Pickleball Problems

The continental grip is dead — or at the very least, it’s on life-support. For years we have been advocating for the continental to be used in a range of different pickleball situations but most especially when up near the non-volley zone. But as pickleball has evolved, so has our perspective. This article is about why we are saying goodbye to the continental grip. Mentioned in this episode: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV

Has your pickleball game hit a wall? Do you want to get better but find your game has stalled? In this episode of Pickleball Problems professional coach Mark Renneson discusses 5 reasons you may be stuck: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV

Have you ever wondered what it is that makes the best pickleball players so, well, good? Professional pickleball coach Mark Renneson has compiled a quick little list to help you out.    Mentioned in this episode: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV

A listener asks how she can help a pickleball player who can only ever seem to hit the ball fast.    Mentioned in this episode: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV

One of the first things new players learn in pickleball is that they should try to return serve deep. Never mind that most people misunderstand why a deep return can be effective, it has become virtually axiomatic in most pickleball circles that you try to push your opponents as far behind the baseline as possible. While deep return can be in effective tool, Mark Renneson's think there is good evidence to suggest a short return of serve can be as good or even better. Mentioned in this episode Why Deep Returns Really Matter Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV

If you are a pickleball player there is a good chance that you hate hitting backhands. On this episode of Pickleball Problems, host Mark Renneson gives you three easy tips to make your backhands better!   Mentioned in this episode: Pickleball Coaching International  Selkirk TV

In this episode of Pickleball Problems Mark Renneson talks about why some coaches are great and others are so-so (hint: it's not about what they know) Mentioned in this episode Pickleball Coaching International Track It Hub Selkirk TV

Recently Stephen Colbert hosted a celebrity pickleball tournament that was shown on CBS during prime time. It was a fundraiser for Comic Relief. Many people in the pickleball world were not happy about the silliness of the whole thing. They took issue with the low skill level of the players and the mockery. In this episode of the show, Mark Renneson puts things in a different perspective.  Mentioned in the show: PICKLED Comic Relief Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV

Good pickleball requires good strategy. In this episode of the show, Mark discusses some of the most common strategy errors people make on the pickleball court. Mentioned in this episode: Pickleball Coaching International Pickleball Lesson Plans Selkirk TV

How should you deal with a bad call when playing a pickleball match? Live from 2022 Nationals, Mark Renneson talks about some problems and solutions.  Mentioned in this episode: Pickleball Coaching International Third Shot Sports Instagram

One of the great things about pickleball is how easy it is to start playing. Even without a strong racquet sport background, new players can have fun almost immediately after hitting the court. This low barrier to entry also means that we see pretty wide variations of technique (i.e. how people use their body and paddle). Drop in on your local courts and you'll see a plethora of different grips people use to hold their paddle. You'll see some people prepare for the ball in a sideways position and others who are almost always facing forward. You'll notice some players using two hands on their backhands and others who only use one. And the thing is, even with these different approaches to technique, players can be seen to be having fun and success on the court. So this naturally leads to the question: what counts as 'good' technique? Mentioned in the show: Selkirk TV Pickleball Coaching International

In this episode of Pickleball Problems Mark explains how to play pickleball when an opponent is taking up lots of space on the court. As a bonus, Franny wants to know how to help her player have a better set up and we announce our trip to Australia!   Mentioned in this show: PCI in Australia - pciaustralia.com October 4-16 Selkirk TV

How should you hold the paddle should you use when playing pickleball? Does it matter what shot you're hitting? Do grips change depending on your skill level? What is a semi-western grip anyway? On this episode of Pickleball Problems Mark Renneson makes understanding grips a little easier.  Mentioned in this episode Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV Selkirk Halo Paddle (TBA) TrakItHub.com  

Don from the internet has a problem: his drops are great in practice but lousy in a game. In this episode of Pickleball Problems, Mark tackles the question of why Don's drops aren't doing the trick.   Mentioned in this episode: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV You might also like: The Fake News About Drops (video)  

Pickleball is full of ideas about how you "should" play the game. In this episode of the show, Mark Renneson pushes back against two commonly held beliefs about about pickleball strategy and coaching.  Have a question for Mark? Send a voice memo to mark@thirdshotsports.com  Mentioned in this episode: When Dinking is Dumb This tiktok video Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV

Is your pickleball backhand not so hot? Did you know that strong players often CHOOSE to return with their backhand?  In this episode of the show, Mark explains why. Mentioned in this episode: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV

On this episode of Pickleball Problems Mark Renneson looks at three different third shot options, what counts as "good" for each, and how to decide which one to select.  Mentioned in the show: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV

Want to play better pickleball -- fast? In this episode of Pickleball Problems, host Mark Renneson gives you three things you can do to improve your game right away.  Mentioned in this episode: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV

What happens when a pickleball coach isn't able to follow her lesson plan?  

What you call your pickleball clinic can determine whether or not you attract players. Be smart with your clinic title and you'll attract the crowds. Be lazy with it, and you'll sound just like every other coach.   In this episode Mark shares some of his favourite pickleball clinic themes.