Serve and Swing: Lessons from Team Waters on Pickleball’s First Shot

How small rules, steady routines and simple variation turn an underhand serve into an advantage.

Introduction
Pickleball’s opening act is often understated — an underhand motion, a short bounce, a simple toss. Yet in a brief coaching clip by Team Waters, Anna Leigh Waters and Leigh Waters distill the serve into a compact playbook: the rules that govern it, the mechanics that stabilize it and the tactical choices that make it a weapon. The following feature synthesizes their advice into clear, actionable guidance for players who want a dependable serve and — when ready — the variety to keep opponents guessing.

0:00 — Pickleball Serves

Serves in pickleball are underhand only.
Two legal ways: volley serve (hit from the volley) or drop/bounce serve.
Contact rules: paddle head below wrist; strike below belly button.
Position: behind baseline, between center line and sideline at contact.
Team Waters opens the clip by laying out the absolute scaffolding of the serve: the shot begins and is contained by specific rules that govern where and how you may strike the ball. Those constraints — underhand motion, paddle angle, height of contact and court position — may sound limiting, but they create a consistent framework within which players can develop reliable mechanics and plan tactics. Once the ball has been struck and contact is complete, the player is free to step into the court and follow the point wherever it leads.

0:23 — Team Waters Introductions

Anna Leigh and Leigh Waters identify themselves as USA Pickleball national champions.
The advice comes from elite competitive experience.
Tone: instructional, practical, and grounded in tournament play.
The brief introduction is a reminder that the guidance comes from top-level practitioners. Anna Leigh and Leigh’s championship background gives the instructions competitive weight; their emphasis is not on flashy trickery but on repeatable motions and small tactical edges that matter under tournament pressure. Their voice matters because their successful outcomes did not come from gimmicks but from disciplined fundamentals.

1:15 — Technique

Use a pre-serve routine: bounce or paddle taps for timing.
Swing like a pendulum from the shoulder; avoid wrist or elbow flicks.
Give yourself a consistent toss or drop; lift before releasing on a volley serve.
For a drop serve: release from comfortable height, arm slightly forward toward paddle side for higher bounce.
Technique, the Waters note, is the engine of reliability. A simple routine calms timing. The ideal swing is loose and shoulder-driven — a pendulum motion that travels through contact rather than snapping at the wrist or hinging at the elbow. Consistency in the toss or drop sets the stage: a volley serve needs a lift before release; a drop serve should come from a height and position that gives the ball the best bounce. These small motions — repeated — convert random serves into dependable starts.

3:04 — Mix It Up

Primary target: opponent’s backhand, served deep.
Aim two to three feet inside baseline rather than right at the line.
Factor wind when outdoors.
Develop one consistent serve first; then add driving, lob, inside-out and out-wide serves.
Targeting and variation are a paired strategy. As a default, the Waters recommend serving deep into an opponent’s backhand to push them off the line and invite weaker returns, but with a practical margin: aim a couple of feet inside the line to reduce error. Outdoor players should account for wind. Once a player has one consistent serve, the real gain comes from variety — mixing deep backhands with driving serves, lobs, inside-out and wide placements to keep the returner off balance.

Summary

The serve is governed by precise rules but offers tactical leverage.
Routine, shoulder-driven mechanics, and a consistent toss are the pillars of a reliable serve.
Tactical targeting plus controlled variation produce defensive and offensive advantage.
Team Waters’ short lesson repackages pickleball’s opening shot as a study in constraint and creativity. The serve is bounded by rules — underhand motion, low contact height, a fixed hitting zone — which paradoxically free players to focus on rhythm, body mechanics and placement. Begin with a routine and a shoulder-led pendulum swing, stabilize your toss or drop, and aim deep to the opponent’s backhand with a modest safety margin. When that base exists, introduce variation: driving serves, lobs and wide angles become ways to control the point rather than panic-inducing gambits. The result is a pragmatic progression from basic competence to tactical versatility.

Team Waters: Seven Serve Secrets

Introduction
A dependable serve sets the tone for every pickleball point. Anna Leigh and Leigh Waters break the serve into seven simple techniques and strategies that any player can practice. These steps focus on rhythm, body mechanics, placement and smart variation — small changes that yield big results.

Pre-serve routine

Short action: find a repeatable ritual (bounce the ball 2–4 times or tap the paddle).
Why: stabilizes timing and calms nerves before each serve.

Stay loose — shoulder-driven swing

Short action: swing like a pendulum from the shoulder; avoid wrist flicks or elbow snaps.
Why: a fluid shoulder motion produces a consistent, reliable contact.

Use a consistent toss or drop

Short action: for a volley serve lift briefly before release; for a drop serve release from a comfortable height slightly ahead of your body.
Why: a repeatable toss yields a predictable bounce and cleaner contacts.

