Official 2024 USAPA Rulebook

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Pickleball Terms

Ace: A serve that remains untouched by the opponent, resulting in an unreturned point.

Approach Shot: Hitting the ball while advancing toward the pickleball net.

ATP (Around the Post): A legal shot that travels outside the net posts, allowing its trajectory to stay below the height of the net. This shot presents itself typically after a very sharp angled dink, or if there's a "let" cord.

Backcourt: The region a few feet inside the court from the baseline.

Backspin: Also known as "Slice" or "Chop," imparting spin to the ball with a high-to-low motion, making it spin opposite to its flight direction.

Backswing: The motion of bringing the pickleball paddle back from the ready position before initiating the forward swing.

Backhand: A shot where the player strikes the ball on the side opposite their dominant forehand.

Baseline: The line forming the back boundary of the court, extending 22 feet on either side of the pickleball net.

Bert: Same shot at the Erne, but on your partners side of the court, typically considered a poach shot.

"Bounce It": Instructions given to a partner not to hit the ball and let it bounce, indicating the belief that it will land out of bounds.

Carry: A shot in which the pickleball is not bounced directly off the paddle but is carried along the face of the paddle during the forward swing.

Centerline: The line that extends from the Non-Volley Zone to the Baseline, dividing the service court into two equal halves.

Chop: A slicing motion from high to low to put backspin on the pickleball.

Cross-court: The area of the court diagonally opposite your side.

Dead Ball: A ball declared after a fault, signifying the end of the point.

Delaminated: Where the surface of the paddle face becomes loose from the core, causing the sound of the paddle to change, and typically causing a "trampoline" effect making the ball travel faster. These kinds of paddles are illegal and there is testing for them at pro events.

Dink Shot: A gentle shot that arcs over the net and lands in the opposing non-volley zone.

Doubles: A pickleball game played between four people, with two on each team, which can consist of men, women, or mixed doubles.

Double Bounce: A ball that bounces more than once on one side of the net before being returned, leading to the loss of a point.

Double Hit: When the ball is struck twice by one team before being returned over the net, involving either the same player hitting twice or both players on a team.

"Down the Line": A pickleball shot that travels near and parallel to the sideline.

Drive: A forehand shot hit straight and low, deep into the opposing backcourt.

Drop Shot: A soft shot that clears the pickleball net and falls short of the opposing players.

Drop Shot Volley: A type of volley shot executed to reduce the speed of the ball and place it near the net when opponents are positioned at the baseline.

Drop Spin: A shot that is chopped or sliced to sharply drop after crossing the net, representing an advanced pickleball shot.

Erne- An advanced shot on the pickleball court and is named after Erne Perry, who elevated the shot and first brought the shot into mainstream competitive play. The Erne is a shot where you hit the pickleball either (1) in the air as you are jumping around the Non-Volley Zone (also known as the Kitchen); or (2) after you run around or through the Kitchen and re-establish your feet out of bounds, just to the side of the Kitchen.

Fault: A fault is any action that stops play due to a rule violation.

Flapjack: A midair pickleball shot that must bounce once before it can be hit during one of the first two shots of any point.

Flat Face: Maintaining the pickleball paddle's hitting surface parallel to the net.

Foot Fault: On the pickleball serve, ensuring that at least one foot remains behind the baseline and does not contact the baseline or court until after striking the ball.

Forehand: A paddle stroke on the same side of the body as the hand holding the paddle.

Game: A series of points played until one team accumulates 11 points, with a requirement to win by 2 points. Some pickleball tournaments may use different scoring variations.

Groundstroke: Hitting the ball after one bounce, as opposed to a volley, which is hit midair.

Half-Volley: A groundstroke shot where the paddle contacts the ball immediately after it bounces from the court, while the ball is still low before reaching its maximum bounce height.

Kitchen: A term for the Non-Volley Zone.

Let: A serve that hits the net cord and lands in the service court, resulting in a replay, as in tennis.

Lob: A return shot sent high and deep to push the opposing side back to the baseline.

Midcourt: The central area on the pickleball court between the Non-Volley Zone and the baseline.

Nasty Nelson: A tactic in doubles pickleball where the server aims for the non-receiving opponent directly in front of them. Hitting the opponent on the serve gives a point to the serving team. Typically frowned upon at open play but legal.

Non-Volley Zone (NVZ): The 7-foot section of the court on either side of the net, where pickleball players are not allowed to volley the ball. It includes all lines surrounding the zone and is also known as "The Kitchen."

Overhead Shot: Any shot hit with the paddle starting high above the head and moving downward.

Overhead Slam: A powerful overhand shot hit in a downward motion, often executed when returning a lob or high bounce shot.

Paddle: The equipment used in pickleball, equivalent to a racket in racquetball or tennis, and can be made of wood, graphite, and different types of carbon fiber.

Passing Shot: A volley or groundstroke shot aimed to keep the ball away from the opponent, preventing them from returning it.

Pickled: The equivalent of being "bageled" in tennis, signifying scoring zero points in a whole game against your opponent.

Pickler/Pickleballer: A dedicated pickleball enthusiast who can't stop talking about the sport.

Poach: In doubles pickleball, crossing over into your partner's side of the court to hit a shot.

Put Away: A shot with no chance of being returned, ex. overhead smash with a sharp angle away from the opponents.

Punch Shot: A quick, short volley shot with a minimal backswing and short follow-through. This shot is typically done at the kitchen line.

Rally: Continuous play from the moment the ball is served until play ends due to a fault.

Rally Score System: In the rally point system, the side that wins the rally scores the point and earns the right to serve. The side that serving continues to until losing a point, at which a side out occurs. Sometimes there is a point freeze depending on which organization and format the game is played.

Stacking: Aligning while serving or receiving to play on your preferred side.

Triple Crown: A term used in professional picklball where a player wins gold in all 3 events (singles, gender doubles, and mixed doubles)

Tweener: Hitting the ball between your legs, often while facing away from the net. Typically occurs when chasing down a lob.