Pickleball Mixed Doubles Teamwork Strategies: Professional pickleball coaches Susannah Barr and Dominic Catalano recently shared advice on how mixed doubles players can improve by trusting their partners and focusing on their strengths. As the game has changed, both male and female players now play more aggressively, and teamwork has become even more important.
Over the last few years, mixed doubles pickleball has moved away from the old style of play. In the past, female players were often expected to only dink or hit soft shots, while the male players handled the rest. But now, both partners must be ready to take control when needed and respect each other’s skills.
Understanding Each Other’s Strengths
“The game’s evolved and it’s changed and the days of the female being just a setup person next to the dominant male are gone. The female needs to be aggressive. She needs to be aggressive at the right time, but she needs to know where she’s going with that ball. It just can’t be erratic. There’s got to be a purpose to it.” – (Catalano)
Susannah Barr also pointed out that men taking too many shots can hurt the team.
“How many times have I played with a partner that comes so far over that they end up getting burned behind them when I would have been just as capable to hit that dink or hit that ball.” – (Susannah)
Knowing when to step in is key. A slower player might not be able to cover as much ground, so both players need to know their limits.
Playing to Your Own Strengths
Dominic Catalano said teams should focus on what they do best before trying to adjust to their opponents.
“Let’s play to our strengths and do what we do well. Let’s make them stop us before we make any adjustments against them.” – (Catalano)
An example during practice showed why this matters. Dominic Catalano moved in front of Susannah Barr to take a shot she was already in position for. He missed it and left the court open.
“That’s where I just need to trust my partner, trust Susanna that she’s going to take that ball and keep us in that point.” – (Catalano)
Equal Skills on the Court
Susannah Barr shared her thoughts on the common idea that male players should always take over.
“What makes him a better dinker than me? Dinking is not a power game. The only thing that you have that I don’t have is a bigger reach. So why not just let me dink?” – (Susannah)
“That was a perfect example of he probably would have been way better off letting me dink another ball until we were in a better position.” – (Susannah)
Still, she admitted that sometimes it’s good for her male partner to take over briefly.
“The reason for that would be to just give a different look to my opponent. If he’s going to come over and do something with the ball and put pressure on you, I’m totally fine with that all day long.” – (Susannah)
Getting Involved and Staying Ready
Dominic Catalano said that sometimes he steps in just to stay involved in the match.
“Me just stepping in and taking a ball that’s right here gets me involved, gets me a touch. It gets me involved in the point and then I’ll get back.” – (Catalano)
He admitted that going too far can backfire.
“The one I just did, that was a little too much. I was stepping on your toes in front.” – (Catalano)
Later in practice, Susannah Barr took a fast shot at Dalton when she saw he was off balance.
“Because I saw Dalton moving, I knew that if I was going to attack the ball, I might as well go right back at him. He’s off balance.” – (Susannah)
She explained that men don’t always expect fast shots from women.
“As the woman, I actually hold a lot of power out here on the mixed doubles court because that guy makes some assumptions. The female can make some assumptions as well.” – (Susannah)
Dominic Catalano agreed and said he must be alert for the next shot.
“If I know that Susanna may speed that ball up, I need to be ready for the next ball. Her first speed up typically isn’t going to be the winner. It’s going to be the block and the ball after that.” – (Catalano)
He explained how their teamwork helped during one point.
“She sped it up nicely and what did I do? As soon as she sped it up, I was sitting forehand in the middle and I’m able to put that next ball away.” – (Catalano)
Why This Matters
The advice from Susannah Barr and Dominic Catalano shows how important it is for mixed doubles partners to trust each other and stick to their strengths.
As mixed doubles becomes faster and more balanced, both players need to work together, share the court, and make smart decisions. This shift gives more players a chance to play strong, equal roles in every match.
News in Brief: Pickleball Mixed Doubles Teamwork Strategies
Pickleball coaches Susannah Barr and Dominic Catalano explained how mixed doubles partners can succeed by trusting each other and playing to their strengths. With the game now faster and more balanced, both players must be active, make smart plays, and share the court to win more points together.
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