Pickleball Problems

In this episode of Pickleball Problems, Mark talks strategy and decision-making related to the third shot. Should you drop it? Drive it? Lob it? Something else?    Mentioned in this show: Selkirk Sport Pickleball Coaching International

We're back, BABY! After a little bit of a break the pod is back in full force! And what better way to start off the new year than by talking about how you can start the point and get a big advantage right off the drop! Mentioned in the show: Pickleball Coaching International

We asked our followers for the best pickleball advice they've been given -- and wow, there was a lot! Here's the first installment in a series of shows where we hear that advice and Mark gives his take. Mentioned in the show: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV

In this episode of the show we look at different grips and evaluate the pros and cons of each.  Mentioned in the show: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV

In this episode of Pickleball Problems, Mark brings his friend to play pickleball for the first time. Things are going great until "Bob" shows up and decides he wants to be the star of the show. Hear what he does and how Mark and his friend give Bob a taste of his own medicine.  Mentioned in this episode: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk 

Are you new to pickleball? Or are you an experienced player who wants to get better? In this episode, Mark discusses three skills you should pay attention to.    Also mentioned in the show: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk

In Episode 88, Mark Renneson shares insights from his recent coaching trip to China. Amidst the pressure of respect, he turns clashes in teaching styles into a journey of growth. Despite initial formality, professionalism brings sincerity, creating a positive, uplifting atmosphere. This episode, live from the airport, unfolds the unique dynamics of Pickleball coaching in China.

We were at the 2023 USA Pickleball National Championships in Dallas Texas. Here are a few things we noticed from the pros.  Mentioned in the show: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV

Whether you're a seasoned coach or a novice instructor, one thing remains constant: the importance of making pickleball lessons fun. While technical skill development and understanding strategy are essential, injecting an element of fun into the learning process can be the difference between average lessons and great ones. Let's talk about why it is crucial that pickleball lessons prioritize fun.   Mentioned in the show: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV

Are you tired of losing to hard hitters? In this episode of Pickleball Problems Mark gives you four practical things you can do right away to face off against those bangers! Mentioned in the show: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV

Pickleball is a game and games should be fun. But what if it could be more than that? What if pickleball could save your life?    Mentioned in the show: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV Join Mark in Turks and Caicos Dec 2-9, 2023

Are your pickleball lessons active enough? What can get people doing more? What are some time traps that will suck the fun out of your sessions. In Part 3 of our series on Quality Standards in Coaching, we look at Active Participation. The Quality Standards framework is used as part of Canada's instructor certification course delivered collaboratively between Pickleball Canada and Tennis Canada. It was developed by Wayne Elderton, one of Canada's foremost coaching experts.    Mentioned in the show: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV Join Mark in Turks and Caicos Dec 2-9, 2023

Does your Pickleball coach care? How can you tell?  In the first episode of a six part series, Mark Renneson introduces something called the Quality Standards. This framework is used as part of Canada's instructor certification course delivered collaboratively between Pickleball Canada and Tennis Canada. It was developed by Wayne Elderton, one of Canada's foremost coaching experts.    Mentioned in the show: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV Join Mark in Turks and Caicos Dec 2-9, 2023

If you are like most people before you start playing a game, you hit some balls with your partner or opponents; probably a bunch of dinks, maybe a few volleys and smashes, some forehands and backhands from the back of the court, and possibly some drops and lobs. But how deliberate is your warm-up, really? How focused are you during it? Again, if you're like most people, the answer is probably not very. You probably hit a few balls casually back and forth, maybe even while having a conversation. You are likely hitting a quality of ball that will hurt you in a game – too high, for example but don't think too much about it. Let's look at why the warm-up matters and what you can do to make it great.   Mentioned in the show: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV Join Mark in Turks and Caicos Dec 2-9, 2023

Have you ever left a lesson feeling like a superstar, only to find yourself struggling to apply your new skills in a real game? It can be frustrating, demoralizing and even embarrassing. But fear not, because there might just be a simple yet crucial mistake lurking in your coaching experience: the lack of context. In this episode of Pickleball Problems, we delve into the importance of contextualizing skills in pickleball and explore how it can make all the difference in your game – and the game of your players.   Mentioned in the show: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV Join Mark in Turks and Caicos Dec 2-9, 2023  

If you want to play good pickleball it's important that you know what is true. For example, it is useful to know that the distance your ball travels is related to the height, speed and spin you put on it. But it is also important to know about what's not true— and pickleball sure has its fair share of myths. Let's explore a few of them...   Mentioned in the show: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV Join Mark in Turks and Caicos Dec 2-9, 2023

If you have watched any high-quality pickleball lately, there's a pretty good chance you've seen players hit backhands with two hands. And we're not just talking about driving the ball from the baseline or hitting a return of serve. We're talking about when players are near the net and hitting dinks. What's up with this?   Mentioned in the show: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV Join Mark in Turks and Caicos Dec 2-9, 2023

Pickleball is lots of fun, but there are a few things that we sometimes try to ignore. On this episode of Pickleball Problems, we look at some hard truths we ought to wrestle with. Mentioned in the show: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV Join Mark in Turks and Caicos Dec 2-9, 2023

Being able to handle spin is a critical pickleball skill. In this episode of the show, we look at some quick tips you can apply to be better at defeating the spin master.  Mentioned in the show: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV Join Mark in Turks and Caicos Dec 2-9, 2023 Read the article here

One thing that separates levels of player is their ability to finish the point when they have the chance. While it is great to work hard during a rally, the most satisfying moment is the payoff -- when you finish the point with a put-away. In this episode of Pickleball Problems, Mark Renneson gives you tips to be better at that. Mentioned in the show: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk TV

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.  

