fast the paddle is moving at contact will influence how fast the ball comes off it. This is important when driving the ball from the backcourt, putting away those sitters, or hitting an overhead smash. The speed of the paddle (and ball) will also influence how big an arc you hit when playing dinks and drops: slower speeds create smaller arcs, faster speeds create bigger ones. Become a speedmaster and life is good!