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5 Ways To Fix Why You Are Losing Points At The Net
AI Automated Line Calls, Avoiding Hero Shots, Pro Rally Scoring, PB Mansion, Honoring Our Military Heroes Recycling Pickleballs & More
Health, Fitness, News & Fun for Picklers of All Ages
What's Cooking in the Kitchen This Week:
5 Ways To Fix Why You Are Losing Points At The Net
This Innocent Mistake Right After Playing Could Leave You Sore For Days
‘You Don't Want To Be A Zero': Ben Johns Warns Against 'Hero Shots'
Fitness Expert Glenn Dawson: 3 Simple Moves To Fix Bad Posture
Pickleball Association Makes Final Decision on Select Paddles
Side-Out No More? USA Pickleball Rolls Out Provisional Rally Scoring System
How Portland Is Turning Worn-Out Pickleballs Into A Win For The Planet
AI Takes Over Line Calls: When And How Pickleball Will Use Automation
Pickleball with a Purpose: Jensen's Powerful Serve Across Borders to Serve Soldiers, Honors Military Heroes
This $40 Million Bel Air Mansion Has a Rooftop Pickleball Court
Coach Mary: To Slice Or Drive From the Baseline?
🥷SKILLS
5 Ways To Fix Why You Are
Losing Points At The Net

🎶 Losing Every Dink Is Like The Sun Going Down On Me 🎶
The kitchen line is where points are decided. It’s where dinks get redirected, speedups get countered, and reactions are everything. But it’s also where players give away far too many points — not because they’re outmatched, but because they make avoidable mistakes. A poor stance, a lazy reach, or an unnecessary swing can undo a perfect rally in one second. Here are the five most common errors players make at the non-volley zone — and how to fix them so you can stay in control and stop handing your opponents free points.
Standing Too Close to the Line It’s natural to want to hug the kitchen line. But if your toes are touching it (or hovering over it), you’ve left yourself no room for error — and no time to react. Standing too close often leads to:
• Hitting volleys into the net
• Getting jammed on fastballs
• Leaning or falling into the kitchen on dinks
How To Fix it:
Stand 2–3 inches behind the NVZ line.
Keep a wide, athletic stance with your weight forward and knees bent.
Avoid stepping into the kitchen unless absolutely necessary — and if you do, step back out immediately.
💪 Health & Fitness
Weekly Advice To Keep You Fit & Injury Free

Where did that come from?
Most Players Make This Innocent
Mistake Right After Pickleball
Games And End Up Sore For Days
You finish a game and pack up your paddle. You feel good. Maybe a little sweaty, maybe a little tired, but mostly proud. You say goodbye and head home. The night is calm. But morning brings a different story.
You roll out of bed. Your thighs ache. Your shoulders pinch. You grip the stair rail a little tighter. Getting dressed is slow work. You wonder, "Am I just getting too old for this?"
Most players blame their age. But muscle soreness does not come from a number on your driver’s license. It comes from what you do – and what you do not do – right after you play.
Why Soreness Lingers (Hint: It’s Not Just Age)
Pickleball is a game of quick stops, sharp turns, and long reaches. Every time you stretch for a shot, tiny tears form in your muscle fibers. This is normal. These small tears are how your muscles grow stronger.
♟️ STRATEGY
‘You Don’t Want To Be A Zero’:
Ben Johns Warns Against ‘Hero Shots’

From Hero To Zero In No Time Flat
Ben Johns didn’t become the GOAT by hitting wild winners—he did it by hitting one more ball than the other guy. In a reminder to amateurs everywhere, the world’s top-ranked doubles player says it’s not about the “hero shot.” It’s about smart, steady shot selection—and resisting the urge to go big when consistent pressure will do.
Johns just racked up his 50th mixed doubles title. See what he says matters more than power when it comes to winning, click here…
🏋️ STAYING FIT with
GLENN & BRIANNA
Three Simple Moves To Fix Bad Posture
🏓 PRO NEWS
Pickleball Association Makes Final
Decision On Select Paddles

Eenie, Meanie, Miney Mo…
USA Pickleball just dropped the hammer on some of the sport’s most popular paddles. Starting July 1, six high-profile models—including fan favorites from JOOLA, Gearbox, and ProKennex—will no longer be certified for sanctioned play.
It’s a major shake-up for pros and amateurs alike, as paddle bans hit just before the height of tournament season. See the full list and how companies are responding.
🏓 PRO NEWS
Side Out No More: USAP Rolls
Out Provisional Rally Scoring System