Aim deep to the opponent’s backhand

Short action: target the backhand side about 2–3 feet inside the baseline.
Why: pushes opponents back and often elicits weaker returns.

Factor in wind (outdoor adjustment)

Short action: test a few trial serves and adjust aim slightly more inside on windy days.
Why: wind alters flight and bounce; early adjustments reduce errors.

Watch the ball through contact

Short action: keep your eyes on the ball until the moment it meets the paddle.
Why: improved focus increases accuracy and reduces mishits.

Mix up your serves once you’re consistent

Short action: after mastering one reliable serve, add one new type (drive, lob, inside-out, or wide).
Why: variation keeps returners off balance and turns a good serve into a tactical weapon.

Summary
Start with a steady routine and a shoulder-led pendulum swing. Build a reliable toss or drop, aim with a modest safety margin to the opponent’s backhand, and adjust for wind. Watch the ball through contact and, when ready, add one new serve at a time. Together these seven habits convert a basic underhand motion into a repeatable advantage.

Step-by-Step Guide

Bounce the ball 3 times before you serve.
- Action: Find a steady rhythm with three bounces.
- Tip: Keep breaths slow.
- Time: ~10–15 seconds.
Stand behind the baseline, between center and sideline.
- Action: Place both feet behind the line in the legal zone.
- Tip: Check feet position before every serve.
- Time: ~5 seconds.
Hold paddle so the head is below your wrist at contact.
- Action: Position paddle low when you prepare to hit.
- Tip: Practice in front of a mirror.
- Time: ~2 minutes practice.
Use a pendulum shoulder swing — do not snap the wrist.
- Action: Move the arm from the shoulder through contact.
- Tip: Move slowly at first to build form.
- Time: ~5–10 minutes drill.
Choose volley or drop serve and practice each toss.
- Action: For volley, lift the ball; for drop, release ahead from comfortable height.
- Tip: For drop serve, keep the arm slightly forward toward paddle side.
- Time: ~10 minutes per serve type.
Aim toward opponent’s backhand, about 2–3 feet inside the baseline.
- Action: Target a point inside the baseline on their backhand side.
- Pitfall: Don’t aim directly on the line; errors increase.
- Time: ~5 minutes practice.
Watch the ball through contact every time.
- Action: Keep your eyes on the ball as it meets the paddle.
- Tip: Focus on the exact moment of contact.
- Time: Continuous.
Factor wind: aim slightly more inside on windy days.
- Action: Take a few test serves to judge wind.
- Tip: Adjust aim after two or three test hits.
- Time: ~5 minutes.
Perfect one consistent serve first.
- Action: Repeat until you reach stable accuracy.
- Tip: Aim for 8 out of 10 successful serves before adding new types.
- Time: ~15–30 minutes.
Add one new serve type (drive, lob, inside-out or wide).
- Action: Practice the new serve slowly, then add speed.
- Tip: Introduce variety gradually — don’t overload.
- Time: ~10–20 minutes.
Mix serves in practice sets (3–5 serves per set).
- Action: Randomize serve order to simulate match stress.
- Tip: Use a partner to return or a target box to measure accuracy.
- Time: ~15 minutes.
After practice, rest and review what felt stable.
- Action: Note one thing to improve next time.
- Tip: Keep a short practice log.
- Time: ~5 minutes.

Song: “Below the Belly, Above the Line”

(Approx. 320 words; upbeat — 1960s folk/jazz with a 90’s rap vibe)

Verse 1
Hey, it’s Stacy on the mic, we’re learning how to serve,
Anna Leigh and Leigh say steady hands deserve
A little gentle rhythm — underhand, don’t swerve,
Paddle low, belly-button rule, that’s the curve.
Bounce three times, tap the wood, find your tempo, find your beat,
Behind the baseline you position both your feet.
Paddle head below the wrist when you meet the ball,
A shoulder-pendulum swing — steady through it all.

Chorus
Serve it deep, send it back to the weak-side hand,
Two, three feet from the line — give your margin, take your stand.
Mix it up, make ’em guess — drive, lob, inside-out wide,
Watch the ball, mind the wind, step into the rally with pride.

Verse 2 (rap-styled)
Drop or volley, lift before you go, that’s the plan — yo, listen close,
If you drop it too low, you lose height on the toast.
Arm ahead, paddle-side, give the bounce the most,
Serve into the backhand, make returns a ghost.
Loose in the shoulder, not a flick of the wrist,
Practice the same routine — rhythm’s what you missed.
Anna Leigh’s a champion — the lesson’s crisp,
Play by the rules, then bend ’em with a twist.

