Find the Right Partner

Legendary mother daughter duo Anna Leigh and Leigh Waters reunited on the pickleball court to secure the title of US Open Champions! Watching Team Waters’ incredible bond on the pickleball court at the US Open Pickleball Championships reminds us that when playing doubles pickleball, you must, first and foremost, find the right partner for you. Finding the right pickleball partner can be extremely difficult as you typically want to find someone that is a strong player at your skill level. But, sometimes, the best player on paper is not always the best partner for you in reality. You need to find someone that jibes with your style of play on the court. For instance, if you like to slow the ball down (or speed it up), does your partner have complementary skills that elevate your play? You want the team dynamic to have some synergies and be greater than the sum of parts. You also want to align from a personality and emotional perspective. For instance, do you play best when you are fired up, but your partner is very introverted and does not give you the “COME ON!” that you need? Although this can sound silly, this is a factor in your on-court success in competitive play.