What Is An Erne In Pickleball?
Erne or Ernie (actually this is misspelled) is one of the advanced shots in pickleball which is named after Erne Perry, it was he who lifted the shot and first brought it into competitive play in the mainstream. There are 2 kinds of erne pickleball shots, namely shots that when you hit it in the air you jump around the Non-Volley Zone or after you run through the kitchen and stand straight with your feet out of bounds just to the side of the kitchen. Using the Erne pickleball will indirectly put pressure on your opponent which is to make quality shots and can cause your opponent to accidentally make mistakes. This happens when you run or jump around the pickleball court and your opponent lifts their head to watch your move instead of watching the ball.
Where Does the Erne Name Come from?
Where did the word erne in pickleball come from? Pickleball Erne is a term used by a videographer named Jeff Shank. At the time, he was watching pickleball player Erne Perry during the USAPA National pickleball tournament in 2010 in Buckeye, Arizona. Although Perry didn’t shoot the shot at the time, he often used the shot that dominated the rally and received much credit for making the shot and becoming popular during competitive play. Then, because of that, the “Erne” pickleball name came.
How To Set Up An Pickleball Erne
As you already know, that erne in pickleball is a surprise shot that you play on the sidelines or outside the non-volley zone. There are several setups that you can try as a weapon when your opponent is focusing on you or the ball and suddenly you throw the shot.
This setup in Erne’s shot is a trick that keeps your opponent dinking the ball closer to the sideline. So, that way you can immediately place a position where your opponent cannot guess which direction you are going when you are about to hit the ball. You simply position yourself close to the sideline then you jump or run quickly and place your feet outside the kitchen. However, you must start your movement before shooting the pickleball.
Before setting up Erne’s shot, you can do training by getting a friend who will let you practice shooting pickleball dink down the kitchen line. Aim for the proper angles so that your buddy can’t take their shot outside of the kitchen corner. Next, give the Erne shot and observe how it performs for you.
How Is An Erne Pickleball Legal?
Any volley in pickleball taken from outside the non-volley zone becomes a legal pickleball game, according to the official volleyball rules. A volley cannot occur if it is in the non-volley zone or the seven-foot-high area between the net and the service area. In addition, players can use this by catching the ball and shooting it gently so that the ball can pass through the net and bounce toward their opponent’s non-volley zone.
In slow dinking, it will force the opponent to wait for the bounce before you return the ball. Thus, this also creates a situation that can result in an error that makes the player volley from the direction of the non-volley zone. In addition, Erne in pickleball does not take a shot from the non-volley zone which is still off the field and outside the kitchen. However, the player puts his cloth outside the NVZ when shooting and if the player is in the NVZ, then Erne’s shot does not count.
How Is Pickleball Erne Effective?
When you hit Erne shot to your opponents, you may often make mistakes and not be effective. Therefore, we will provide several ways so that the Erne shot you produce can come out effectively. Erne’s shot is as effective as when you take a shot from your opponent’s side and turn the advantage that comes from his head. In addition, this shot is usually taken from a dinking rally which means that the player is close to the net.
Since the players are at or near the non-volley zones, a volley is not anticipated. When an Erne appears, it comes as a surprise, and if completed properly, players can win the point. An advanced level of play is dinking. A powerful counterargument towards this tactic is Erne.
How Do You Defend When Your Opponents Try to Erne?
You have to be careful when your opponent will try erne shots before you make the mistake of looking down. You can anticipate when your opponent will attack by paying attention to the movements of the team or players. Because you will attack your opponent with a dink cross-court or towards the middle of the Non-volley zone. Apart from that, you can also ask your teammates to help you communicate and keep a close eye on your opponents.
When an opponent tries this shot, especially until they try to throw an erne shot, maybe the opponent can’t reach the court far enough and hit your side from the air without making a mistake in the kitchen. Then, another thing to watch for is whether they end up standing in line. It is not legal Erne if the opponent crosses the line. In competition, feet often cross the line, so use the referees to your advantage. Another way to protect your line is when you see your opponent moving toward Erne, the pickleball lob is another good technique to consider.
Here We Have The Erne Perry Show us how to do the Erne and how to defend it at 8:02. Give it a look!
Final Thought
That’s the explanation of the pickleball Erne. This Erne shot is a useful and profitable shot for you to have as a weapon against your opponent. This shot is legal if you remain outside the non-volley zone. Also, using erne pickleball shots can change the way your opponent defends in pickleball matches.
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- Pickleball Drop Shot: Why, When & How to Drop Shots