Bridge (spoken / jazz swing)
We’re not chasing flash, we’re making steady work,
One reliable serve, then add the perks.
Factor wind, aim inside the line, keep calm like a lark,
From baseline to court — light in the dark.

Chorus (repeat, with harmony)
Serve it deep, send it back to the weak-side hand,
Two, three feet from the line — give your margin, take your stand.
Mix it up, make ’em guess — drive, lob, inside-out wide,
Watch the ball, mind the wind, step into the rally with pride.

Outro (folk swing)
Team Waters taught the rule: be steady and be fine,
Underhand, below the belly, above the line.

Instrumentation & Vocal Arrangement Guidance

Verses: Acoustic guitar (strummed), upright bass walking pattern, soft brushed snare. Solo lead vocal with light spoken-rap phrasing in Verse 2; occasional single-line harmony echoes.
Bridge: Sparse piano comping, upright bass, soft cymbal brushes; spoken lead vocal with light backing “ooh”s from two-part harmony.
Chorus: Full band (acoustic guitar + upright bass + brushed snare + soft brass hits); 3-part harmony on the final lines of the chorus for lift and clarity.

How the Song Was Created

The song was constructed to blend two stylistic impulses: 1960s folk-jazz storytelling and the rhythmic punch of 1990s rap. Formally, the piece follows a verse-chorus-verse-bridge-chorus structure with an outro — a familiar map that supports both narrative explanation and repeated practical advice. The rhyme scheme mixes couplets and alternating lines (AABB, ABAB) so hooks are easy to remember; the chorus contains the clearest mnemonic (“Two, three feet from the line…”) to anchor the tactical advice.

Instrumentation choices reflect accessibility and tone. Acoustic guitar and upright bass provide a warm, familiar foundation suited for senior players and club settings. Brushed snare offers a gentle swing without sharp dynamics that could overpower listeners. Sparse piano or brass in the bridge adds a reflective hue. The 90s rap influence appears in Verse 2: a tighter rhythmic delivery and spoken phrasing that emphasize stepwise instructions.

Arrangement and vocal choices prioritize intelligibility. Verses are sung by a solo lead to focus on detail. The bridge is spoken over sparse chords, allowing listeners to absorb technical points slowly. Choruses use three-part harmony so the main tips are sung and reinforced — a mnemonic device useful for learners who remember melodies. Harmony placement avoids vocal strain for older singers by keeping ranges moderate and syllables sustained.

Lyrically, the song ties directly to the article: explicit rules (belly-button contact, paddle position), mechanical cues (pendulum shoulder swing), toss guidance (lift for volley, forward drop for bounce) and tactical aims (backhand, 2–3 feet inside line). For seniors, performance tips include slower tempo, clear diction, and dynamic restraint. The song is intended as both an enjoyable tune and an ear-friendly drill for serve fundamentals.

Quiz

What type of serve is legal in pickleball as stated in the article?
a. Overhand allowed if below the waist
b. Underhand only
c. Sidearm only
d. Any type with backspin
What is the rule for paddle position at contact?
a. Paddle head below the wrist
b. Paddle head above the wrist
c. Paddle perpendicular to the net
d. Paddle behind the body
Where must the server be positioned at the moment of contact?
a. On the baseline, outside the sideline
b. At the service box line
c. On the net line
d. Behind the baseline, between center line and sideline
Which body motion did Team Waters recommend for a consistent serve?
a. A wrist flick to add speed
b. A bent-elbow pop motion
c. A pendulum swing from the shoulder
d. A jump serve
How should you aim relative to the baseline when targeting an opponent’s backhand?
a. Right on the baseline edge
b. About two to three feet inside the line
c. Well short of the service line
d. Directly at the center line
What should you do before adding variety to your serves?
a. Develop one consistent serve first
b. Immediately start mixing all serves
c. Only practice wide serves first
d. Avoid practicing the same serve more than once
Which of these is NOT listed as a recommended serve type to mix in?
a. Driving serve
b. Lob serve
c. Inside-out serve
d. Under-spin slice serve
For a volley serve, what do the Waters advise about the release?
a. Drop the ball with no lift
b. Toss behind the body
c. Lift the ball before releasing it
d. Hold for several seconds before serving
Who provided the instruction in the clip described by the article?
a. Anna Leigh Waters and Leigh Waters (Team Waters)
b. Stacy Townsend alone
c. An anonymous coach
d. A referee from USA Pickleball
What outdoor factor did the article recommend accounting for when serving?
a. The sun’s color
b. Wind
c. The temperature of the ball
d. The crowd noise

Answer Key

B
A
D
C
B
A
D
C
A
B

Student Of The Game - Pickleball Drilling Journal

Saturday, October 4, 2025

Pickleball Serves with Leigh and Anna Leigh Waters