Three-Ball Juggling

In this YouTube clip, I teach pickleball juggling in one minute and 39 seconds. This student ‘got it’ on her fifth try. You can use the same technique to teach it to others, or to learn it yourself. The key concepts:

1.) 3-ball juggling is really just one ball at a time.

2.) Start with the hand that’s holding two balls.

3.) Each ball is thrown to the opposite hand.

4.) In order to make room to catch a ball, throw the ball that’s in that hand right before a ball arrives.

5.) Throw each ball to approximately the same height – just above your eyes. Later, with practice, you’ll be able to juggle with much lower throws.

6.) Some beginners will try to throw two balls at the same time, but every throw should happen in its own slice of time. It’s slower, and smoother than you think.

7.) You might have to try it a hundred times before you get it.

8.) Have fun!

For teaching, I tell the student that I’m going to be gravity, and all they need to do is hold their hands still. I then simulate the process for several throws, as you see in the video, while explaining, “This is really just one ball at a time.”

I usually repeat the demonstration just once, making it clear that the student should start with the hand that’s holding two balls.

I then step aside and let the student practice. Sometimes I offer corrections. The most common corrections are that the student tries to throw all the balls at once, doesn’t throw them high enough or to the opposite hands, or won’t throw the third or sometimes the fourth ball to keep the process going.