On this "quick-hitter" episode of the show Mark gives advice to coaches who are making a fundamental mistake. What is it? Take a listen to find out! 

In this episode Mark does a full length interview with Ken Herrmann -- Creative Founder and CEO of the Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP). Herrmann talks about what makes the APP different from other tours, why there is always a home for amateurs, and what it means when top pros sign contracts that commit them to some events but not others. 

In this episode of the show Mark walks you through the etiquette of what happens when balls come on your court and when your ball interrupts another group's play.    Mentioned in the show: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk Sport Jigsaw Health Need help with Hydration & Recovery? Here's the brand that we prefer to use: Jigsaw Health. And when you use our code to make a purchase, you can save $10 (coupon code: PB3SS10), and support the work that we do here at Third Shot Sports! Check out jigsawhealth.com. Affiliate disclaimer: keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you.

On this episode of the show Mark talks to Patrick and Ashley from Jigsaw Health. They discuss why Jigsaw is betting big on pickleball and how they make those awesome pickleball commercials.  Need help with Hydration & Recovery? Here’s the brand that we prefer to use: Jigsaw Health. And when you use our code to make a purchase, you can save $10 (coupon code: PB3SS10), and support the work that we do here at Third Shot Sports! Check out jigsawhealth.com. Affiliate disclaimer: keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you. Mentioned on the show: jigsawhealth.com jigsawpickleball.com    

In this episode of Pickleball Problems, professional coach Mark Renneson talks about some of the changes to pickleball tactics and technique over the year and what to look for in 2021. Mentioned in the show: Pickleball Coaching International Selkirk Sport Jigsaw Health Need help with Hydration & Recovery? Here’s the brand that we prefer to use: Jigsaw Health. And when you use our code to make a purchase, you can save $10 (coupon code: PB3SS10), and support the work that we do here at Third Shot Sports! Check out jigsawhealth.com. Affiliate disclaimer: keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you.

Mark interviews author Mike Branon about his new book. Need help with Hydration & Recovery? Here’s the brand that we prefer to use: Jigsaw Health. And when you use our code to make a purchase, you can save $10 (coupon code: PB3SS10), and support the work that we do here at Third Shot Sports! Check out jigsawhealth.com. Affiliate disclaimer: keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you. Also Mentioned:  mikebranon.com Selkirk Sport Pickleball Coaching International Jigsaw Health      

What makes a pickleball lesson bad? Mark Renneson asked listeners and they shared their thoughts.  Need help with Hydration & Recovery? Here’s the brand that we prefer to use: Jigsaw Health. And when you use our code to make a purchase, you can save $10 (coupon code: PB3SS10), and support the work that we do here at Third Shot Sports! Check out jigsawhealth.com. Affiliate disclaimer: keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you. Also Mentioned:  Selkirk Sport Pickleball Coaching International Jigsaw Health Pickle Play

2021 will see the drop serve being allowed in pickleball. Mark made two videos about it (one on the new rules and one featuring Tyson McGuffin hitting drop serves for the first time). In this episode of the show, Mark responds to the comments and questions those videos received. Need help with Hydration & Recovery? Here’s the brand that we prefer to use: Jigsaw Health. And when you use our code to make a purchase, you can save $10 (coupon code: PB3SS10), and support the work that we do here at Third Shot Sports! Check out jigsawhealth.com. Affiliate disclaimer: keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. however, this does not impact our reviews. we try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you. Also Mentioned in This Episode:    See the first drop serve video here. See the video of Tyson McGuffin here. See the new official rules See the change document Jigsaw Health Selkirk Sport 

Pickleball Problems has been downloaded 100K times! This episode is a little different from our other ones -- join Mark and his 2 year old on their bike and at the park as they look back on 2020 and talk about pickleball plans for 2021. If this kind of episode isn't for you -- loosely edited, wind in the background etc. -- no problem. We'll be back with a more polished show in no time!     Need help with Hydration & Recovery? Here’s the brand that we prefer to use: Jigsaw Health. And when you use our code to make a purchase, you can save $10 (coupon code: PB3SS10), and support the work that we do here at Third Shot Sports! Check out jigsawhealth.com. Affiliate disclaimer: keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. however, this does not impact our reviews. we try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you.   Also mentioned in this episode: Pickleball Coaching International The Pickleball Lab Selkirk Sport Jigsaw Health Acacia Sports PicklePlay

In this episode of the show Mark addresses a whole bunch of questions related to line calls. Need help with Hydration & Recovery? Here’s the brand that we prefer to use: Jigsaw Health. And when you use our code to make a purchase, you can save $10 (coupon code: PB3SS10), and support the work that we do here at Third Shot Sports! Check out jigsawhealth.com.Affiliate disclaimer: keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. however, this does not impact our reviews. we try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you.Also mentioned:Selkirk SportJigsaw HealthPickleball Coaching InternationalThe Pickleball Lab

Are you being asked to play pickleball with someone you'd rather not? Mark Renneson helps you navigate this sticky situation.  Need help with Hydration & Recovery? Here’s the brand that we prefer to use: Jigsaw Health. And when you use our code to make a purchase, you can save $10 (coupon code: PB3SS10), and support the work that we do here at Third Shot Sports! Check out jigsawhealth.com. Affiliate disclaimer: keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. however, this does not impact our reviews. we try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice for you. Also Mentioned: Pickleball Coaching International Jigsaw Health Selkirk Sport