Health, Fitness, News & Fun for Picklers of All Ages

What's Cooking in the Kitchen This Week:

• 4 Kinds of Dinks That Win Long Rallies

• Why Most Players Get Slower in November (But You Don’t Have To)

• Fitness Expert Glenn Dawson: The Benefits Of Sprinting

• Matt Manasse Helps Pickleball TV Expand Its Offerings With Celebrity Pickleball Show

• Golden Sweep for USA as Hosts Lift the Pickleball World Cup 2025 Trophy

• States Feel Pickleball’s Economic Boom

• Divorced Couple Triumph At Pickleball English Nationals

• CityPickle Wins Deal Bringing Pickleball Courts To NYC's Central Park

• Coach Mary: How To Fix Your Resets

🥷SKILLS

4 Kinds of Dinks That Win Long Rallies

Stop dinking out of habit—start dinking with intention.

Every player knows how to dink. It’s the heartbeat of pickleball—the shot that keeps the rally alive, slows the game down, and builds the point patiently.

But when a dink rally stretches long, the outcome isn’t about endurance. It’s decided by the player who shapes the rally—mixing pace, spin, and placement to control tempo and expose openings.

These are the four kinds of dinks that turn long exchanges into points you own—and how to use each with purpose.

1. The Dead Dink

Purpose: To absorb pace, calm the rally, and force your opponent to generate their own power.

How it Works
Contact the ball in front of your body with a quiet, compact motion.
Keep your swing short—your paddle guides, not drives.
The ball should die just over the net and bounce low.

When to Use It:
To neutralize fast dinks or spin.
After a hectic rally to re-establish control.
When slightly off balance and needing to reset.

Common Mistake: Pushing too firmly and sending the ball deep into attack range.

Drill:
Partner alternates firm and soft dinks; your goal is to deaden each one inside the kitchen line. Focus on soft hands and staying low through contact.

💪 Health & Fitness Section
Weekly Advice To Keep You Fit & Injury Free

Why Most Players Get Slower In
November (But You Don’t Have To)

You show up to your regular game. Same court. Same doubles partner. But something's different.

Your first move to the kitchen feels sluggish. Your legs need an extra rally to wake up. By game three, you're finally loose – but you're thinking: Am I getting older?

Nope. You walked into the November trap.

Why November Really Slows You Down

Muscles thrive on warmth and movement.

When temperatures drop, your body shifts gears. Cold air and chilly courts signal your muscles to tighten up, slowing the flow of blood and making each step feel heavier.

One study tracked healthy adults over 50 and found that cooler environments (59°F vs. 77°F) reduced leg power, gait speed, and overall strength by up to 20%.

Cold muscles don't just feel slower. They are slower.

Add shorter daylight hours (which mess with recovery and mood) and more time under harsh indoor lights, and you've got the perfect recipe for stiff starts, dragging recoveries, and that nagging sense you've lost a step.

How to Outsmart the November Trap

The good news? You’re not powerless against the chill. A few smart tweaks to your routine can help you shake off that sluggish feeling and play your best – even as the weather changes.

 🏋️ STAYING FIT with
GLENN & BRIANNA

The Benefits Of Sprinting

🤩 ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Matt Manasse Helps Pickleball
TV Expand Its Offerings With
Celebrity Pickleball Show

Pickleball just landed its own celebrity spotlight. Pickleball TV’s newest show, Celebrity Pickleball, hosted by Hollywood’s “coach to the stars” Matt Manasse, blends competition, conversation, and charisma. With guests like Drew Brees, Trae Young, and Katie Couric, the series promises candid rallies and real talk — no scripts, just sweat and personality. For Manasse, it’s the perfect fusion of sport and storytelling that could push pickleball even deeper into pop culture.

Catch how Celebrity Pickleball turns rallies into revelations and puts America’s fastest-growing sport in prime-time view..

🗞️ NEWS

Golden Sweep for USA:
The Pickleball World Cup 2025 Trophy

Team USA served up dominance at the 2025 Pickleball World Cup, sweeping gold across all divisions — juniors, open, and seniors — on home turf in Fort Lauderdale. The victory cements the U.S. as the undisputed powerhouse of the sport, as pickleball continues its global surge.

India, making its World Cup debut, also made headlines with a stunning 24-medal haul, including 8 golds, its best-ever international showing. From veterans to rising stars, the tournament showcased how pickleball’s community and competition are expanding worldwide.

