There are numerous terms that exist in Pickleball, and it’s easy to get confused between them. If you ever hear someone shout about flapjacks, then we assure you that they’re not talking about the food.
There are many Pickleball terms that you wouldn’t be surprised to find in a menu, so it’s good to know what these terms mean.
What Is A Flapjack In Pickleball?
If a player is talking about flapjacks, they’re actually referring to a shot that needs to bounce before a player hits it. These are usually midair shots, and can be hit during either of the first two shots, whether it is the returning of a serve or a return of that serve.
You most likely won’t hear this term after the third shot is made, as you don’t need to let the ball bounce, as you can then begin the volley. Depending on where you are, flapjack may also be written as flabjack. However, this is most likely a spelling error or a different pronunciation.
Two Bounce Rule
Flapjack is an essential term, as there is a two-bounce rule implemented in Pickleball. When a player serves, it needs to land on the opposite diagonal side of the net. The receiver of the serve needs to let the ball bounce once before they can return it.
Once they hit it to the non-serving side of the net, they need to allow it to bounce once. After the first two returns, this rule is no longer in effect. It’s only in effect in the serving and receiving turns. After this, it is safe to volley.
How Do You Play Pickleball?
Pickleball can be played in either singles or doubles matches. The right-hand side of the court always goes first, and before each serve, the player needs to call out the current score. This is done by yelling the server’s score, the receiver’s score, and who is serving.
However, you only need to yell who is serving in a double’s match (Check out What Is Stacking when playing doubles in pickleball). You can score by playing until one of the team has a fault. Only the server or the serving team is allowed to score on their turns. The same can be said when the receiving team is serving.
The match is then played until one of the players or teams gets to 11, and they need to win by 2. The overall winner is decided by winning two out of three matches, and they will then win the entire game.
However, flapjack is not the only word you will hear in your Pickleball games. Here are a few other slang terms and what they mean when you’re playing the game.
Terms You’re Likely To Hear In Pickleball
Flapjack is one of the sillier terms in Pickleball, and it’s not the only one. If you’ve never played Pickleball before, you might be surprised by the number of hilarious terms you might hear on the court.
In this section, we’ll explain what some of these terms mean, so you won’t be lost when you’re playing against a more experienced opponent.
Ace
This is a serve that is so good that your opponent is unable to return it, so a point is won.
Bounce It
If you’re playing doubles, your partner might call this to you if they want to let the ball bounce, especially if it’s likely to land out of bounds.
Dead Ball
If there’s a dead ball, it means the ball has gone out of the court, and so the current point of the match is over.
Dillball
A dillball is a shot that is inbounds of the court which has bounced once. Otherwise, it’s a live ball on the court.
Dink Shot
A dink shot is a soft shot that arcs over the Pickleball net and falls into the kitchen on the opposing side of the court.
Falafel
A falafel is essentially a dead paddle. It’s a shot that doesn’t go far as there is no power when you hit the ball.
Kitchen
The kitchen is another way to describe the Non-Volley Zone. In this area of the court, you aren’t allowed to volley in this area. If your body makes any contact with the kitchen in this area, your opponent will immediately receive a point.
Nice Get
This is a compliment which means you’ve managed to hit a ball that’s considered difficult to reach or return.
Nice Rally
This is a compliment for all the players, especially if they’ve managed to maintain a long rally streak.
Nice Setup
If a player says this to you, then it’s a compliment. A setup means you’ve managed to successfully get a player to move to an area of the court which leaves a section on their side exposed to the other team.
OPA
You might hear this shouted after a player hits their third shot, thus allowing all players to know that an open volley has begun on the court.
Pickle
You may hear pickle shouted from the server to alert everyone on the court that they are going to serve.
Pickled
If your team hasn’t won a single point by the end of the game, you’re considered to be pickled.
Pickledome
When you’re playing in a championship match, it will take place in a court known as the Pickledome.
Pickler
Some players may consider themselves Pickler, and may not be able to stop talking about the sport.
Poach
When you’re playing doubles Pickleball, poaching is when you take a shot that is intended for your partner’s side of the court.
Smash
A smash is a slightly cooler way to describe an overhead shot.
Volley Llama
This is a term that refers to a fault, otherwise an illegal move, where a player hits a volley shot into the kitchen, otherwise known as the Non-Volley Zone.
Essentials Of Pickleball
If you want to play Pickleball, you need a paddle, a net, and better yet, some of the essential terms. Now that we’ve peaked your interest with some of the terms said on the court, here’s some other terms you need to consider.
Doubles
A game played with up to four players with two on each team.
Singles
A game played with only two players with one on each side.
A shot which picks the ball out of the air before it bounces, which can only be done at a certain point in the game.
Centerline
The part of the court which divides the court into halves from the kitchen to the baseline.
Baseline
The line at the back of the Pickleball court.
Backcourt
The feet at the back of the court near the baseline.
Sideline
Lines on each side of the court.
Serve
The underhanded shot that begins a rally. All players need to swing from below the waist.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully you have a better idea and understanding of flapjacks and how you play Pickleball. Now, you should have a better understanding of the terms used on the court, and when you should use them in the context of the sport.
Pickleball has been played for decades, and it is a great way to let off some steam, engage in friendly competition, and improve your fitness levels.
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