Pickleball · Drives · Forehand
Groundstroke drives crosscourt
Baseline partners rally firm, low drives on the diagonal, building a repeatable forehand and then backhand drive.
Start / 6
- Time
- 15 min
- Players
- 2–4
- Age
- U11+
- Area
- Full court
- Equipment
- 8 pickleballspaddles2 protective eyewear
Setup
- Two players at opposite baselines on the forehand diagonal.
- A second pair can use the other diagonal; agree that anyone who sees a stray ball calls "ball on court" and both pairs stop.
- Eyewear for everyone on court during drive drills.
How it runs
- Start with a drop-hit from one player, then rally crosscourt drives. Let every ball bounce: this is a groundstroke drill.
- Aim for drives that clear the net by a small margin and land in the back half of the partner's court.
- Count the longest rally of deep drives. Build up pace only while the rally stays going.
- After five minutes, switch to the backhand diagonal, then finish with five minutes of mixed forehands and backhands.
Coaching points
- Turn the shoulders early so the paddle is back before the ball bounces.
- Swing low to high with a firm wrist; a little topspin helps the ball dip into the court.
- Step into the shot and finish with the paddle out towards the target.
- Recover to the middle of your half after every drive, ready for the next one.
Common mistakes
- Arm-only swings with no shoulder turn, so the ball lacks depth.
- Hitting flat and high, sending drives long.
- Standing still after the drive and getting caught by the next ball.
Say it: “Turn early, low to high.”
Make it harder
- One player drives, the other must reply with a drop; swap after ten balls.
- Score points: drives landing in the back third earn 2, anything else in earns 1.
Make it easier
- Rally at medium pace from the middle of the court.
- Use a lower-bounce ball and count rallies of five.
Reviewed by the Sportdify coaching team.