You must call the score so your opponents can hear it. Speaking in a whisper or into the ground is not acceptable. Sound off!

You call the score to make your opponents aware that you are going to serve; so they have the opportunity to disagree with what you think the score is; and to tell your partner to get ready. It is illegal to call the score and serve at the same time.

After you sound off with the score, you have up to 10 seconds to serve. Sometimes serve in 2 seconds; sometimes take up to 10 seconds. Don't allow your opponent to get comfortable with a rigid cadence.

Once you decide which serve to use and where you want the ball to go, put your head down, take a breath, and watch your paddle make contact with the ball.

Don't automatically say 'good serve' just because you missed it. Better to say 'bad me' — because your return was lousy. That is most often the case.

When 30 degree Celsius temps arrive, get smart, stay cool and hydrated.

Before you leave your house for the courts, drink a glass of water. Before you play, drink some water. Halfway through the match, drink water. When you are done, drink some more.

Between games, get out of the sun; find some shade to sit in.

Other tips: move more slowly; wear UV sunglasses; play early; wear sunscreen; wear long loose light-coloured natural fibre clothes; wear a large-brim ventilated hat; wear a cooling towel around your neck; dip your wrists in cool water.

BE YOUR BROTHER'S KEEPER: If one of your foursome is more wobbly than usual, speaking more gibberish than normal, or appears dizzy, get them off the court. Stop the game, take them to the shade, and if necessary call 911.

Before you begin your doubles game, check the following:

1. Is the gate closed?
2. Are there excess balls on the court?
3. What is your partner's name?
4. What are your opponents' names?
5. Where is the sun?
6. Where is the wind coming from?
7. Are you going to change sides at 6?
8. Where is your water?
9. Is your partner left or right handed?
10. Are your opponents left or right handed?
11. Agree with your partner on which part of the court you are each responsible for.
12. Know each other's vernacular: 'yours, mine, let it go, bounce it, out, back,' etc.

A good partner lets his partner know if he thinks a ball is going out of bounds: 'bounce it.'

One word to remember: Patience.

Let's be aware when someone has a physical problem on the courts.

If there is ever a question of what to do, the answer is to call 911. The 911 info is on the boards outside the courts. You must give 911 the address, not just 'the pickleball courts.'

When in doubt, call 911. The person who is in trouble will tell you not to. Don't listen to them.

You'll never be wrong calling 911. But you might be deadly wrong not calling.

Let's be good partners.

From the time the server calls the score, she has 10 seconds to serve. You can NOT call the score and serve at the same time. The reason for calling the score is two-fold. One, it alerts your opponents that you are about to serve. And two, it gives your opponents the opportunity to disagree with what you think the score is.

Conventional wisdom in returning a serve is to hit the ball deep to just inside your opponent's baseline and towards the middle of the court. That's the accepted strategy — and as far as it goes, that's just peachy keen.

But there's more to the story.

What is utmost important in returning the serve is to lob it high enough that you can easily get to your non-volley zone line. The higher you hit the ball, the more time you have to get to that kitchen line.

Most servers are not used to seeing their serve float back to them — it's an element of surprise. You'll throw their timing off and keep them mentally backpedaling.

Once you glide the ball toward your opponent, take off for the kitchen. Don't dawdle at your baseline.

For a change of pace, periodically return the ball to the server's partner — an unusual move. When you do that, float it up to them.

Don't you get tired of hitting the same old serve, at the same speed, at the same height, from the same spot on the court?

It's pretty easy for your opponents to prepare for and jump on that same old serve.

Become a Renaissance server:

- Serve at different speeds.
- Serve at different heights.
- Change up the time when you serve — you have 10 seconds from calling the score.
- Use different spots behind the baseline — it's 10 feet wide.
- You don't have to stand at the baseline to serve; you can stand 4 feet behind it.
- Aim at different areas on your opponent's court.

The best place to hit any serve: deep to the baseline. Challenge yourself. Concentrate. Yes you can.

