Dreaming in French - the crazy connection between learning to pronounce derrière and learning to dink.

In my late 20’s / early 30’s, I decided that I wanted nothing more than to do my MBA at the prestigious INSEAD. The pickle? (you’re welcome) – I needed a second language to qualify.  So, I decided to take up French. pourquoi pas?

At a certain point, after enough immersion and study, I found myself "dreaming in French," a sign I’d internalized the language well. Now, as a pickleball coach, I see parallels between that language-learning journey and the path to fluency on the court.

Today, one of my teammates confided that she feels conflicted while playing, the noises of too many different suggestions meaning that she’s missing shots she’d usually hit and causing her to lose confidence. I encouraged her to trust that practice is where she should let indecisiveness happen; on the court, she should simply play her game, letting pieces of the practice gradually seep in. It made me think of my own journey in French and how, with enough practice and immersion, it became natural.*

Pickleball fluency, like dreaming in a language, arrives when the game feels less about thinking and more about being in it.

*not so much anymore! I spend more time ‘excusing my French’ than dreaming in it!

Here's me stretching the analogy just about as far as it can go - strap yourselves in, merde is about to get real!

The Learning Stages (Les étapes de l’apprentissage). Progress in pickleball, much like learning a language, comes in stages. At first, every action feels calculated, like translating word-for-word before forming a sentence. In the beginner phase, you’re just trying to remember the basics: stay out of the kitchen! Let it bounce off the return! How the bloody hell do you score?!?!

As you move into the intermediate phase, you start to think about strategy, developing some consistency and trying to anticipate your opponent's moves. Finally, in the advanced stage, everything becomes instinctual. You’re no longer consciously breaking down each shot or wondering where to stand; you’re simply in sync with the game.

This is "dreaming in French," where you’ve crossed from learning the rules to feeling them naturally.

Legend has it that I actually got OFF THE GROUND while reaching for this smash.

Muscle Memory and Intuition (La mémoire musculaire et l’intuition): When you reach the level of "dreaming" in a language, you’ve internalized not just vocabulary but the rhythm and structure. In pickleball, this looks like a strong connection to muscle memory and an intuitive understanding of movement. When you’ve played enough, your body takes over, reacting without conscious thought. Shots, footwork, and positioning become instinctive, emerging from years of practice. You stop thinking, "Now I’ll hit a backhand slice" — your body just does it. Like the mind shifting from translating words to thinking directly in a new language, advanced players experience pickleball as second nature, letting the game unfold almost reflexively.

Being Present in the Game (Être présent dans le jeu): Becoming truly proficient in a new language requires full immersion, and overthinking can disrupt fluency. In pickleball, a similar phenomenon occurs: overanalysing each move can hold you back. When you’re completely present in the game, your performance flows from instinct. You’re no longer worried about where you should be or the exact angle of your paddle. Like language fluency, this presence in pickleball allows you to respond in the moment rather than strategize from a mental checklist. The more you’re fully engaged in each point, the more the game becomes a natural rhythm, where reactions take over and focus is effortless.

Errors as Part of Fluency (Les erreurs comme partie de la fluidité): Reaching fluency in a language doesn’t mean you never make mistakes; instead, it means you can self-correct without breaking stride.

No matter how advanced you are at pickleball, you’re bound to miss shots or make errors.

But rather than dwelling on mistakes, experienced players instinctively adjust. They recover quickly, recalibrate their movements, and stay focused on the game. This willingness to keep moving forward, even after an error, marks true fluency.

Just as a fluent speaker may stumble on a word but finds a way to rephrase, an advanced pickleball player’s game flows smoothly around minor setbacks. One of the things I pride myself on is that even at 1-10 down I still feel like we can fight our way into a game, no matter how many times I’ve missed an overhead to get there.

Cultural Nuances and Pickleball’s “Language” (Les nuances culturelles et le « langage » du pickleball): Part of dreaming in a foreign language is understanding not just words but the nuances and idioms unique to that culture. Pickleball has its own culture and rhythm, filled with unspoken rules and signals. Doubles players, for example, develop a unique partnership language, where subtle shifts in body language communicate intentions and strategies.

Knowing when to play a soft dink or an aggressive shot at the net requires more than skill; it’s an intuitive grasp of the game’s “language.” Recognizing and responding to these nuances reflects a true comfort with the game’s culture, much like moving from simply speaking French to truly feeling it.

And we will all play with our own dialect – what makes this sport amazing is that we each come into it with our own set of experiences – Tennis, Badminton, Table Tennis, or Mario Kart - your playing style will be influenced by your background and should never be practiced out.

The Role of Practice and Immersion (Le rôle de la pratique et de l’immersion): Fluency in any skill is built through consistent practice and immersion. Language learners reach fluency when they’re surrounded by the language daily; in the same way, advanced pickleball players build fluency by committing to regular practice and game time.

Each game is a lesson, reinforcing instinct and sharpening skills. This immersion is essential for both sports and languages, where cumulative practice leads to a point where every aspect feels natural. At that point, you’re not just practicing; you’re living it. And that’s when true fluency — or dreaming in pickleball — begins.

Training New Skills and Setbacks (L’apprentissage de nouvelles compétences et les revers): In language learning, tackling a new tense — like the subjunctive in French — can temporarily disrupt your fluency. You’re suddenly focused on new rules and structures, which can slow you down and even make you doubt your skills. The same dynamic happens in pickleball when you incorporate a new technique or strategy. Maybe you’re learning to add spin, refine a serve, or master a soft shot like the dink. At first, this new technique can throw off your rhythm and make you miss shots you’d typically land. It feels awkward and can even make you question your progress.

But as with mastering a new verb tense, the temporary discomfort is part of the growth process. Over time, the skill integrates into your game, becoming a seamless part of your “language,” and you find yourself playing at a higher level than before.

There are days – like today for a while - when I feel like can ‘dream in French’ on the pickleball court, and days when I feel like I’m on a 1 day streak on the names of animals on Duolingo. Learning a language and mastering a sport both come with their own frustrations, challenges, and revelations. Progress can feel choppy and forced, whether it’s learning the 3rd shot drop or conjugating verbs.

But if you trust the process, practice consistently, and let yourself make mistakes, the game or the language starts to flow. Over time, both become second nature. In pickleball, as in French, there’s a moment when you stop overthinking and start responding naturally. That’s the real beauty of fluency — it’s not about perfection but about a level of comfort and confidence that lets you move with ease. And, just as I once "dreamed in French," I see that players can reach a level in pickleball where they don’t just play the game; they feel it, fully.

Au revoir à tous.

Brendon is a mad pickler and has accredited as a Level 1 and 2 PCI Coach, as well as achieving recognition with Pickleball Association Australia. He knows un peu French.