Complete A-Z Pickleball Glossary for Beginners

The Court & Equipment: The Pickleball Basics

1. Pickleball Court: The court can be considered as a smaller version of a tennis court. It measures 20×44 feet with lines for both singles and doubles play.
2. The Non-Volley Zone (NVZ) / “The Kitchen”: It is a 7-foot area on both sides of the net where volleys are not allowed.
3. Baseline: The back boundary line of the court.
4. Sideline: The boundary lines along the side of the court.
5. Centerline: The line that divides the service courts on each side of the net, running from the kitchen line to the baseline.
6. Service Court: The box-shaped area bounded by the baseline, centerline, sideline, and NVZ line. A serve must land within the diagonal service court
7. Paddle: A paddle is a solid but lightweight racket (not a stringed racket) used to hit the ball, typically made of composite, graphite, or carbon fiber.
8. Pickleball: It is a perforated plastic ball, very similar to a wiffle ball. It is designed for controlled flight and bounce.

Gameplay, Rules & Scoring: How the Game Works

1. Serve: An underhand shot made diagonally to start the point.
2. Double Bounce / Two-Bounce Rule: The rule states that after the serve, the ball must bounce once on the receiving side, and then once more on the serving side before volleys are allowed.
3. Rally: A continuous exchange of shots between the players until a fault occurs.
4. Fault: It refers to any rule violation that ends a rally.
5. Side Out:  When the serving team loses the serve and the serve passes to the opposing team.
6. Score Calling: The score is always announced as the server’s score, the receiver’s score, and the serve number (in doubles).
   Note: Score calling differs between singles and doubles.
7. First Serve / Second Serve: When playing in doubles, each team gets two serves per turn, one for each player.
   Exception: The team that starts the game only gets one serve on their first service turn.
8. Let: A let occurs when the serve hits the net but still lands in the correct service court. According to current USA Pickleball rules (as of 2021), the serve is considered a live ball and play continues without interruption. (Note: Some professional tournaments may use different let rules.)
9. Line Calls: A ball that touches any part of a boundary line is considered ‘in’.

Shots & Strokes: Your Arsenal on the Court

1. Groundstroke: It is the shot hit after the ball hits the ground.
2. Volley: A shot hit before the ball bounces
3. Dink: A soft shot just over the net that lands in the kitchen.
4. Third Shot Drop: A gentle shot after the serve and return that softly lands in the NVZ.
5. Third Shot Drive: A powerful, aggressive shot played to pressure opponents.
6. Lob: A high, arching shot hit deep into the opponent’s court, typically over their head.
7. Overhead / Smash: A forceful downwards shot played to finish a point.
8. Drive: A fast but low shot with minimal arc.
9. Cross-Court: A shot hit diagonally across the net, traveling from one side of the court to the other.
10. Down-the-Line: A shot hit parallel to the sideline.
11. Passing Shot: A shot that goes past a net player to win the point.
12. Reset: A soft, controlled shot to slow the pace and regain control.

Strategy, Positioning & Advanced Moves

1. The Kitchen Line: The boundary line of the Non-Volley Zone. Players stand just behind this line to volley and dink.
2. “No-Man’s Land” / Transition Zone: The area between the baseline and NVZ.
3. Stacking: It is a doubles strategy to keep players on their preferred sides after the serve.
4. Erne: An advanced volley where a player legally jumps around the NVZ (outside the sideline) to hit the ball, preventing it from bouncing.
5. ATP (Around The Post): A shot hit around the outside of the net, not over the net.
6. Bounce It / Let it Bounce: It is a call urging the teammate to let the ball bounce instead of volleying.
7. Putaway: It refers to a decisive shot that ends a rally.
8. Foot Fault: A rule violation, most commonly when a player steps on or into the Non-Volley Zone (including the line) while hitting a volley. It can also be a foot fault on the serve.

People, Formats & Fun Lingo

1. Doubles: The most common format where the game is played with two players on each team.
2. Singles: A more physically demanding format. It is played with one player on each side.
3. Mixed Doubles: A format where teams are made up of one male and one female player.
4. The Pickle: Slang for a game that ends with a score of 11-0. The losing team is said to have been ‘pickled’.
5. Flapjack: A shot that must bounce before being hit; specifically refers to the return of serve or return of return during the two-bounce rule phase.
6. Dead Ball: A ball that is out of play due to fault.
7. Bert: An advanced shot similar to an Erne, but executed on your partner’s side of the court. Named after the Sesame Street character ‘Bert,’ the partner of ‘Ernie’ (Erne).
8. Body Bag: A situation where a player gets hit directly by the ball during play.”
9. Opa: An exclamation shouted during rallies to express excitement or encouragement.

Conclusion

With the excellent compilation of complete A to Z pickleball lingo and definitions, you are ready to step onto the court with confidence. Read through all these definitions and avoid making silly mistakes like stepping into the wrong zone. While playing pickleball, it is necessary to remember that practice, patience, and strategy can help you learn and become a pro player. It is not just about winning points; it is about enjoying every rally and having fun with the game.