All players are at the non-volley zone line. They've dinked back and forth several times. Then, one player successfully lobs the ball over an opponent and the ball heads for the back court.

Who dashes after the ball?

If the ball flies over your head, your partner chases the ball. If the ball goes over your partner's head, you hustle for the ball.

This answers who has the best line-of-sight on the ball and the better chance of not stumbling.

When the lob floats skyward, the partner whose head the ball is going over shouts 'switch.' The partner who is NOT going for the ball shifts over to the other side of the court.

Before you begin a game, agree with your partner on what actions you both will take under certain circumstances. That's good communication.

In pickleball, we are a nosey group and always want to know what is going on. Set yourself at the non-volley-zone line in such a manner that you can always easily see what is going on behind you and what your partner is up to.

Take an interest in your partner's actions. Know where they are at all times. Help them make calls. Follow the ball when they hit it.

NEVER turn your back on your partner. You wouldn't in real life, so don't do it in pickleball.

One of the most misunderstood rules is that having to do with the ball hitting you.

If you are hit by a ball, or you catch a ball, that has first BOUNCED out of bounds, you win the rally. But it must have bounced out of bounds first. If it bounced in bounds first before hitting you, your opponents win the rally.

This applies no matter where you are standing, either on or off the court. It doesn't matter if you are leaning against the back fence or are in the middle of the court.

The 'you' in this case includes your clothing or even your partner wherever they are standing. Think playing 'dodge ball' and not 'catch.'

You must be OUT OF the kitchen (non-volley zone) when you volley the ball (take it out of the air). The best place to stand during a match is just behind the non-volley zone line.

Not everyone knows that during a volley, if your glasses, hat, scarf, hearing aid, false teeth or anything you are wearing lands in the kitchen, it is your opponent's point. If you hit a ball and your paddle hits the court in the kitchen, it is your opponent's point.

If after hitting a winning volley you end up in the kitchen, your winner just became a loser — even if the point was over and the ball was dead, and your momentum carried you into the kitchen.

If you see your partner about to fall into the kitchen after volleying a ball, you can grab the back of her shirt to prevent her from falling in — just be certain you are not in the kitchen when you do this.

The only time you can legally step into the kitchen to hit a ball is if it bounces there. Once you are at the kitchen line, mentally anchor yourself there. Do not back up, not even a foot. Feel free to move side-to-side with your partner (called shadowing).

Summer is coming. So, take longer breaks between games, get out of the sun and take some water into your system.

When you go back for a ball, do NOT go back on your heels. It's the easiest way to trip, fall and harm your body. Turn to the side. Yes, turn.

Improve your score by aiming more balls down the middle. Here's why:

The net is lowest in the middle of the court — there is a 2-inch height differential from the net at the side (34 inches) to the middle (32 inches).

The court is 20 feet wide. If you aim for the middle and your shot is off, you have 10 feet on both sides of the middle line for the ball to land.

Hitting the ball down the middle sets up the possibility of your opponents not deciding who is going to take the shot — the famous 'divorce shot.'

This is also a great way to practice your accuracy and eliminate unforced errors.

You are having a great pickleball game when one of the players suddenly experiences chest pain, pale colour, heavy sweating, and falls down. What do you do?

First, stop all play and attend to the patient. Call 911 and tell the dispatcher: what the problem is; the location and court number; number of patients; age and gender; whether the person is breathing; and if CPR has started.

Send one person to meet the emergency services and direct them to the patient.

Consider the I.C.E. (In Case of Emergency) kit — a plastic holder with written emergency instructions, a personal information sheet, and aspirin for potential heart attack situations. A person experiencing a heart attack should take two 81mg aspirin.

These kits should be on every pickleball bag. The life you save may be yours or your best friend's.

Your partner is receiving the serve. Where do you stand?

You should stand on the court, behind the kitchen line where it meets the sideline.

