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

What's Cooking in the Kitchen This Week:

• 4 Mid-Rally Techniques That Force Your Opponents To Make Mistakes

• The Best Way to Warm Up & Stay Injury-Free After 50

• How To Handle Lob Serves Without Freaking Out

• How Playing Pickleball Together Can Strengthen Your Relationship

• Fitness Expert Glenn Dawson: How To Fix Neck Posture In 3 Moves

• Viral “Nasty Nelson” Controversy at US Open (See Video)

• Is Singles Pickleball Fading Away Or Just Evolving?

• Pickleball Tournament Has Raised More Than $139K for Dementia Research

• Pop Meets Paddle 'Pickleball And Pasta' Take Center Stage Durning Dua Lipa's World Tour

• Churches Hope To Tap The Power Of Pickleball

• Coach Mary: Geometry In Pickleball

🥷SKILLS

4 Mid-Rally Techniques That Force
Your Opponents To Make Mistakes

Mid-rally is where points are often decided in pickleball. After the serve, return, and initial exchanges, players settle into patterns that become predictable. The ability to disrupt these patterns with strategic adjustments forces opponents into errors. These techniques work by creating unexpected changes in pace, direction, or spin when opponents least expect them.

WHY MOST PLAYERS MISS OPPORTUNITIES MID-RALLY

Most players fall into predictable patterns during extended rallies:
- Hitting to the same targets repeatedly
- Maintaining consistent pace throughout exchanges
- Telegraphing intentions with body positioning
- Focusing solely on keeping the ball in play rather than creating pressure

These habits make players readable and allow opponents to anticipate shots. The best players recognize that mid-rally adjustments create opportunities without increasing risk.

CORE TECHNIQUES

The Pace Change Reset
The pace change reset involves deliberately slowing down a shot after a series of faster exchanges.

⚕️HEALTH

 💪 The Best Way To Warm Up
& Stay Injury-Free After 50

"Just stretch a bit and you'll be fine!" That might have worked when we were 25.  

But for those of us who've gained a little wisdom (and maybe a few creaky joints) along the way, our bodies need something different now. 

Studies show stretching cold muscles before playing can decrease performance and increase injury risk. This happens because cold muscles are stiff and more prone to tearing. 

Instead, the best way to warm up is to activate your muscles, wake up your reflexes, and switch your brain into “game mode.” 

The “Smart Start” Warm-Up  
Use the below routine to play longer, recover faster, and stay injury-free.: 

1. Move First 
Start with 2–3 minutes of gentle movement. Walk briskly around the court, add a few side shuffles, and let your body heat up.  This increases blood flow to muscles and signals your joints that it’s game time, not nap time. 

 ♟️STRATEGY

How To Handle Lob Serves
Without Freaking Out

That slow, floaty lob serve may look harmless—but it can throw your whole return game off balance if you're not ready. This guide breaks down four smart ways to respond, from short-hopping it early to hitting a sneaky lob right back.

Whether you want to reset the point or go on the attack, you'll learn how to stay in control and turn a tricky serve into an easy win.
Master the tactics here…

 👩‍❤️‍👨 RELATIONSHIP NEWS

Pickleball isn’t just a great workout—it might be the ultimate relationship booster. From improving communication and building trust to sparking laughter and healthy competition, this article explores how hitting the court with your partner can bring you closer in surprising ways.

Whether you're playing for fun or aiming for tournament glory, the time you spend playing together can strengthen more than just your game.
Read the full story here…

 🏋️ STAYING FIT with
GLENN & BRIANNA

How To Fix Neck Posture
In 3 Moves

🏓 PRO NEWS

Viral “Nasty Nelson” Controversy
At The US Open

A Gold Medal, a Face Shot, and a Firestorm of Debate
A shocking 'Nasty Nelson' serve at match point during the 2025 US Open has ignited fierce controversy in the pickleball world. Mariana Paredes claimed gold by striking her opponent in the face—legally, but not without backlash.

As the debate over sportsmanship heats up, the real question now is what moments like this mean for the future of competitive play. We break it down here.

