If your intent is to play in USAPA age-group tournaments, then the first factor to consider when choosing a doubles partner is age. You and your partner should be in the same age group unless one of you is willing to “play down” to the partner’s age group. Another factor to consider, and perhaps the most important, is compatibility.
Are you compatible on the court? Do you communicate well with each other? Are you both “on the same page” in terms of competitiveness? Do your strengths compensate for your partner’s weaknesses and vice versa? The bottom line is: do you blend well on the court and do you ENJOY playing together?! There are experienced coaches providing Pickleball lessons for seniors who can really improve your game.
To Serve or Not to Serve
Prior to the beginning of a match, one pickleball team is given the opportunity to choose to serve first in the first game OR to choose which side of the court they wish to occupy to start the game. Which do you choose? Is there one choice better than the other? Several factors should be considered before making that choice.
Does your team have a server who is dominant – who has a serve difficult to return? Is the sun and/or wind a factor? Does one side of the court have more clearance behind the endline than the other? Is the background behind the court more distracting on one side of the court than the other? All of these factors, as well as perhaps others, should be considered. Most important is that you want your team to gain the immediate advantage over your opponents. Winning the first game of a match is always a morale booster!
