What is this “Erne”?
What is this "Erne" (pronounced: Ern- ie) shot I keep hearing about?
Well, an Erne is an advanced shot in pickleball named after Erne Perry, who first brought the shot into mainstream competitive play.
The shot is where you hit the pickleball either:
(1) in the air as you are jumping around the Non-Volley Zone (also known as the "Kitchen"); or
(2) after you run around or through the "Kitchen" and re-establish both feet out of bounds, just to the SIDE of the Kitchen (referred to as "the pantry" to most).
How to hit an Erne:
PLAN AHEAD!
The goal is to entice your opponent to hit the pickleball toward the sideline that you want to Erne on. This is more likely to happen when your opponent lets the pickleball get behind them at the Kitchen Line near the desired sideline.
You can set the shot up by pushing your opponent with dinking towards the sideline and hope they pop the ball up.
You can also set your partner up by doing the same cross court, and your partner can be ready for a redirect by the opponent
2. WAIT!
If you haven't learned yet PATIENCE is the key to pickleball. Wait to move to the area outside of the Kitchen on the sideline (that "pantry"), until your opponent hits or is just about to hit the pickleball (which will help you disguise your advanced move); and then....
3. JUMP!
Jump over the kitchen area or run over to the pantry outside the Kitchen on the sideline to hit the pickleball. Remember you must establish, or re-establish, your feet outside of the Kitchen, Which is why most players choose to jump over the Non-volley zone since as long as you haven't touched the kitchen you are safe to hit the ball out of the air. If you choose to run through the kitchen, or are touching the kitchen area before your jump, you must re-establish both feet before making contact on the ball. (see official rulebook section 9)
4. HIT!
Hit the ball down into your opponents courtside either with a well executed smash or a punch volley to a non occupied space on their court.
Rule 9.B for USA Pickleball provides that any contact with the Non-Volley Zone while hitting a volley (in other words, hitting the pickleball out of the air, without bouncing) is a fault - and this includes the swing, follow-through, and the momentum from the swing. All volleys - which includes all Ernes - must be executed outside of the Non-Volley Zone. Again, you may jump over the Non-Volley Zone, as long as you do not touch the Non-Volley Zone line or the Non-Volley Zone surface area, or, if you do touch the Non-Volley Zone, then you must re-establish your feet outside of the Non-Volley Zone before hitting your Erne.
Why would I ever use this shot?
The Erne shot puts pressure on your opponents to make quality shots near the sideline and can cause them to make an unforced error if they lift their heads to look at you jumping all around the pickleball court, rather than focusing on the pickleball.
Have you been the victim of a well-executed Erne? Or are you now going to be the "Executioner of the ERNE" ?!
WAIT!! if that's an Erne ("ernie")..... is there a BERT?? (taking me back to my childhood) - Why yes there is !!!!
That is where your partner jumps in front of you to take the Erne shot! Now get to practicing!!
