Women who explain the small decisions in pickleball rallies

Pulenaz: choosing a safer return when the court gets crowded

In a doubles rally Pulenaz returns a serve after it bounces. Her opponents let the return bounce on their side and send the next ball deep. Pulenaz stays back for that shot instead of rushing forward, then hits it crosscourt with enough height to clear the net. Her partner has time to move up while she follows behind.

The next ball lands short. Pulenaz moves toward it, lets it bounce and plays it gently back over the net rather than swinging hard while off balance. After the rally, she explains that she saw the short ball pulling her forward and chose the softer return to give herself time to regain position. The opponents reach it and the rally continues; the choice does not guarantee a winner.

On the next point she tries the same soft return from farther back and leaves it in the net. She shows both attempts: one worked because she reached the ball in balance, while the other asked too much from a hurried position. A new player can see why the location of the incoming ball changes the choice.

Nicole Havlicek: read the space before changing direction

Nicole Havlicek co-founded PrimeTime Pickleball, which identifies her as a pickleball player and publishes instruction through its YouTube channel. Her work is a useful next stop for a viewer who wants more detail about court positioning.

References: PrimeTime Pickleball

In one of Havlicek’s doubles rallies, she sends a controlled shot wide and watches the nearer opponent move across to reach it. She replays her own point and identifies the gap between the opponents as her cue to send the next ball toward the middle. She explains that she passed up another wide shot because the movement had opened that space; if the pair recover, the same target may no longer be available.

Kaitlyn Kerr: when the open middle appears

Kaitlyn Kerr, known as Pickleball Chick, describes playing pickleball on her own site. Selkirk lists a Pickleball Chick video course featuring her instruction.

References: Pickleball Chick · Selkirk Sport

Kerr replays her own rally with both opponents shifted toward the sideline. She points out the open middle and explains why she sends the next ball there instead of following the previous shot wide. In a later point the opponents close the gap, so she chooses a controlled crosscourt return instead. Keeping both sequences together shows how the target changes with the players’ positions.

Why the first two bounces matter

After the serve, the receiving team must let the ball bounce before returning it, and the serving team must let that return bounce before hitting it. Only then may either side volley. A player may enter the non-volley zone to hit a ball after it bounces, but cannot volley while touching the zone or its line, or let the momentum of a volley carry them into it.

References: USA Pickleball

Sources and attribution

1. PrimeTime Pickleball

   AboutPublication date not listed · Recorded Oct 29, 2026

2. Pickleball Chick

   AboutPublication date not listed · Recorded Oct 29, 2026

3. Selkirk Sport

   SelkirkTV CoursesPublication date not listed · Recorded Oct 29, 2026

4. USA Pickleball

   Essential Pickleball Rules Summary for BeginnersPublication date not listed · Recorded Oct 29, 2026