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

What's Cooking in the Kitchen This Week:

• 6 Two-Person Drills That Train Game-Day Reflexes

• This Overlooked Vitamin Could Make the Difference Between Wilting and Winning This August

• “GOT IT CONTEST” WINNER ANNOUNCED

• Fitness Experts Glenn & Brianna Dawson: Full Body Non-Weighted HIIT Circuit

• Strategy: Who Takes The Middle Ball?

• Volleying Smart: How Rules Dictate Pickleball Strategy

• Pickleball Pros Form WPPA, UPA Hits Back At Breakaway Players' Body

• New Dating App Leverages Pickleball Community To Connect Singles

• Why Malaysia's Retired Athletes Are Picking Up The Pickleball Paddle

• Progress Through Pickleball - Players Of All Abilities Welcome

• In Their 70s & Going Strong: Wichita Duo Finds Success, Friendship In Pickleball

• Coach Mary: 5 Myths That Are Holding You Back

🥷SKILLS

6 Two Person Drills
That Train Game Day Reflexes

Quick drills for faster hands, better resets, and pressure-tested confidence—no coach required.

You don’t need a ball machine or a private lesson to build fast hands and better resets. All you need is a paddle, a ball, and a partner who’s willing to get a little uncomfortable. The best players don’t just rally—they drill.

And they do it in ways that simulate what actually happens in a match: unpredictable speedups, surprise feeds, body shots, and quick recovery footwork. If you want to feel more confident in fast exchanges, and less panicked when the pressure hits, these two-person reflex drills are your shortcut.

Why Reflex Training Works Best in Pairs 
Solo practice is great, but it has limits. You know where the ball is going. You control the pace. That’s not how real points unfold.

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

 This Overlooked Vitamin Could Make The Difference Between Winning & Wilting

By the third game in August, most of us are already hunting for shade. The courts sizzle, sweat pours, and even the die-hards start looking a little wilted.

But every group has one or two players who somehow just… keep going. What’s their secret? If you think it’s all just “better shape” or fancy hydration drinks, think again.

The real difference-maker might be a small vitamin you’ve probably never even thought about since high school health class.

The Telltale Signs (Do You Recognize Any?)

Ask yourself:

• Do you feel wiped out by your second or third game – no matter how much water you drink?
• Is recovery taking longer this summer, even with good sleep and stretching?
• Do you notice muscle aches or a “crash” after playing on hot days?

If you nodded, you could be running low on B5 – and you wouldn’t be alone. Most folks are borderline low, simply from age, sweat, and the extra stress of long, hot sessions.

The Vitamin You Didn’t Know You Needed

🏆JUNE WINNER OF THE “GOT IT” CONTEST This month’s Prize: “One More Game”
T-ShirtWinner: “Will G.” Congratulations!
(Check Your Email
(and SPAM folder too)for Details)

 🏋️ STAYING FIT with
GLENN & BRIANNA

3 Full Body Non-Weighted HIIT Circuit

♟️STRATEGY

Who Takes The Middle Ball?

If you've ever hesitated or crashed paddles over a ball down the middle, you're not alone. In this Kyle Koszuta walks through the different scenarios where the middle ball shows up—and explains exactly who should take it and why.

Great for doubles teams looking to sharpen strategy, avoid confusion, and play with confidence. Check out the the video and take the guesswork out of middle shots, click here…

♟️♟️  MORE STRATEGY

Volley Smart: How The Rules
Dictate Pickleball Strategy

Why Pickleball Strategy Starts With the Rulebook

Tennis rewards power. Pickleball rewards precision—and that’s no accident. The rules of the game, especially the two-bounce rule and non-volley zone (the kitchen), are designed to slow things down and force smarter play. Unlike tennis, where net dominance is immediate, pickleball forces players to earn their way forward and think several shots ahead.

