Moving your feet while striking the pickleball can lead to unforced errors on the court—often, you’ll find yourself overrunning the ball and making contact behind your body. To avoid this, mastering the split step is crucial. Picture it as a small hop into an athletic stance, like a quick hopscotch jump where you land poised to respond. This technique keeps you balanced, allows for quicker reactions, and ensures you hit the pickleball out in front of your body. Aim to execute the split step just before your opponent makes contact with the pickleball.
Bottom line: Split step before every shot. If you fail to keep the pickleball in front of you and instead move and hit simultaneously, the likelihood of unforced errors will skyrocket. Keep that pickleball out in front!