You know that meme with Steve Buscemi dressed like a teenager? I believe he says something to the effect of “Hello, fellow teens.” It’s clear this older gentleman is trying to appear youthful and cool, but he’s not fooling anyone.

Now picture yourself playing pickleball for the first time. You show up to the court feeling a little self-conscious, you don’t want to say or do anything to make people think you’re a total dweeb. Well fear not, that very real scenario that I just created out of thin air has a fun solution and the JOOLA blog is here to help.

Don’t be uncool, show up ready and talk the talk with Pickleball Lingo 101:

🥒 1. Kitchen

“Stay out the kitchen!”

Nickname for the non-volley zone. Step in during a volley and it's a fault. It's not a snack zone—despite the name.

🎉 2. Dink

“Nice dink!”

A soft shot that drops just over the net into the non-volley zone. The chess moves of pickleball.

💣 3. Erne

“Whoa! Sick Erne!”

An advanced move where a player jumps outside the court to volley the ball near the net. Big flex.

💥 4. ATP (Around the Post)

“He hit an ATP winner?!”

A wild shot that curves around the net post and lands in. Legal and legendary.

🌀 5. Reset

“Just reset it and breathe.”

A soft defensive shot used to neutralize a fast rally and regain control.

😬 6. Banger

“He’s a banger—bring your paddle armor.”

A player who drives the ball hard at every chance. Usually allergic to dinks.

🔥 7. Slammers vs. Dinkers

“Classic match-up: slammers vs. dinkers.”

Refers to playing styles—aggressive power hitters vs. finesse-focused soft players.

🔄 8. Side Out

“Side out! Our serve!”

Called when the serving team loses the point and it’s time to rotate.

👣 9. Foot Fault

“Kitchen foot fault—again?!”

When your foot goes where it shouldn’t—like in the kitchen during a volley.

👑 10. Pickled

“Dude... we got pickled.”

Losing a game 11-0. No points, no mercy.

😤 11. Golden Pickle

"We pulled off a golden pickle. Legendary."

Winning a game without the other team ever serving. That’s rare!

🧢 12. Paddle Tap

“Good game, paddle tap!”

The sportsmanship handshake of pickleball. Quick tap of the paddles after a match.

🐍 13. Poach

“She poached that like a ninja!”

When a doubles partner crosses over to intercept a shot. Sneaky and strategic.

⏱️ 14. Stacking

“Are we stacking this game?”

Positioning strategy in doubles to optimize who’s playing which side.

⚠️ 15. Let Serve

“Let! Let! Do-over.”

A serve that hits the net but still lands in. Used to be a replay, but rules changed—now it’s live!

🧀 16. Third Shot Drop

“Money third shot drop right there.”

Meant to be a soft rather than hard shot. Get's its name because it comes after the serve and the return, making it the third shot. Used to slow down the game and help you inch up to the kitchen line for better positioning.

🧊 17. Frozen Paddle

“Man, my paddle's frozen today.”

When nothing’s landing—your shots are off, your timing’s weird, and your soul is cold.

🦞18. Lobster

“He lobbed me again—Lobster strikes!”

A player who loves high, floaty shots over your head. Can be frustrating… and delicious.

🍾 19. Paddle Pop

“That was a paddle pop, not a volley.”

An accidental upward bounce off your paddle when you try to volley too fast.

🎯 20. Target Practice

“They turned me into target practice!”

When your opponents repeatedly aim at you. Fun? Depends on your reflexes.

🤩 Bonus Term

"I more of a banger, but my partner here is a real dinkaholic."

Dinkaholic: A player who lives for the dink rallies. The longer the better. Will dink you into submission.