🏓 PRO NEWS

Is Singles Pickleball Fading Away
or Just Evolving?

When the world’s top-ranked men’s singles player calls the game “mini tennis,” it’s bound to stir debate. Federico Staksrud’s claim that singles pickleball has lost its wild edge sparked a wider conversation about where the game is headed.

But is it truly fading—or just entering a new era of strategy, precision, and global competition? This piece digs into the rise of power players like Anna Leigh Waters, the shifting tone of elite singles play, and what it all means for the future of the sport.
Read the full analysis here…

👏 COMMUNITY NEWS

WPB Tournament Has Raised More
Than $139K for Dementia Research

In Greenwood, Indiana, a local pickleball tournament is doing more than bringing players together—it’s raising serious money to fight Alzheimer’s. The Making Memories Classic has already generated over $139,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association, blending fierce competition with heartfelt purpose. With a community cookout, live music, and a chance to play with pro sisters Jade and Jackie Kawamoto, this year’s event promises to be the biggest yet.

See how one doctor’s loss turned into a movement—and how pickleball is helping lead the charge against dementia, Click Here…

🤩  ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Pop Meets Paddle: ‘Pickleball & Pasta’ Take Center Stage During Dua Lipa’s World Tour

Behind the glamour of packed arenas and chart-topping hits, Dua Lipa’s world tour has a surprisingly wholesome secret: nightly pasta dinners and competitive pickleball matches. Rising star Alessi Rose lifts the curtain on the backstage bonding that’s making the sport a staple of tour life—and proof that pickleball is officially everywhere.

Get the full scoop on how pop’s biggest names are unwinding with a paddle in hand. Read the full story here…

👏 COMMUNITY NEWS

Churches Hope To Tap The
Power of Pickleball

Churches Are Turning to Pickleball—And It’s Working 
Across the country, churches are discovering that pickleball is more than just a game—it’s a powerful way to build community, break down barriers, and connect with people who might never step into a sanctuary. From megachurches to small-town congregations, courts are going up, friendships are forming, and faith is finding new footing through laughter, teamwork, and a shared love of play.

Read how churches are using pickleball to reach across generations and open doors to something deeper. Click Here…

RALLY RUNDOWN:
LOCAL HIGHLIGHTS

SIOUX FALLS, IA: Local Woman and Her Team Set Pickleball World Record Playing To Raise Money For Mental Health Issues
CANADA: White Rock Pickleball Tournament Raises Nearly $15K For ALS
NEW YORK, NY: CityPickle Unveils Plan For Huge Pickleball Hub Under The Brooklyn Bridge
MAPLE GROVE, MN:  Pickleball Ban At Local Park Sparks Pushback From Neighbors
BURNSVILLE, MN: Pickleball On An Old Landfill? Local Man Says The Project Would Clean The Site. The State Disagrees
JOHNSON COUNTY, TN: 'Battle Of The Ages' Pickleball Games Take Place In Johnson County
MILWAUKEE, WI: Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. Announces New Pop-Up Pickleball Experience
NEW YORK CITY, NY: Paddles Against Parkinson's: NYC's Innovative Pickleball Program Offers Relief For Parkinson's Patients

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

  💪 Geometry In Pickleball

GEOMETRY OF PICKLEBALL

Check out these great videos from Tanner: 

1.  Respect the X: this is a great hint. If the ball is coming cross court, off the diagonal, you will take it if you are on the diagonal receiving. If the ball is coming from the other diagonal, your partner will take it. Helps with communication!

Angles create angles! Tanner explains that if you hit a sharp angle, you are giving your opponent the opportunity to hit an angle, down the line, or middle. If you keep the ball to the middle on a dink, you take away their angle.

The Triangle Effect: Tanner demonstrates the following:

· If you drive it middle, the ball will come back to the middle.
· If you drive it crosscourt, the ball will come back down the line.
· If you drive the ball down the line, it will come back down the line.

This will help you to anticipate the return from your opponent and enable you to get ready to defend or attack.

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