If you’ve been around the pickleball scene in Australia for any length of time, you’ve probably heard the name Sarah Burr. Five-time national title winner, captain of the Gold Coast Glory MLP team, and widely regarded as one of the most dangerous players in the country, Sarah is the kind of athlete who makes the game look effortless.
But in a candid conversation on The Kitchen Sync, she pulled back the curtain on what it actually looks like to keep evolving in a sport that’s changing at breakneck speed. Spoiler: it’s not as effortless as it looks.
When Your Game Stops Working and What You Do About It
Sarah’s pickleball journey is a fascinating one. She started hyper-aggressive like driving everything, running shake-and-bake with her sister Beck, winning points through sheer willpower. Then, playing mixed doubles with Martin Clark, the wheels started coming off. All that driving wasn’t actually getting her team to the kitchen.
The pattern mirrors what plenty of club players experience: you find something that works, ride it until it doesn’t, then scramble to rebuild. What separates Sarah is that she leans into the discomfort rather than retreating to safe habits. Over the past year, she’s been deliberately overhauling her technique from changing her grip, generating more spin to working on a shot that most players barely think about: the fourth shot.
Listen to the full episode
The Fourth Shot: Pickleball’s Most Overlooked Weapon
Ask most players what the most important shot in pickleball is and they’ll say the third shot drop. Sarah has a different answer and it’s a compelling one.
As the receiving team, your first volley at the kitchen (the fourth shot) is a moment most players waste. They arrive at the line and simply keep the ball in play. Sarah’s been working on weaponising that moment by using placement, spin, or pace to immediately put the serving team under pressure before they ever get comfortable.
It’s a subtle shift in thinking, but it’s the kind of nuance that separates competitive players from everyone else.
Grip Changes and the Courage to Feel Terrible
One of the most refreshing parts of the conversation was Sarah’s honesty about going through a grip change, moving from a continental to a semi-eastern forehand. For a player at her level, that’s not a minor tweak. It’s pulling out a foundation stone.
She described the process of just putting her paddle on the ground, picking it up naturally, taking a swing and thinking, “wow, I got a lot more spin.” From there it was simply perseverance through the awkward phase.
Training Like a Pro: What a Real Preparation Week Looks Like
Sarah’s training schedule is genuinely impressive. Here’s a rough snapshot of what her week looks like:
Sarah Burr’s Weekly Training Framework
- Daily drilling sessions (approx. 2 hours) where possible
- Match play at least 3 days per week (2+ hours)
- Gym work 4 days a week – shifting from heavy weights to plyometrics and injury prevention
- Recreational play 1-2 times per week for fun and versatility
- Tournament week: cut gym intensity 3 days out, prioritise lightness and freshness
- Warm up thoroughly every session – never just jump on court and play
The emphasis on tapering before tournaments is something tennis players have known for years, but it’s underused in pickleball. Sarah’s approach, backed by guidance from Martin Clark, is deliberately structured to arrive at competition day fresh, not fatigued.
The One Thing Most Players Are Getting Wrong
When asked for her single best piece of advice for improving players, Sarah didn’t hesitate.
Even starting your rec session 10 minutes early to drill dinks, volleys, or drives before the matches begin would make a measurable difference over time. Reps matter. Match play alone won’t build the muscle memory you need.
Her technical tip: make sure you’re contacting the ball out in front of your body. Most players let it get too close or even behind them, and lose control of the shot. It’s simple, coachable, and genuinely transformative when you get it right.
Sarah Burr is proof that reaching the top doesn’t mean you’re done growing. If anything, it means you’re more willing to tear things apart and start again. That mindset, paired with serious preparation and relentless drilling, is what keeps Australia’s best players on top of a sport that’s evolving faster than almost anyone expected.
Listen to the Full Episode
Catch the full conversation with Sarah Burr on The Kitchen Sync. Available now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