Then turn your body about 23 degrees to the net so you can watch the ball from the time your opponent serves the ball till your partner returns it. Continue to follow the flight of the ball and turn the front of your body so that it's parallel with the net.

This keeps you mentally in the game from the opening of play. Plus you can help your partner call a serve that is bad. And you also stand a better chance of avoiding being hit by an errant serve or errant return.

Your partner is receiving the serve. Where may you stand?

According to the rules, you may stand anywhere you want: on or off the court.

Sometimes changing where you stand can distract the server, which is a good thing to do. Try standing in different places — you might just find one that vastly improves your game.

Be sure that wherever you stand, you see the ball served and your partner return it. Then you must quickly end up just behind the kitchen line with the front of your body parallel to the net as you continue to watch the ball.

You are the server. Where should you serve most of the time?

Serve that ball deep to your opponents' back line — preferably to the backhand. It doesn't have to be a hard serve. It can and should be a half-lob. Keep your opponents in their back court.

If you are always serving short, it is likely that you are looking at — and therefore aiming at — the net. You must see your opponent's back line before you get ready to serve. Focus on it. Concentrate. Then as you swing, watch your paddle make contact with the ball.

Golfers call this action 'muscle memory.' Musicians read music the same way. Yes, it takes a bit of practice — but you'll be richly rewarded on the courts.

Each time you serve, you serve from a spot behind the baseline, which is a 10-foot area.

It's likely you've been serving from the identical spot since you learned to play. And your opponents have gotten used to you doing that — they've become comfortable receiving your serves.

You don't want your opponents to become comfortable with the angles that your serves are bouncing at.

Therefore: sometimes serve standing next to the centerline; sometimes serve from near the sideline; and sometimes serve from between the sideline and centerline.

Your ball will bounce at your opponents at different angles and confuse them. That's a good thing. A wee-bit of practice and you'll have another winning way to play.

You've got 10 seconds to serve after you call the score. It is illegal to serve while you call the score.

The server controls when the action on each point begins. You can serve 1 second after calling the score or anytime up to 10 seconds.

You also can call the score from one spot behind the baseline and then go to another spot and serve from there. Keep your opponents guessing where the ball is going to come from and when it is going to be served.

According to USAPA rules: 'There is nothing in the rules that states a server must start serving from the same point that he/she called the score from. As long as the serve is made from the proper serving area, no harm, no foul.'

The Divorce Shot takes place when a ball goes down the center of the court between both players. Neither swings at the ball. Then both look at each other with unkindness in their hearts and think, 'You lump-head, you should have taken that shot.'

The Divorce Shot can be eliminated by a bit of pre-game discussion with both partners agreeing on who is responsible for what area. The middle might be a couple of feet past the center line. But it doesn't matter, as long as both agree.

One of the partners must be responsible for going over the line — just like in every marriage.

On the pickleball court: encourage your partner. Smile, don't grimace at their mistakes.

After every point, yes, every one, whether won or lost, have positive conversations — encourage each other or say we'll get them on the next point. Talk strategy.

Touch paddles or hands. There was warmth between them.

Be positive with your partner and positive with yourself. It's much more fun — and you'll live longer.

When playing Drop-In, most of the time hit the ball to the stronger player, not the weaker player.

What do you accomplish by hitting the ball to the weaker player? Nothing — except stroking your own ego. Plus, frankly, it's not a nice thing to do.

Hitting to the weaker player holds in tournament play, ladder play, or skill-level play. But in daily Drop-In, go after the stronger person.

It's the best way to improve your game. And you'll feel more pride in winning points off the better player.

It's not a racquet, it's a paddle.

You can stay in the kitchen as long as you want. Anytime you want to step into the kitchen you can. But common playing sense dictates that you should stay nestled behind the kitchen line.

If the ball BOUNCES in the kitchen, you CAN step into the kitchen to hit it. You don't have to bend forward to get it — step in.

