This pickleball drill emphasizes developing effective volleys and mastering third-shot drops in a competitive setting.

Setup:

• One player starts at the Non-Volley Zone (NVZ), while the other starts at the baseline.
• Play can be done on half a court, either straight ahead or cross-court.

How to Play:

1. Initial Positioning:

• Player 1 (at the NVZ) starts by feeding the ball to Player 2, who is at the baseline.

2. Point Play:

• Player 2 can only move into the court once they receive a short ball that lands in front of the depth line on their side.
• The point starts after the feed from Player 1.
• Player 1, already at the NVZ, has the advantage and must win 11 points to win the game.
• Player 2 starts from the baseline and has to win 7 points to win the game.

3. Drill Focus:

This drill provides high-volume practice on third-shot drops for both players.
It allows the net player (Player 1) to work on their role, including flick volleys, in a competitive environment.

Benefits:

• Develops the ability to execute effective third-shot drops, especially under pressure.
• Improves volleying skills, positioning, and shot selection for both players.
• Encourages strategic thinking about when to move forward or stay back based on shot quality.

This drill creates a challenging and dynamic practice scenario, enhancing essential skills for both baseline and net players.