Why is there a kitchen on the pickleball court? If you’re trying to speak pickleball lingo as you dink, our guide to pickleball terminology is just for you. Check out the most popular, and confusing, pickleball lingo. Even if you’re a DUPR player, or don’t even know what that means, after reading this guide, you’ll sound like the Neil deGrasse Tyson of pickleball.
Gameplay Terminology:
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Serve – The underhand shot that starts it all and gets the game going. When you serve the ball, you can either hit it out of the air, or bounce it. Just avoid the overhead tennis serve, and you’ll be fine.
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Dink – A soft shot that lands in the non-volley zone (hold on, we’ll get to the “kitchen” in a bit), often used as a strategic move. Dinking is often considered a core element of any advanced player’s game.
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Volley – Hitting the ball in the air before it bounces. This can only be done outside the kitchen.
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Rally – You better be ready for it! Continuous play between serve and point (basically pickleball cardio).
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Groundstroke – A shot taken after the ball bounces.
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Drop shot – A soft, arcing shot from the baseline intended to land in your opponent’s kitchen.
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Kitchen – Yes, the kitchen is on the court, not in your house, and sadly no pancakes are served there. It’s the 7-foot zone on each side of the net where volleys are not allowed. A.K.A. the Non-Volley Zone (NVZ).
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Kitchen violation – If you thought you could get away with volleying in the kitchen, turns out you can’t. Doing so will lose you the point.
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Paddle tap– Pickleball’s version of a good-sport handshake. Players tap paddles at the beginning or end of a game. Either the grip tap or paddle face tap works. Bonus: it’s way more fun with a paddle that shows off your personality.
Strategy Terminology:
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Side out – If the serving team lost the rally, then the serve changes sides. Remember after the first point of the game is played, and the first player begins the game and eventually loses the point, the ball is turned over to the other side and players on both teams have an opportunity to serve the ball for the remainder of the game.
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Third shot drop – A soft shot hit as the third shot of a rally, meant to land in the kitchen. This slows the game down and makes it difficult for your opponents to hit.
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Reset – The soft shot strikes again! Another strategic tactic to reestablish control by slowing down a rally with a soft shot.
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Stacking – A doubles strategy to position stronger players on preferred sides. A double stack, you could say.
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Pickled – When you get shut out of a game (11-0), which really puts you in a pickle.
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Flapjack – Did you think this game was just about pickles? This is a shot that must bounce before being hit, but only on the first two shots of a rally.
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Falafel – A shot that falls short due to lack of power or a mishit.
So whether you’re dinking like a pro or just trying not to get ‘pickled’, you’ll fit right in. And if you want to look as good as your drop shot feels, check out our playful pickleball gear made by fellow Pickle People.