Streaking in pickleball
- Alice Tym
- Jul 23
- 3 min read
No, not that kind. We are examining how to maintain a winning streak on your side and how to stop one on the opponents’ side.
Why are there streaks in pickleball? Quantitative studies indicate they do not exist. The concept of psychological momentum is more a matter of random chance according to Wikipedia. It comes down to the qualitative aspects. Team planning and good coaching matters. You need to know your strengths and those of your partner so you can maximize your abilities. Winning a point gives your team a psychological boost. You need to share it to pump up your partner.
A good example of sharing and feeding off your partner’s success was the March Madness final where Walter Clayton, Jr. energized the Florida Gators, who pulled ahead at the eand of the game. In pickleball, players clunk paddles to pass on the good vibes. Keep the energy level high to score a second point. Be a cheerleader. Think about how you won the first point, who is the weaker player on the other team, are you targeting the weakness of the other team, and, most important, is it working?
But, what about the team facing a losing streak? The obvious answer is to call a time-out to break up the other team’s momentum. In football, the defense often calls a time-out to “freeze the kicker” before a field goal attempt. It is a pressure play, and the thought is that the extra time will put additional pressure on the kicker. In pickleball, just calling a time-out is not enough. You must be able to make a quick analysis and devise a strategy to stop the bleeding. Injecting confidence into your partner is imperative. “We can do this” is an important message.
I asked Brad Bradshaw, who won gold in singles and doubles at the Florida Senior Games in 2024, why he thinks pickleball is a game of streaks, and he explained that “as one side is gaining confidence, the other side might start pressing, which leads to more mistakes.” He believes that to get a run going you need to “emphasize one point at a time.” To stop the opposing team’s run, you need to “recognize what is not working and adjust.” I asked him whether better players have more or fewer streaks than lower-rated players. He replied, “More, because they recognize that streaks are real, and once they win a few points in a row it really pumps them up to keep going.”
Deb Harrison, Florida’s famous pickleball instructor in The Villages, advocates having “a game plan in preparation for the match and using mental imagery of possible scenarios.” She believes that partners should have conversations beforehand and know each other’s likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses. She says, “Winning streaks don’t just happen. They require preparation and careful observation. One point at a time.”
Incorporate pressure situations into your practice sessions. Learn to establish a rhythm that helps you focus on one point at a time. Purposeful practice will give you insight into your own game. What is your highest percentage success shot? Play practice games where you start the score at 0-5-1 and 0-5-2. Learn to double down. Loser has to buy lunch.
Good players not only like to win, they hate to lose. To be a good clutch player, you need to have the tools to keep the ball in play until you have your chance to get the streak going. Then you need to have the smarts to keep it going. •
Alice Tym was ranked 13th in the world for tennis in the ‘60s. She’s been named USPTA Coach of the Year and is a USPTA Master Professional. As a 4.5 pickleball player, she has won gold in Huntsman, NSGA Nationals, US Open, and USA Pickleball events around the country. Alice is an IPTPA member, SSIPA founding board member, Bainbridge Cup Originator and gold medalist in Spain, Italy, and Germany.
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