A few weeks ago, I attended a pickleball workshop at a local court. The focus was personalized tips and hands-on instruction, and one takeaway stood out immediately: drills matter. A lot. They can be a major factor in improving your game.

Full disclosure. I suck at dinking. For those who are unfamiliar or new to pickleball, a dink is a soft, controlled shot that lands in the kitchen. So when a kind woman I met at the workshop offered me feedback while I was doing drills, I was thrilled! 

Her advice was simple but effective. When standing ready to receive, she suggested that I follow the ball with my paddle. Instead of letting my paddle drop or fall to the side, track the ball with it. And wouldn’t you guess it, the advice worked! 

Below are a couple of beginner-friendly pickleball drills that can be helpful for improving your dink game.

Two-touch Drill

Players stand at the kitchen line. Player 1 will dink the ball over the net to Player 2. Player 2 will then tap the ball up to themselves once in the air (almost like catching the ball with the paddle)  before returning a soft dink back to Player 1, making sure the ball lands in the kitchen. 

The purpose of this drill is to learn how to control the ball and develop a soft touch.

There’s a great YouTube video explains this drill clearly and provides four ways to level up as you improve.

Figure 8 Drill

In this drill, Player 1 always hits diagonally across the court, while Player 2 always hits straight forward. The resulting pattern resembles the figure eight. 

This drill helps you to work on both your forehand and backhand. After some time, you can switch roles so that Player 1 hits forward and Player 2 hits diagonally. Beginners will likely move at a slow pace, but as your control improves, you’ll find your speed improves as well. This is a great drill for players at all levels.

Remember to keep your paddle centred in front of your body so that you’re always ready. And don’t forget the advice I received at the workshop: let your paddle follow the ball. When your paddle is already where the ball is headed, you’ll be more prepared and far more consistent.

And more importantly, always play fair, play hard, and remember to stay out of the kitchen!

#pickleballfun #pickleballdrills #beginnerpickleball