See how these rules shape every point—and why tennis instincts don’t always translate? Read the full breakdown, click here…

 🏓 PRO NEWS

Pickleball Pros Form WPPA, UPA
Hits Back At Breakaway Player’s Body

In a bold move shaking up the pro pickleball world, top players have launched the World Pickleball Players Association (WPPA)—the first independent body focused on advocating for player safety, fair pay, and better standards across the sport.

Led by a board including Tina Pisnik, Dekel Bar, and Jessie Irvine, the WPPA arrives with a message of unity and reform. But the UPA isn’t on board.

See what this growing rift could mean for pro pickleball—and who really speaks for the players now, click here…

👏 COMMUNITY NEWS

New Dating App Leverages PB
Community To Connect Singles

Tired of swiping with no spark? A new Colorado-based app called PickleMatch is blending social connection and court chemistry by helping singles meet through their shared love of pickleball.

Created by two friends who bonded through the sport, the app lets users match based on skill level, favorite players, and preferred courts—before seeing if there's a love match off the court.

Read how the founders hope to turn games into genuine connections,
click or (swipe 😉) here…

🇲🇾 GLOBAL NEWS

Why Malaysia’s Retired Athletes
Are Picking Up The Pickleball Paddle

They’ve stood on Olympic stages and lived through the grind of elite sport—now, some of Malaysia’s most celebrated athletes are trading in high-stakes pressure for something lighter, more social, and unexpectedly addictive: pickleball.

For names like Goh Liu Ying and Christian Didier Chin, the court may look smaller, but the joy is bigger. See why these national icons are picking up the paddle—and what it means for the sport’s future in Southeast Asia, click here…

👏 COMMUNITY NEWS

Progress Through Pickleball
Players Of All Abilities Welcome!

From balloon volleys to real rallies, an inclusive summer camp in North Dakota is using pickleball to break barriers and build confidence among kids of all abilities. Backed by UND faculty and local grants, the program brings together students with and without disabilities to learn movement, communication, and teamwork—all through the joy of play.

See how a simple paddle and a wiffle ball are helping change lives in this community-driven initiative, click here…

👏 COMMUNITY NEWS

In Their 70’s & Going Strong

They're in their 70s, they're medaling nationally—and they're having a blast. Wichita’s Dan Hill and Patty Rothweiler just snagged bronze at the National Senior Games, adding to a growing list of pickleball podium finishes.

Read how this dynamic duo is proving that friendship and fierce competition don’t have an age limit, click here…

RALLY RUNDOWN:
LOCAL HIGHLIGHTS

ENFIELD, NH: At Least Eight New Pickleball Courts Coming To Enfield Annex
ALPHARETTA, GA: The Cooler To Reopen As Pickleball Club By Labor Day
CAMPBELL, CA: Campbell Volleys Back And Forth Over Pickleball Permits
WEST CHESTER, OH: Nonprofit Hosts 2nd Annual Pickleball Social In Honor Of Moeller High Grad Who Died
MIDDLETOWN, MD: Oakland Park Reopens With New Pickleball Courts, Shelter
PALM SPRINGS, CA: Palm Springs Finally Awards Pickleball Court Construction Contract After Rejecting Initial Bids
BRECKENRIDGE, CO: Summit County Residents Shine At 6th Annual Pickle In The Peaks Tournament
LAKE HALLIE, WI: Professional Pickleball comes to the Chippewa Valley
SYRACUSE, NY: Baldwin Brothers To Face Off In Central NY Pickleball Event For Charity

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

  💪 6 Proven Pickleball Drills
Everyone Should Be Doing

5 Myths that are holding you back
If you stop believing these, you are guaranteed to level up.

Myth 1: 
You must stay tethered to your partner as you make your way to the NVZ. False.

The proper technique is as soon as you see the ball is going to your partner, who will be executing a 3^rd shot, take two steps in and then watch your partner’s shot. If it is a good drop, then crash into the Kitchen, and look to poach to attack. If your partner’s shot is too high, and it can be attacked, stay back and get set. Tanner says to use this technique on 3^rd shot drives also, but see the whole court, and do not poach, just come up to the NVZ.

