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What To Do When You and Your Partner Are Not on the Same Page

Skinny Singles May Be The Best Drill, The Court Speed Thief, Pickleball License Plates! What To Eat on Game Day, 1900% Growth of PB Brand, Hong Kong Youth League and More!

May 29, 2025

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

What's Cooking in the Kitchen This Week:

  • “GOT IT CONTEST” WINNER ANNOUNCED

  • What to Do When You and Your Pickleball Partner Aren’t on the Same Page

  • The Hidden Problem Stealing Your Court Speed (And How to Reclaim It)

  • Why Skinny Singles Could Be Your Best Pickleball Drill

  • Fitness Expert Glenn Dawson: Lower Back Pain Relief in 5 mins with a Towel

  • Washington Approves New Pickleball License Plates

  • What Should I Eat Before Pickleball: Fueling Your Game With Power Foods

  • Inside The High-Tech Pickleball Company With 1,900% Revenue Growth

  • Land Use Controversy: A Church Wants A Homeless Shelter. The Mayor Wants Space For Pickleball

  • Coach Mary: 5 Things To Avoid As A Senior 50+ Pickleball Player

🏆MAY WINNER OF THE “GOT IT” CONTEST
This month’s Prize: “Pickleball Is My Favorite Season”
T-ShirtWinner: “Kris Y.”
Congratulations!
(Check Your Email for Details)

🥷 SKILLS

What To Do When Your Partner And
You Are Not On The Same Page

You Say ToMAto, I say ToMAHto…

You’re moving in, they’re hanging back.
You’re setting up a soft game, they’re swinging for winners.
You reach for the middle… so do they.
It doesn’t take long to realize: you and your partner are not on the same page.

It happens to everyone — even experienced players. Whether it’s a random rec game, a round robin draw, or even your usual partner on an off day, mismatched styles can make smart players look sloppy. The good news? You don’t have to be perfectly in sync to play well together. You just need to adjust, communicate, and stabilize the chaos.

Here’s how.
Step 1: Recognize the Signs of a Disconnect
Sometimes, it’s obvious. Other times, it sneaks up on you — a few lost points here, a miscommunication there.

Look for these 5 common red flags:
- Both players hesitate or reach for the same ball
- Big gaps left uncovered (especially in the middle)

⚕️HEALTH & FITNESS

The Hidden Problem Stealing Your
Court Speed (And How To Reclaim It)

I’ve Been Feeling Stuck Lately ☹️ 

Sarah missed an easy dink last Tuesday. Six months ago, she would have crushed it. 

"I'm getting old," she told her partner. 

But Sarah isn't getting old. She's dealing with inflammation. And there's a big difference between these two things. 

That step you can't quite make anymore? The stiffness you feel the next morning? It might be inflammation setting up camp in your joints. It steals your speed and makes everything harder. 

The good news? You can fight back. 

What's Really Happening 

Every quick move deposits inflammatory compounds in your joints. Every overhead shot. Every pivot. It piles up faster than your body can clear it. 

💪 SKILLS

Why Skinny Singles Could Be
Your Best Pickleball Drill

Boy This Drill Sure Burns Calories!

If drilling feels like a drag, skinny singles could be your new favorite fix. This simple but powerful half-court format replicates doubles gameplay while sharpening your serves, returns, third shots, and reaction speed—all without the exhaustion of full singles. It's fast, fun, and flexible enough to improve nearly every part of your game.

Learn how the pros use it—and why you should too. Click Here…

 🏋️ STAYING FIT with GLENN

Lower Back Pain Relief In
5 Minutes With a Towel

👏 JUST FOR FUN

designed by Laramie Studio. (Seattle Metro Pickleball Association)

Washington drivers can now celebrate their love for pickleball with a new specialty license plate, available starting November 1. Designed by Laramie Studio and sponsored by the Seattle Metro Pickleball Association, the plate costs $40 plus standard fees.

Proceeds will support the construction and maintenance of dedicated pickleball courts across the state. To create a plate like this, a sponsoring nonprofit must submit a design, collect 3,500 signatures, and pay a $6,300 startup fee to the Department of Licensing.

🍎 NUTIRTION

What Should I Eat Before Pickleball Games?

Good Food, Good Mood

Your pre-game meal can make or break your performance on the court. Whether you’ve got hours to prepare or just minutes to spare, fueling your body with the right balance of nutrients can boost energy, sharpen focus, and keep fatigue at bay.

This guide breaks down the best meals, snacks, and hydration habits to power your play—and what to avoid if you want to stay quick and confident. See what to eat, when to eat it, and how to personalize your game-day nutrition. Click Here…

💼 BUSINESS NEWS

Inside The High-Tech Pickleball
Company With 1900% Revenue Growth

We Can Make It Faster, Stronger, Spinnier…

Inside the Lab That’s Reinventing Pickleball—One Paddle at a Time

What do 3-D printers, CT scanners, and a “durability cannon” have to do with pickleball? Everything—if you’re Selkirk Sport. From humble beginnings in a basement to a cutting-edge research lab in Idaho, this family-run brand is leading the charge in innovation without ever taking outside funding.

With over 1,900% revenue growth and a devoted community of testers, Selkirk isn’t just riding the pickleball wave—they’re engineering its future. Take a look inside the most advanced lab in the sport.

🗞️ News

Land Use Controversy: The Church
Wants A Homeless Shelter -
The Mayor Wants A Place for Pickleball

How About A Homeless Shelter With Pickleball Courts???

A Church, a Shelter, and the Battle for 11 Acres in Toms River
In one of New Jersey’s largest shore towns, a heated conflict is unfolding over a piece of church land—and what it should be used for. Christ Episcopal Church wants to build a homeless shelter.

The mayor wants pickleball courts. With eminent domain on the table and legal challenges looming, the clash has stirred deep questions about public priorities, religious freedom, and how communities choose to care for—or ignore—their most vulnerable.

Get the full story behind this high-stakes standoff, Click Here…

🤣 HUMOR

🧭 COMMUNITY NEWS

RALLY RUNDOWN:
LOCAL HIGHLIGHTS

HOLDING COURT with
COACH MARY

  💪 5 THINGS TO AVOID AS A SENIOR
50+ PICKLEBALL PLAYER

5 Things To Avoid As A Senior 50+ Pickleball Player

Check Our This In2Pickle Video:

1. Get to the NVZ – that is where you want to play.  To get there, you must hit a higher, deeper serve return.

2. Always expect a bang or hard shot!  Do not expect a dink.  Expect an attack or speed up, but you will already be prepared for a soft shot.

3. Best paddle position?  Keep your paddle further up in front of you, favoring your backhand for defense.  If you are protecting yourself, you can position your paddle more to the backhand side.

4. Avoid hitting “out” balls.  Because the court is short compared to tennis, there is more chance for the ball to travel out.  When you are at the NVZ, if the ball is at your ribs or higher, just let that ball go.  Also, if your opponent has topspin, it may land in, so change your defense.

5. Framework:  Think about the court without the NVZ.  Not the same! 

Play higher I.Q. Pickleball and use the NVZ to reset yourself and slow down the game.  Be patient, and play chess, not checkers!   Use your dinks and resets to control the game.

The senior game is so much different from the pro game.  I was happy to focus on this concept for senior players.  I would like to add:  the third shot drop is critical for the senior game, because it enables you time to get the NVZ line!

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