A recent trip out to the court with some beginners reminded me of an easy tip to improve your game: keep the ball in front.

In general, having the ball in front of your body allows you to maximize your field of vision. You can capture the ball, the court, your partner, and your opponents in your peripheral vision.

It also keeps your body moving in the right direction, forward.

Court position is key in pickleball, and with each shot, you want to improve your position by moving forward:

• On the serve: Extend your arm a foot or two in front of your body and toss the ball from there. This creates enough distance between you and the ball and has you facing your target.
• On the drop: Simplify the drop as much as possible. A simple, consistent drop is worth its weight in gold on the pickleball court. It starts with contacting the ball in front of your body.
• At the kitchen: The further you can reach into the kitchen to attack a ball, the better. It improves your angle of attack and cuts down on the reaction time of your opponent.

Is this technique simple? Yeah. Is it underappreciated? You betcha. Will it help you win more points? Let us know if it works for you.