Create a flexible serve-plus-one or return-plus-one plan and judge the plan by the situation it creates.
Equipment
- Pickleball paddles
- Pickleballs
- Pickleball court
Setup
Play normal doubles. Before each point, the serving or returning team gets five seconds to state a simple two-shot plan.
How to run it
1. Choose one plan, such as deep middle serve then a backhand-side third shot, or deep middle return then pressure a high fourth ball.
2. State the plan briefly to the partner and play the point live.
3. After the rally, identify whether the actual ball allowed the plan.
4. Award one planning point for a clear, sensible pattern and one adaptation point for changing when the ball required it.
5. Switch which team calls the pattern every two rallies.
Coach Dave’s cues
Use one shot to improve the next. Keep plans simple and flexible. Respond to the actual ball instead of forcing the script.
Watch for
Trying to hit a winner immediately, giving a long partner speech, forcing a planned drive on a poor ball, or judging a good decision only by the score.