Dinks, Drops & Debbie: A Pickleball Lesson Worth the Lob

It’s one thing to head to the pickleball courts and toss (or slam!) that little wiffle ball around. From slamma-jammas to soft little dinks over the net, it’s all fun—until you find yourself facing two 6'4" giants across the court. (Trust me, I've been there. I've played with and against the Twin Towers on many occasions!)

That’s where lessons, drills, and good old-fashioned practice come in.

🎾 A Quick Pickleball History Lesson

Before I share what I learned on the court, here’s a quick fun fact: Pickleball isn’t new. It’s been around since 1965, invented by three dads in Bainbridge, Washington, who were simply trying to entertain their bored kids. (You can read about the quirky origins of the game here.)

Fast-forward to today—it's the fastest-growing sport in America, and I can see why.

👟 Hitting the Courts with Coach Debbie

Today, hubby Bill and I took a lesson from Debbie Skipp at The Putaway in Millersville, Maryland. Debbie is a former tennis player who jumped into pickleball early on and knows her stuff. Her coaching style is fun, clear, and encouraging—just the right balance of "Try it!" and "Do it well!"

During our two-hour session, we worked on lobs, dinks, drops, and court positioning (feet work). Debbie's tips immediately clicked, and by the end of the lesson, we were moving better, reacting quicker, and (yes!) even pulling off a few sneaky lobs over the heads of our opponents (rotating).

🏆 Practice Meets Play

The best part? After the lesson, I had the chance to play a match with Debbie herself during my usual 1-3 p.m. pickleball group on Wednesday afternoons. Talk about applying lessons in real time!

We quickly got into a sync and rhythm against a solid pair of players. With Debbie’s steady encouragement and all the drills fresh in my mind, we raced to 11 points. We were lobbing, dinking, dripping (that’s pickleball speak for a soft drop shot), and third-shot dropping like pros. It felt so good to see the work pay off in live play.

💬 So, dear Manufacturing Sunshine readers, are you playing pickleball yet? It’s pretty addicting.

You don’t need a tennis background to play. I've met so many people who have never played racket sports before and are now totally hooked and doing very well.

As the weather warms up, more communities are converting tennis courts into outdoor pickleball courts—maybe there’s one in your neighborhood. If there is, I highly recommend giving it a try. You just might fall in love with it like I did.

And a special shoutout to our son, Ryan, who introduced us to the game almost two years ago at the Crofton Swim & Tennis Club. When he wanted to try a small tournament, I didn’t even own a paddle but said, “Why not?” I’ve never looked back—and now, I finally have my own paddle(s).

bSoleille!

Terri

L-R: Bill, Rick, Debbie Skipp, Julie, and me