Key Pickleball Terms

Backhand: Shot hit from player's non-dominant side. Can be a volley or groundstroke.

Baseline: Defines the back of the court furthest from the net.

Crosscourt: Term for the side of the opponent's court diagonal from a player.

Dink: A drop hit while standing at the No Volley Zone Line.

Double Bounce Rule: After the ball is served, each side must make a groundstroke prior to volleying the ball.

Down the Line: Term for the side of the opponent's court straight ahead of a player.

Drive: Any shot hit without intention of having it land softly around opponent's feet.

Drop: Any shot hit with intention of landing low around opponent's feet.

Even Side: The right side of the pickleball court. Forehand: Shot hit from the player's dominant side.

Freeze: In Rally Scoring, when the winning team gets to 20 points, they may only score while serving, until they win by two points.

Groundstroke: Any shot that is struck AFTER it bounces.

Kitchen: The area near the net where volleys are not allowed (non-volley zone).

Lob: Any shot hit with the intention of going over opponent's head and landing in.

Odd Side: Left side of the pickleball court.

Rally Scoring: Every rally scores a point for the team that wins a rally, regardless if they are serving or not.

Serve: First shot of a rally. Serve must be hit from behind the baseline and must land in the diagonal side of the opponent's court, clearing the opponent's Kitchen Line.

Sideline: Defines the court boundary on the left and right.

Side Out Scoring: In traditional pickleball scoring, only the serving team can score a point, and the first team to 11 points wins.

Volley: Any shot that is struck BEFORE it bounces.

Well Played: The ultimate goal at Rally Pickleball, reflecting good sportsmanship and skill.