Hurry Up And Get These Games Over!
Pickleball just took another big step toward faster, TV-friendly gameplay—at least in some formats. USA Pickleball has provisionally approved rally scoring for select tournament types, a dramatic shift from the traditional side-out system.
In these formats, every rally now counts, with one major twist: the final point still has to be won while serving. That might sound like a simple update, but it completely alters match momentum, pacing, and strategy.
Here's what’s changing, where it applies, and why it matters:
Click Here…
🗞️ NEWS
How Portland is Turning Worn Out
Pickleballs Into A Win For The Planet

ReUse, ReCycle, ReDink
Pickleballs don’t last forever—but in Portland, they’re getting a second life. Thanks to a new partnership between Ridwell and Jumbo’s Pickleball, used balls can now be recycled into products like piping and plant pots instead of heading to the landfill. With drop bins available through July 15, even non-members can take part in the pilot program.
It’s a small act with big impact—especially for a sport that’s only just getting started. See how this local effort could lead to a cleaner future for pickleball, click here…
🗞️ NEWS
AI Takes Over Line Calls: When &
How Pickleball Will Use Automation

IN/OUT Sequence Commencing….IN
Pro pickleball has reached its breaking point with controversial line calls—and the PPA is finally doing something about it. Starting in late 2025, eight pro courts will use the same automated line-calling tech seen in tennis, eliminating one of the sport’s biggest sources of drama.
PPA CEO Connor Pardoe also teased PED testing and revealed the league has spent millions to curb cheating and clean up the game’s image. See what’s changing—and why it matters for the sport’s future, click here…
👏 COMMUNITY NEWS
Pickleball With A Purpose: Jensen’s
Powerful Serve Across Borders
To Serve Soldiers, Honors Military Heroes

Ambassador Connects Heroes & Pickleball
When Danny Jensen steps on the court, it’s not just for the win—it’s for the warriors. On a mission that goes far beyond medals, the pro player spends his downtime bringing pickleball to military bases across the globe. From parking lots in the UAE to fire stations in Saudi Arabia, Jensen’s serve carries a message of gratitude, normalcy, and connection for service members who crave the joy and camaraderie the sport delivers.
See how pickleball is becoming a lifeline—and how one player is making every match matter. Read more here…
🏠 REAL ESTATE NEWS
$40M Dollar Bel Air Estate
With A Rooftop Pickleball Court

A marble-clad mansion in Bel Air just hit the market for $40 million—and it’s topped with a rooftop pickleball court. The newly built estate boasts sweeping views of the Pacific, a golf simulator, a full wellness center, and even a subterranean 10-car auto gallery. But it’s the rooftop court, perched high above Los Angeles, that signals just how far pickleball has climbed into luxury living.
Peek inside this lavish home and see why pickleball has officially gone Hollywood.
Click here…

🧭 COMMUNITY NEWS
RALLY RUNDOWN:
LOCAL HIGHLIGHTS
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA: 92-Year-Old Pickleball Player Inspires Others
APPLE VALLEY, MN: Indoor Pickleball Boom Hits Apple Valley, Lakeville, Woodbury
INDIA: ServeClub Raises Funding to Accelerate India's Pickleball Revolution
BELLE MEADE, TN: City Exploring How To Insulate Residents From Pickleball Noise
MILFORD, CT: Pickleballers Hit The Courts In Charity Tournament
CANONSBURG, PA: LevelUp Pickleball Club set to open near Pittsburgh as one of nation's largest indoor facilities
SAN ANTONIO, TX: Disneyland Of Pickleball' Venue Coming To Park North In San Antonio
KINSTON, NC: Churches see Gospel Fruit From Pickleball Outreach, Helene Rebuild
DO YOU HAVE LOCAL NEWS TO SHARE? REACH OUT TO US AT
[email protected] and send us a link to your story!
HOLDING COURT with
COACH MARY
💪 To Slice Or Drive From the Baseline?

Callie Smith: Why should you hit topspin rather than slice on a drive from the baseline?
Be sure to watch the attached video to see the difference between the two skills.
Slice: you are cutting under the ball, and the ball will spin back, giving your opponent more time to react. Also, a slice might travel out of the court deep.
Topspin: Using the two-hander, create topspin by contacting low to high, brushing up on the ball, following through over your shoulder, and stepping up with your back leg.
The ball will travel with a forward spin, making it stay in on a deep drive, and making it kick forward to keep your opponent deep when it contacts the court. I love both strokes! Figure out how to incorporate them into your game.