Follow our weekly progress as we work towards becoming 5.0 level players through professional coaching and strategic training.
This week was all about seeing training translate to real results. From windy Monday drills to breakthrough game days where everything clicked, I finally felt the game slow down. My counters still need work (too "jumpy"), but my drops, court positioning, and patience reached new levels. For the first time in months, all the disconnected pieces started forming a complete player.
By Brad Douglas
This week was all about kitchen battles and taking balls out of the air. The breakthrough came when Coach Cam pointed out I was standing up during roll shots instead of staying down through contact. My footwork remains my biggest weakness, especially during baseline drills where my tennis inexperience shows. The raw truth? I'm seeing improvement in taking balls out of the air, but still taking too many risks when I should be playing what's in front of me.
By Brad Douglas
Even in a shortened holiday week, I made critical breakthroughs in my defensive game. Learning when NOT to attack might be my biggest win yet. My backhand slice drop is feeling natural, while my hands battles expose a practice vs. gameplay mental disconnect. Sometimes the quietest breakthroughs build the strongest foundation.
By Brad Douglas
Week 10 focused on backhand fundamentals and Wardlaw directionals from tennis. My hybrid drop shot emerged as a surprising offensive weapon, while kitchen line confidence continues to build. Despite missing easy shots, I experienced a breakthrough moment staying calm under pressure—glimpsing what playing at a higher level feels like.
By Brad Douglas
This week's breakthrough came from a mental shift: roll first, attack second. After struggling with inconsistent dinking and positioning, I found more control by focusing on pressure instead of power. My counter game is improving, but a humbling loss was the reality check I needed. Follow my journey from 3.5 to 5.0 pickleball with raw insights on what's working and what isn't.
By Brad Douglas
This week was all about fundamentals. I focused on preparing earlier for serves and returns, which dramatically improved my contact. In the transition zone, we tackled a brutal drill: getting 4 kitchen bounces in a single point, seven times in a row. My kitchen line game still needs patience—I'm too aggressive when I should be letting balls bounce. The 7-11 drill exposed my tendency to rush the 5th shot instead of setting my feet. Progress is happening, but the journey from 3.5 to 5.0 is teaching me that patience might be the skill I need most.
By Brad Douglas
This week was laser-focused on kitchen play, working on dinks, flicks, rolls, and counters. Had some hit-or-miss moments when trying to do too much—a recurring issue I need to address—but my counter game is improving with better anticipation. Skinny singles showed dramatic progress; what used to be a mental challenge keeping the ball in bounds is no longer a confidence issue.
By Brad Douglas
Coming back from vacation, I struggled then found my groove in the kitchen. Working on roll shots and that game-changing backhand slice dink with the "scoop" technique. Finally comfortable in hands battles and seeing real progress on forehand drives. The biggest revelation? Placement truly trumps power. Raw, unfiltered journey from 3.5 to 5.0.
By Brad Douglas
With Dru away, Coach Cam and I focused on intense, targeted training this week. Major breakthrough on my backhand drive—finally relaxing my technique and letting momentum flow through the shot. We fixed my kitchen game by addressing those frustrating defensive dinks I kept dumping into the net. The drive-and-drop drills are paying off, though I'm still working on kitchen patience and recognizing when to add spin versus playing safe. My backhand is transforming from liability to weapon!
By Brad Douglas
This week I battled through fundamentals with mixed success. My resets are more consistent—staying down better and improving touch with each rep. Drops are progressing, but I still tense up on hard returns. Forehand returns show real improvement in pace and depth, while my backhand remains untrusted territory. Started implementing stacking in games, which felt awkward and mentally distracting. The truth? Everything in this journey comes down to reps—and I'm grinding through them all, setbacks included.
By Brad Douglas
Follow my journey from 3.5 to 5.0+ pickleball as I tackle dinking, counters, and transition zone challenges in Week 3. See real progress with kitchen line control while confronting my struggles with court positioning and preparation timing. Raw, honest reflections on what's working, what isn't, and those brief moments when the game slows down and everything clicks. Perfect for intermediate players looking to break through their plateaus with actionable insights from focused training sessions. #ChasingFivezero #PickleballProgress
By Brad Douglas
This week I focused heavily on improving my 4th shot game, where I'm getting more comfortable with decision-making on when to let balls bounce versus taking them out of the air, though I still need work handling drives when I'm off-balance.
By Brad Douglas
This week was a mix of feel, footwork, and finesse. I spent a lot of time in the trenches — dialing in the backhand flick, refining my dinks, and grinding out reps in the transition zone. Cam kept hammering one point: prep is everything — and I felt that truth hard in every session.
By Brad Douglas
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