“Most amateurs will make the same mistake over and over again, but not realize it’s a mistake. That’s why taking a clinic with a pro can be so helpful. They can help identify it,” emphasized Humberg. “A lot of amateurs don’t recognize when they should attack and when they shouldn’t. Their decision-making is horrendous. Another mistake I see is that they hit the ball really hard. You don’t have to hit the ball that hard. I definitely recommend watching a lot of pro pickleball to learn, too.”

Blaine Hovenier noticed an issue with speed. 

“A lot of players speed up too soon. Speed up when the ball is high and when there’s a dead dink,” he explained. “People don’t like to get into a dink battle, so they get antsy. You have to be patient and wait for the right ball.” 

Gio Morelli, a pro player and coach, identified an issue with court positioning.    

“A lot of players stay back and then just bang the ball. I see that so much. They’re staying back, and then because they’re farther away, they think they just need to bang the ball. Instead, you need to move up to the kitchen and slow the game down a little bit,” she noted. “Since the game is getting faster, people think they need to stay back and bang every ball. I think it’s the opposite. You want to work your way up slowly and then get into the quick hands battles where you can.” 

This idea of slowing the game down was echoed by Connor Garnett. 

“A lot of people swing too fast and move too fast. You have to slow it down and move ahead of the ball,” he said. “Some people think when they watch pro pickleball that we’re moving really fast the whole time, but we’re actually moving ahead of the ball to set ourselves up, and then we can move after we know where the ball is going versus constant chaotic motion.”

Riley Newman recommended working on specific shots.

“When practicing, a lot of amateurs just love to hit reflect volleys and want to work on hands, but it’s actually beneficial to work on mid-court resets,” he mentioned. “Also practice the third shots to get to the kitchen line because that’s where you win the majority of the points.”

Yates Johnson also offered advice for amateur players competing in high-pressure matches.

“I see a lot of amateurs who go into a match without a plan. You can’t just go out there and wing it,” he said. “Even if it’s something simple like playing more aggressively or targeting someone’s backhand. Having some kind of plan in place is so helpful. Watch your opponents and figure out their weaknesses.”

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