Myth 2: 
Forehand always covers the middle. Not always.

If you dink the ball cross court, your partner will cover the line, and you will cover the middle, regardless of whether you are left or right-handed.  That way your partner only has one side to defend, instead of thinking he/she must cover the middle because it is a forehand. This is along the same lines as “Respect the X.”

Myth 3: 
You should hit winners with %100 of your power every time. Incorrect.

Instead, use a maximum of %75 of your power. Your goal is not to hit through the opponent, but rather, to place the ball low, just over the net with topspin, so it is unattackable. This will cause your opponent to hit up on the ball, which will help you control the point.

Myth 4: 
Always hit to the weaker player in a match and avoid the higher-level player. Wrong!

If you do this, the weaker player has less court to cover, and the stronger player can cheat over to take more balls. Often, when you think they are so good, you are scared to hit behind the stronger player. Instead, if you dink to the stronger player and put him in a corner, this will open the court so you can attack the weaker player, who now must cover more real estate. This is a great video!!!

Myth 5:

Mental Tip: If I practice and drill and work hard, why do I underperform in tournaments? This is so true. Tanner uses the example of his two-handed backhand dink. He is great in practice, but he found that he reverted to his one-handed slice dink in competition and made more errors. In the next tournament, he committed to the two-hander, and he was successful.

I tell my students regularly that they need to drill, then put it immediately into game situations and try it in competitions to gain confidence. After all, the drills are done to make you a better player, and help you level up. If you do not use those skills in games, you are wasting all that drilling time!Tanner and Kyle demonstrate some great drills to do with a partner to level up you game. Be sure to watch the entire video. I like how they suggest how often you should drill, and perhaps drill in the morning, and play in the afternoon or evening. When you drill, try to put it immediately into a game situation.

1. Dink down-the-line and speed up when you get an opportunity. This puts a whole game into one drill.

2. Cross court speed-ups and covering the middle. Start by feeding your partner a dink crosscourt. When he dinks it back, you will dink and then move to the middle. He will speed it up to the middle, and you will attack out in front with a strong volley. This skill is not practiced often, so this is a good way to set it up to work on covering the middle. Tanner emphasizes that your paddle stays up in front of you, and you do not step back.

3. Resets from the transition zone: Kyle moves back to the middle of the court. Tanner works 4th shot speed-ups at Kyle, who tries to reset softly into the Kitchen. Switch. Variation: after 3 resets, move up to the NVZ line to attack. Be sure to watch Tanner demonstrate the wrong way to move to the NVZ, mimicking Looney Toons sound effects. It should be slow and go.

4. Crosscourt dinking game. Play to 5. Catch: no speed-ups. Additionally, if you hit it into the net, you lose all your points. Making your drilling competitive is vital! Watch Tanner’s demo of the proper and improper way to move laterally to cover a wide dink. Cut it off, using a cross step, instead of shuffling. One great aspect to this video: the pros answer questions. How to prepare for your first 4.0 tourney? Kyle says put in more competitive play right before the event, to work on strategy and teamwork. At the match, he says to spend the first 5 rallies evaluating your opponent. Then, call a timeout, and talk to your partner about what weaknesses you saw, and how you are going to attack them.

5. 7/11. This is a common drill, working on third shots and approaching the Kitchen, then playing it out. The variation here: you cannot follow the first 3rd shot in. You must execute a second one before you approach the net. I love it! I like that they emphasize that players should not try to always reset or “out finesse” their opponent. When you can attack, you should attack!

6. Dead dink drill: Start by dinking, one, two, then intentionally give your partner a dead, soft dink. Get prepared to defend, anticipating the attack. This will help you get quick, soft, fast hands. that you can get to the net before your opponent receives the ball. If you are the serving team, execute a third ball drop that lands softly in the NVZ so you can get to the net before they contact the ball.

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