Pickleball Erne

In pickleball, an "Erne" is an advanced shot where a player positions themselves outside the kitchen (non-volley zone) near the sideline and jumps or steps around the kitchen to volley the ball out of the air. This allows the player to attack the ball from a sharp angle without committing a kitchen fault.

Why Use an Erne?

It allows a player to attack a weak dink or pop-up right near the net—without committing a kitchen fault.

It surprises opponents and often results in a winner, since it’s hit from such a sharp angle and short distance.

The shot is named after Erne Perry, a player known for popularizing this technique. It’s often used to surprise opponents with an aggressive putaway near the net.