Coach Ethan · The Pickleball Play Book

I · The problem

They aim everything at you, and the tips you've tried don't help.

They pick you out

At open play, the other side decides who the weak link is, and then every ball goes there. You know why, and so does everyone watching. Nobody likes being reminded of it all game.

The ball comes too fast

A banger rifles it at you before you have time to react. Your block comes off the edge of the paddle, floats up, and comes straight back at your feet. You've been trying to fix it for months.

The tips are for someone else

"Just dink more." "Get to the kitchen and stay there." "Backpedal for the lob." That advice assumes 25-year-old reactions and knees, and backing up for a lob is how people fall.

It's one story: they target you, you pop it up, they put it away. The Play Book breaks that story at the first step, and turns the pop-up around so it's theirs.

II · What you get

The whole blueprint, plus everything you take to the court

The full 124-page book as an instant PDF, plus an EPUB for phones and e-readers
26 chapters in 6 parts, at a 5th-grade reading level with big, clear type
Part One: the 5-step blueprint. Make them pop it up, read the high ball early, turn don't backpedal, point then swing, aim for the feet
How to handle a banger who targets you, and how to reset a hard ball low
Court diagrams and simple sketches on nearly every page
Your first 24 hours, laid out: what to read tonight and what to try in tomorrow's game
Yours for good. Read it once, or keep coming back to it for years

Plus 5 free bonusesvalued at

The Solo Drill Library12 printable drills you can do alone, one for every step of the blueprint.
The Court-Side Cheat SheetEvery step on one page, ready to check between games.
The Partner CardWho takes the middle, who takes the lob, and what to say before the game.
The Paddle Buyer's ChecklistWhat to check before you buy, so you stop paying for the wrong paddle.
Practice & Progress LogPrintable pages for your first 24 hours and the weeks after.

Total value · one time, yours forever

Get the Play Book + 5 bonuses

III · What is inside

Six parts, front to back

Part 1 — The 5-Step Blueprint

Five short chapters, one step each. Make them pop it up, read it early, get under it without backing up, and put it at their feet.

Part 2 — Setting Up the Point

Why the soft game sets up the smash, the dink done properly, getting to the kitchen without getting stranded, and why your own ball pops up.

Part 3 — Pressure Points

Resetting a hard ball, when not to speed it up, handling a banger who targets you, and which lobs to smash or let go.

Part 4 — Doubles, Together

Who takes the middle and the overhead, talking to your partner without the apology, stacking, and reading opponents in three points.

Part 5 — Staying on the Court

The ten-minute warm-up, side steps instead of backpedals, shoulders and knees on hard courts, and choosing a paddle once.

Part 6 — Practice

Practicing without a partner, your first 24 hours and the four weeks after, and a plain-English glossary.

Show all 26 chapter titles

Step 1: Make Them Pop It Up
Step 2: Read the High Ball Early
Step 3: Turn, Don't Backpedal
Step 4: Point, Then Swing
Step 5: Aim for the Feet, Not the Fence
Why the Soft Game Sets Up the Smash
Ready Position, Grip Pressure, and Balance
The Dink, Properly Explained
Why Your Own Ball Pops Up, and How to Stop It
Getting to the Kitchen Without Getting Stranded
The Third Shot Drop, From Zero
Resetting a Hard Ball
When Not to Speed Up the Ball
Handling a Banger Who Targets You
Lobs: When to Smash and When to Let It Go
Who Takes the Middle, and Who Takes the Overhead
Talking to Your Partner, Without the Apology
Stacking, Simply Explained
Reading Opponents in the First Three Points
The Ten-Minute Warm-Up
Moving Safely: Side Steps, Not Backpedals
Shoulders, Knees, and Hard Courts
Choosing a Paddle, Then Never Shopping Again
Practicing Without a Partner
Your First 24 Hours, and the Four Weeks After
Glossary of Pickleball Terms

V · What this book gets right

The honest version, before you buy

What it does well

It's built for the body you have now. Every step trades speed for timing and placement: make them lift the ball, see it coming early, turn instead of backing up, and aim at their feet. And it doesn't stop at tips. Each blueprint step has a drill you can do alone, and the book lays out your first 24 hours, so it shows up in your next game instead of staying on the page.

What it does not promise

It won't make you faster or 25 again, and it won't turn you into a banger. It isn't a medical or physical-therapy program. It's a plan for winning the points the hard hitters hand you, and for staying on the court long enough to enjoy it.

VI · Is it for you

Written for a specific player

This book is for you if

You're 50+ and the hard hitters aim at you on purpose
You play a lot, but you've been stuck at the same level for a year
You can't backpedal for lobs anymore, and don't want to
You want one clear plan instead of a hundred scattered videos

It is not for you if

You want to out-bang the bangers
You're chasing a 5.0 tournament rating in your thirties
You want a medical or physical-therapy program

"The smash was never about power. It's about making the other side pop the ball up, getting under it without backing up, and putting it somewhere they can't reach. None of that needs a younger body."

Coach Ethan · Creator of the 5-Step Blueprint

Ethan coaches players who came to pickleball later in life and want to be genuinely good at it, not just keep up. Every week he watches older players lose the same point: they backpedal, swing as hard as they can, and hope. This book is his whole system for that point, written in plain language.

VII · Questions

Before you ask

I've watched the videos. Why would a book be different?

Videos show you a shot. They don't tell you which ball to wait for, where to stand, or what to try first. The blueprint is five steps in order, each with a drill you can do alone, and the book tells you exactly what to try in your next game.

Isn't the answer just "dink more"?

No. Dinking alone doesn't stop a banger, and a lot of points end before anyone dinks. The book uses the soft game for one job, getting them to pop the ball up, and then shows you what to do with that ball.

Won't a better paddle fix this?

A paddle that suits you helps, and the book has a chapter on choosing one, plus the Paddle Buyer's Checklist bonus. But a new paddle won't tell you which ball to attack or where to aim it. That's what the blueprint is for.

Is smashing safe at my age?

The blueprint is built so you never backpedal, which is where a lot of falls happen. Step 3 is all about turning and shuffling instead, and the book shows you when to let a deep lob go or leave it to your partner. If you have a shoulder or back injury, check with your doctor before practicing overheads.

Do I need a drilling partner?

No. Every drill works alone or in warm-up, with a paddle, a few balls, and a wall or an empty court.

Can I read it on my tablet or phone?

Yes. The book comes as a PDF and an EPUB. The PDF looks like the printed page and prints cleanly at home. The EPUB is made for phones and e-readers like Kindle, Kobo, and Apple Books, and the text resizes to whatever is easiest for you. The 5 bonuses come as print-ready PDFs, each with an EPUB too.

How is it delivered? Is checkout secure?

Checkout runs through Gumroad. Your download links arrive right away on the confirmation page and in your email.

They hit it harder. You'll hit it smarter.