If you take the ball out of the air (volley it) you CANNOT be in the kitchen. You must be BEHIND the kitchen line. After hitting the ball you CANNOT step into the kitchen, even if 5 seconds have gone by since you hit the ball.

If you step in the kitchen you must establish both feet outside the kitchen before hitting the ball out of the air (volleying it).

The person returning the serve can control when the action starts — not just the server.

Once the adversary calls the score and is about to serve, the returnee can put her paddle in the air and stop the action. According to the rules, the person returning the serve has up to 10 seconds to get her paddle and body in the ready position. And the server cannot legally serve until her opponent is ready.

This is a terrific tactic to throw your opponent off, get them out of rhythm, and confuse their psyche. And it's all legal.

Don't be a passive receiver, be an active one.

Why do you always serve from exactly the same place on the court? You have a 10-foot baseline you can serve from; use all 10 feet.

Why do you always take exactly the same amount of time from when you call the score, to serve the ball? From the time you call the score, the rule states, you have 10 seconds to put the ball in play. Sometimes take 2 seconds, sometimes take more, up to the full 10.

Why do you use the same serve every time? Try a high, slow lob; a shorter serve; a serve to the back line of your opponents, even a fast serve.

The more often you perform the identical actions on your serve, the easier you make it for your opponents to return the ball. Become unpredictable with your serves.

A legal serve is hit with an underhand, upward motion. During the legal serve, the head of the paddle is BELOW the wrist and the ball is struck BELOW the belly button.

Dedicate this year to better communication with your partner — only upbeat, positive words.

Let's make it the year of the effective third-shot drop-shot. Too many of us aren't using this sophisticated weapon. It's a wee-bit difficult to learn, but will turn your game around. You'll advance from playing checkers to playing chess.

How about developing just one new serve?

And let's get away from those feet of stone. Be prepared for every shot by being on the balls of your feet. Sway from side to side. Be loosey, goosey, not cemented to the ground.

Poaching means you hit a ball that comes on your partner's side of the court. You might just reach a couple of feet into your partner's space, or move all the way in and take over their side — they then switch to your side.

Poaching is quite effective when you are playing with a weaker partner and your opponents are picking on them.

Poaching should not be used often — possibly a couple of times a match — but it throws off your opponents' thinking, which makes it another weapon in your arsenal.

From a communication standpoint, be sure your partner agrees that poaching is OK. You can also fake a poach with a shoulder shrug or a step into your partner's area.

Try it. It's fun, particularly when it works.

The server cannot legally call the score and serve at the same time. It's illegal.

Before you serve, you MUST call the score so your opponents can hear it — no mumbles please.

The reason is two-fold: one, it notifies your opponents to get ready because you are about to serve; and two, it gives the opposition a chance to say, 'Hey, that's not the score.'

Presuming there is no conflict on the score, the server has 10 full seconds to serve — no hurry, no rush; lots of time to concentrate.

Serve from different spots behind the back-line and take different amounts of time to serve. Have more than one serve: short, long, high, low, fast, slow. The serve should be used as a weapon, not just a way of starting the point.

A legal serve is not side-arm. To make a legal serve the ball must be struck below your navel with an upward motion. And the head of the paddle (not racquet) must be BELOW your wrist.

The proper position after every shot (EVERY SHOT) is to bring your paddle up to the centre of your body, just under your chin. Keep the paddle in front of your body, not tight to it; in front of it.

This is the best way to prepare for both forehand and backhand returns; plus, it is in good defensive position if the ball is hit directly at you.

Unfortunately, too many of us are danglers. A dangling paddle is useless, appalling and maladroit; an ugly look. Most important, it produces losing shots.

Study the tennis pros; they immediately bring their racquet up to centre position after hitting a ball.

The serve is the only shot in pickleball that you know 99 percent of the time, to whom the ball is going to be hit.

The person being served to should not get ready to receive the serve until the score is called. Relax your body; breathe. Put your brain in Nap Mode. Then, once you hear the score called, get into Combat Posture. Get your body and brain ready.

