3 Ways Racquetball Skills Transfer to Pickleball
One of the things I talk about a lot when I write articles for Pickleball University is my racquetball background. If you have played the sport then you know that racquetball is largely a power game much like tennis is. Still there are quite a few similarities between Pickleball and racquetball so I thought I would pull together my thoughts and document some of the skills which transfer well.
#1: Footwork
I think the footwork used in racquetball and Pickleball are very similar when playing doubles in either game. That is, in part, due to the courts being very similar in size and the speed of both games. When players are at the kitchen line, they use an open stance so they are standing almost parallel to the net. If needed, they side step to the left or right to return the ball whether in a dink rally or fast hands exchange. This type of movement from side to side is very similar to what occurs in racquetball when players are standing just behind the service line. In both sports, you only resort to using the cross over step when you are reaching for a ball as this will put you out of position for the next shot.
#2: Moving Up and Back
You don't see to many lobs in Pickleball but it can be a very effective shot when your opponents are leaning into the kitchen or they lack mobility. The result of a lob is you need to move back in the court to cover the shot whether you hit it in the air or need to let it bounce. Racquetball has a very similar shot where the ball hits the ceiling and then front wall. The result of this is that the ball goes very high so you need to move back to return it.
#3: Quick Reactions
As mentioned above, racquetball is a very fast game just like Pickleball is when you are at the kitchen line. The biggest difference, however, is in Pickleball you need to get the ball over the net whereas in racquetball you are trying hit the ball as low as possible on the front wall. Despite the height of the ball and difference in goals, both sports require excellent eye hand coordination and the ability to read where the ball is going especially if your opponent hits an offensive shot.