Follow the growing global rivalry and see how pickleball is uniting nations on and off the court, click here…

💼 BUSINESS NEWS

States Feel Pickleball’s
Economic Boom

Pickleball isn’t just winning fans—it’s driving entire local economies. From Pennsylvania to Arizona, cities are building state-of-the-art venues and hosting national tournaments that bring in thousands of players and visitors. Tourism boards, universities, and developers are investing heavily in dedicated courts, tech-driven facilities, and destination events to meet skyrocketing demand. What began as a backyard game has evolved into a powerful engine for community growth, travel, and business.

Explore how America’s pickleball boom is reshaping towns, boosting tourism, and fueling a nationwide sports economy on the rise, click here…

👏 COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Divorced Couple Triumph
At Pickleball English Nationals

Love may fade, but teamwork lasts—just ask Nicola and Richard Yorke. Fourteen years after their divorce, the former couple reunited on the pickleball court to claim bronze at the 2025 English Nationals in Bolton. What started as a friendly introduction to the sport turned into a winning partnership, proving that shared passion (and a bit of playful rivalry) can outlast old disagreements.

See how this divorced duo turned their competitive spark into a podium finish at one of England’s biggest pickleball events, click here…

🗞️ NEWS

CityPickle Wins Deal Bringing
Courts To NYC’s Central Park

Pickleball is officially going prime time in the heart of New York City. CityPickle has secured a 20-year, $100 million deal to transform Central Park’s Wollman Rink into a year-round recreation hub — complete with 14 pickleball courts during the warmer months. The partnership with Related Companies marks one of the city’s largest recreation investments, ensuring the iconic rink remains a space for all New Yorkers to play, connect, and stay active.

See how CityPickle’s historic Central Park deal is turning one of NYC’s most beloved landmarks into the nation’s premier pickleball destination, click here…

RALLY RUNDOWN:
LOCAL HIGHLIGHTS

BIRMINGHAM, AL: Heersink School Of Medicine Student PB Group Brings Fun, Fitness & Connection To Volker Hall
NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND: Carlin Wins Pickleball Bronze After Being Given New Lease Of Life
INDIA: World Cup: A 14-Year-Old’s Bronze and Her Father’s Gold Turn Into India’s Most Heartwarming Pickleball Story
MERIDEN, CT: Inclusive Pickleball Event Returns To Meriden For The Second Year
WASHINGTON STATE: Raffle And Auction Kick Off Release Of Limited Pickleball Plates 
DALLAS, TX: Pickleball Takes Over North Texas: World's Biggest Tournament Serves Up Action In Dallas County
YORKTOWN, NY: Sportime Pickleball Opens In Former Yorktown Kmart
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL: Community Fights Pickleball Replacing Basketball Courts At South Florida Beachside Park

DO YOU HAVE LOCAL NEWS TO SHARE? REACH OUT TO US AT
[email protected] and send us a link to your story!

  💪 How To Fix Your Resets

Introducing a new Coach: Jill Braverman

I like Jill’s simple advice: “Do Nothing!” 
Watch her demo, and notice that she is not moving much, and she is just catching the drive that is hit at her.

1.   We do not need balletic movement, dancing, big swings, or power moves.

2. The hardest thing, she says, is to Do Nothing.

3.  Your opponent is providing the power.  You just need to soften it and absorb the ball.   “Catch It.”  Pretend it is a raw egg and use soft hands.  Create backspin so the ball dies in the Kitchen.

4.  Two major errors:
·  Letting the ball get behind you.  You are Toast!  Visualize the Cone that a dog must wear to keep it from itching or biting a wound.  The “cone” is where your attention must be centered.
·   Trying to “Hit” the “Hit.”  Watch how Jill overemphasizes jumping back as the player reaches out to attack the incoming drive.

5.  Watch Jill’s volleyball analogy.  Volley Ball players are very good at pickleball because they reach the ball and take it out in front with her platform arms.  Same as a reset.

6.  Lastly, notice how quiet Jill’s body is, and how low her stance is.  This is how you absorb your opponent’s power with more than your paddle.

Lastly, keep your options open.  You do not need to reset every ball.  If you have time, drop your paddle tip so it is down, and use a roll or a flick to defend the drive with topspin to their feet.

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