Does Wayne Gretzky Play Pickleball?

Hi Pickleballers,

It didn’t take us long, but we did it. We managed to use one of the most overused cliches in sports and business history, “skate to where the puck is going to be.” It was in our recent article about position in doubles play. Who knows if Wayne Gretzky said these exact words or a variation, but he will forever be remembered for this sound advice. 

There’s no better sport where this can be applied than in pickleball. Anticipation is a fundamental element in singles play and will set you apart in doubles. 

Let’s say your partner hits a miracle from shot outside the court. She has no chance of getting back in position for the next shot. Your opponent returns your partner’s miracle shot and picks a nice opening on the court. However, you’re already in motion to that spot because you know how to anticipate where a shot will go. You return it easily, giving your partner a chance to get back in position, and you win the point! 

In addition to anticipation, here are some other key elements of court positioning in doubles play:

1. Communication

2. Move as a team

3. Use lob shots

4. Use drop shots to get up to the non-volley zone

5. Capitalize on your opponent’s weaknesses

The majority of the pickleball boom has been reserved for paddles. And, more specifically, carbon fiber paddles. All the paddle manufacturers are certainly skating towards carbon fiber.

However, not all carbon fiber is created equal (read our blog on carbon fiber paddles here). Some companies use the buzzword to over-charge for their paddles and/or pass off low-end carbon fiber for the good stuff. Not cool, but markets do a good job at picking winners and losers - and we’ve recently found a promising winner.

We interviewed Josh Kim, the founder of Spartus, a carbon fiber pickleball paddle manufacturer. He’s determined to provide the pickleball world with high-end, high-performance paddles at a fraction of the cost of the major brands. And he’s succeeding.

Check out the podcast with Josh, and let us know what you think. Click on the YouTube link below or listen on your favorite podcast app. Please don’t forget to subscribe!

Simply Pickleball Discount Codes

1. Vatic Pro: Save $10 on any order using SIMPLY10.

2. Bread & Butter: Save 15% on any order using SIMPLYPB.

3. PCKL: Save 15% off paddles using SIMPLY15.

4. Spartus: Save 10% on any order using SIMPLYPB.

5. Legacy Pickleball: Save 10% using SIMPLYPB.

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Have a great week on the courts!

- The Simply Pickleball Team