Position wise, you must stand a few feet behind the back line. Don't let a deep serve defeat you. You want to be in Pounce Position: on the balls of your feet, knees slightly bent, paddle up at chest level and your eyes on the ball.

The best place to return a serve is high and deep to the middle of your opponents court. The higher you hit the return serve, the more time you have to get up to the net.

Before your opponent serves, decide where you are going to return it — the exact spot. Be a Man with a Plan. Don't just hit and hope.

After hitting the ball, pay no attention to where it is going — immediately head for the net. Do not stand back and admire your handiwork.

Change up what you do on the courts; periodically play a game of doubles dink-it in. Use only the kitchen area with the back-line of the kitchen being in. Anything over that line is out. Serve cross court to your opponents. Continually try to make the ball bounce in the kitchen area — it's an art form and great for your mind.

Playing this game will teach you: (1) patience; (2) how to move in tandem with your partner; (3) how to see the paddle make contact with the ball; (4) practice being the captain of the team by always calling 'yours' or 'mine'; and (5) focus.

If you are captain, you have the right to call a shot as 'mine' even if it's to your backhand. You make the call, your partner respects it.

You're seeing your paddle make contact with the ball. You're keeping your paddle up, in front of your chest (you're a no-dangler no-more). Now, there's a third step to this successful triangle.

Follow the ball with the top edge of your paddle. Wherever the ball is, that's the direction the top edge of your paddle aims — even if the ball is in your partner's hand before she serves.

You're staying in the moment, being focused. It's not just following the ball with your eyes, but it becomes following the ball with your whole radar-like body. You're staying locked in on the ball, tracking it wherever it is.

Just do it.

We pickleball players should revere the wind, embrace it, not whine about it. Don't be one of those folks who complains it's too windy to play.

Before every serve, all players should check what direction the wind is blowing. Let your brain receive that info and perform due diligence.

The wind and the bright yellow ball with 40-some holes will create fascinating aerodynamics. You'll see curve balls you never expected and strange flight patterns.

If you hang in, the wind will force you to better concentrate on the ball and improve your ability to chase it down. Wind is one of the coolest friends you'll ever have for improving your focus.

We must take more time caring for our paddles. When you are through with your day of matches, your paddle should be cleaned and carefully placed in a warming environment. Paddles should not be left in the garage, a cabinet, your pickleball cart, or a backpack.

One of our better players — a medalist who wishes to remain anonymous — keeps his paddle in a bassinet, covered with a comfy baby blanket, surrounded by 18 pickleballs, with peaceful classical music playing in the background.

He says: 'I treat my paddle with the same love that we gave our kids. I talk to her during matches, and always verbally reinforce my love for her, and she really comes through for me when I need her most.'

No matter how fast or slow-of-foot you are, if you don't see your paddle make contact with the ball, you are not doing your job. Witnessing that impact is the ultimate secret of winning pickleball.

Invariably, pictures of play prove that our head comes up before the contact between the paddle and ball is made. We are TOO anxious to see where the ball is going.

Observe the action from outside any court and you'll be utterly amazed at how often the head comes up too early. Watch slow-motion replays of major tennis tournaments and you'll note that the top players are seeing the impact of the ball on the racquet.

Watch golfers putt — their heads stay down through impact. A placekicker in football sees his foot make contact with the ball. Don't let your head bail out before the impact.

Pickleball doubles demands that you support your partner, not growl at them.

Your words must be positive after every rally. Bring your partner up out of the doldrums; congratulate them on a good shot. Be supportive on a shot missed.

There must NOT BE SILENCE between partners. Silence will kill the relationship.

Good doubles partnership is a cuddly, warm get-together; a 'we are one'; a smiley buddy ship. There must be constant words of encouragement — a touching of the paddles, a 'way to go' concept.

A big smile, not a frown. It's a constant hug and kiss relationship. Now play nice.