Newsletter: Anti-pickle propaganda in DC

Out-dink everyone. A pro pickle breakup. ALW could face a wildcard.

We've seen countless battles spark between anti-pickleballers and people who just want to play their game. These skirmishes often result in bans, restrictions, and plenty of social stigmatizing.

But what happens when the pro-pickle side bites back? More on that below.

In this issue:

Out-dink everyone
Hilarious spoof of anti-pickle propaganda
A colossal pro pickle breakup
Your chance to be on PicklePod

Let's go!

Dink Progression

If you're still a liability in the dink game, it's time to get back to basics.

Pickleball Journey (PJ) is here to show you the way. According to these gurus, your dink game should become more aggressive over time. In other words, your dink game should follow a journey.

The Journey of The Dink
1) Consistency - minimize errors
2) Placement - targeted, accurate dinks
3) Spin & power - create opponent errors

Before you think about 2) and 3), your focus should be consistency. How long can you hang in a dink rally? 3 shots? 10 shots? 20+? Only once you've mastered consistency should you move to 2).

At this point, you're picking targets based on your opponent's positioning. You're beginning to think about the 81 dink combinations at your disposal by leveraging shot depth, pin-pointing your opponent's weak side toe, and varying the angle of trajectory.

Once you're comfortable with 2), you can introduce power and sprinkle in some spin. All 81 dink combinations are available to you.

But all of this comes in time. It requires practice. It requires a journey. As tempting as it is to hit risky dinks, you will see more success by first mastering the basics. It sounds obvious, we know, but it's worth devoting some extra attention to.

In a recent video, PJ shares a couple of other tips to help build a consistent foundation:

Limit your step count - Fitbit says to step more, Pickleball Journey says to step less. Limit yourself to one step, or a slight shuffle-step, at the NVZ when possible.

Paddle face at 45 degrees - A slightly open paddle face and smooth pendulum arm motion (hinge from the shoulder) are vital for dependable dinking. When more variables are added (wrist movement, chop motion), mistakes are made.

Be patient - A good setup shot can be just as valuable as an outright winner. Avoid high-risk, all-or-nothing shots. Go for dinks that place pressure on the opponent while maintaining some margin for error.

Your goal for the week? Out-dink the competition. Go head to head with your cross-court foe and dink them to death.

Cold can be therapeutic. In fact, it can be more.

The Cold Plunge may sound like a hard sell, but that’s exactly why it works: studies show dipping your body in cold water increases your muscles’ ability to heal, promotes focus, reduces anxiety, and other health benefits.

Take the plunge and stay in top pickleball shape. Click here to learn more.

Fighting Fire with Fire

The war between pickleballers and noise-complainers across the country has mostly resulted in bad blood. But there is some undeniable humor to be found it in as well.

In Arlington, VA, new courts were proposed at a park where picklers already hang out, much to the dismay of the neighborhood.

The players were, allegedly, “hijacking” the area’s tennis & basketball courts, “bullying” children, and urinating in public, a local report says.

In true DC-area fashion, the detractors campaigned against the new courts, distributing flyers against their development.

But pickleball players (or whoever made the beautifully sarcastic images below) saw an opportunity for a good spoof:

“Do you enjoy bullying children?” that middle one reads. “Do you want some free beer?” “Wanna pee anywhere you like?”

A city representative says the plan is to move forward with court construction.

There's a real need for action in the Pickle Wars, whether it's running a counter-campaign, fundraising for sound dampening at your local park, bringing isolated court location ideas to your local government, etc.

But sometimes, a little snark can go a long way.

Pickleball Superteam Breaks Up

There is huge breakup news in the world of pro mixed doubles. The superteam of Riley Newman and Anna Bright has been dismantled.

Also in this episode, Zane rates the moves of the MLP Shuffle Draft and crushes on his female alter ego. There is still a chance for you to be on the show. Jump into the YouTube comments for a shot to debut on PicklePod.

Watch here or listen here.

SOLID TECH WITH STYLE

Bread and Butter Pickleball is the new kid on the court and has something to prove. Pickleball gear can look fun, be affordable, and still have the advanced playability it takes to win.

All of their paddles feature T-700 unibody carbon fiber construction and are USAPA Approved! They have loads of control and power and can hold their own against paddles that cost twice as much.

Don’t take our word for it, check out the reviews on their site. Their BOGO deal is the perfect jam, but hurry up before this introductory offer gets toasted! Use code 'BUTTER' at BNBpickleball.com.

PPA Florida Open Preview

It's Spring Break and the pros of PPA Tour are headed to Daytona Beach for the Florida Open this weekend.

A major headline of course is the breakup mentioned above. Anna Bright will be partnering up with James Ignatowich for the event and Riley Newman is matched for the first time with Parris Todd.

Newman is also experimenting with a new men's doubles 'partner,' MLP Hard Eights owner Tim Parks. With a fearsome DUPR of only 3.92, Parks isn't exactly a shoe-in.

This might be the most entertaining storyline headed into the weekend. If Newman is unexpectedly listed on IR next week, it'll probably be for a back injury. You can't carry the weight of a full grown man for an entire event and expect to emerge unscathed.

Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters are back in play this weekend. The duo will be on the warpath after an uncharacteristic loss at the AZ Grand Slam. If they are going to run into JW and Jorja Johnson again, it will have to be on Championship Sunday.

Waters is the runaway favorite in women's singles but could face a wildcard in her first match tomorrow. Tennis pro Hurricane Tyra Black was drafted by the Brooklyn Aces on Sunday and could potentially face ALW in the second round tomorrow.

By the way, Hurricane Black has a sister. Her name? Tornado Black. The stormy sisters and accomplished professional tennis players have recently set their sights on pickle. We break it down on this week's PicklePod.

Keep an eye out for the potential Johns vs Johnson singles matchup tomorrow in singles. JW Johnson is still low in the PPA Tour standings. As a result, arguably the two best players in the draw will likely face off in the quarterfinals.

Tune in early so you don't miss it. The stream starts at 11:00 am ET on PPA TV. Read more here.

It’s like Airbnb...but for Pickleball Courts

As if you need another reason to add a homecourt to your backyard, now you can share your court with local players when you aren’t using it.

Swimply allows court owners the chance to rent out homecourts, and players the opportunity to reserve a private court for their game.

Headlines & Quick Hits

Find your next court, event, & picklesquad here
Pickleball And Racquetball Parallels - Is Pickleball Here To Stay? - Forbes
Tennis players, pickleballers need to learn to share
To lure workers back to the office, CEO offers pickleball, beer & a sense of community