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

What's Cooking in the Kitchen This Week:

• What To Do With A Short Return

• Agility Training for Pickleball Players

• DRILL OF THE WEEK: The Short-Hop Volley Drill

• Fitness Expert Glenn Dawson: Stop Stretching Your Hips! (Strengthen Instead)

• GEAR REVIEW: Honolulu J2CR Crystal Blue Paddle

• 13-Year-Old Natalia Simson Stuns Genie Bouchard At The Pickleball World Championships

• Agassi’s Grateful Dead Deal: Can Music Fandom Sell Racket Sports?

• Just Like In The Film “The Dink,” Pickleball Was The Best Medicine For My Husband

• Coach Mary: Mary Is Off This Week - She Will Return Next Week

• Rally Rundown: Highlights of Local Stories From Around The Country

🥷SKILLS

What To Do With
A Short Return

A short return of serve should be good news for the serving team. Instead of hitting the third shot from near the baseline, the player gets to move forward and contact the ball from a more favorable position.

Yet short returns cause plenty of mistakes.

Some players rush forward and hit while still moving. Others automatically drive the ball as hard as possible because it looks attackable. Still others attempt a delicate drop when the ball is sitting high enough to create pressure.

The opportunity is real, but the best response depends on more than how short the return lands.

Ball height, bounce, court position, and the opponents' readiness all influence what the third shot should accomplish.

First, Get to the Ball Without Rushing the Swing

The biggest advantage of a short return is the opportunity to contact the ball farther forward in the court.

💪 Health & Fitness Section

Agility Training for
Pickleball Players

You might be quick on your feet during drills but still find yourself a step behind during rallies. That's because pickleball agility isn't just about moving faster. It's about reacting, changing direction, and stopping under control, and some popular speed drills may be missing a crucial piece.

See which agility drills actually prepare you for unpredictable rallies and how just 10 to 15 minutes twice a week can sharpen your movement.

🥷 Drill of the Week:

The Short-Hop Volley Drill

You're moving toward the kitchen when a ball lands right at your feet. It's too late for a volley, too low for a comfortable groundstroke, and one hurried scoop could give your opponents an easy putaway. The Short-Hop Volley Drill targets that awkward moment when you have almost no time to react.

Try the drill to learn how to handle those tricky bounces and turn desperate pickups into controlled resets.

🏋️ STAYING FIT with
GLENN & BRIANNA

Stop Stretching Your Hips!
(Strengthen Instead)

⚙️ GEAR REVIEWS

Honolulu J2CR Crystal Blue Paddle

NEW FROM PICKLER JUNCTION: The Pickler Junction Team’s reviews go above and beyond a simple thumbs up or thumbs down. They pull together independent testing, verified buyer feedback, community opinions, and objective performance data to show where the Honolulu J2CR Crystal Blue paddle shines, and where it may not be the right fit, depending on how you play.

Looking for more pop without giving up quick hands? This review takes a close look at spin, speed, and touch-game tradeoffs. Tournament players should pay attention to the approval details before buying.

Shopping for new pickleball gear? Reply here and we’ll tell The PJ Team what to review next!

🏓 PRO NEWS

13-Year-Old Natalia Simson
Stuns Genie Bouchard At The
Pickleball World Championships

Thirteen-year-old Natalia Simson pulled off one of the biggest upsets at the Pickleball World Championships, knocking out former tennis star Genie Bouchard, the No. 13 seed. But it wasn't a straightforward victory for the 52nd-seeded teenager, who faced a serious challenge after a dominant opening game.

See how Simson handled the pressure in a three-game battle and earned her place in the Round of 32.

🤩 ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Agassi’s Grateful Dead Deal:
Can Music Fandom Sell
Racket Sports?

Andre Agassi is bringing the Grateful Dead to pickleball, with a new collection of paddles, apparel, and accessories planned for 2027. It's an unlikely pairing of racket sports and one of music's most devoted fan bases, but the deal comes with financial commitments that make it more than a simple branding experiment.

See what Agassi has planned for the collection and whether music fandom could bring a new audience to pickleball.

👏 COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Just Like In The Film “The Dink,”
Pickleball Was The Best Medicine
For My Husband

When lifelong tennis player Dean Skylar was diagnosed with cancer, he turned to pickleball because his body could no longer handle the sport he loved. What began as a way to keep playing became something far more meaningful, a real-life story that echoes the new pickleball movie The Dink.

See how Dean's pickleball friends became an extraordinary source of support during the most difficult chapter of his life.

RALLY RUNDOWN:
LOCAL HIGHLIGHTS

FAIRPORT, NY: 'This Year I Get To Show Up For Someone Else': Teen Who Beat Bone Cancer Returns To Pickleball Court
BOCA RATON, FL: CityPickle Boca Sets November 18 Opening For 100,000-Square-Foot Club
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA: New Indoor Pickleball Space To Open In SLO, And It's Serving Up Food And Beer
HOUSTON, TX: Houston Nightlife Veterans Serve Up A New Pickleball Bar In Spring Branch
WILSON, NC: Hundreds Compete At Pickleball Finals Of NC Senior Games
SAN DIEGO, CA: USA Pickleball National Championships Return To Barnes Tennis Center
CLEVELAND, OH: The Pull Of Pickleball Brings Hundreds To Cleveland
MAHOMET, IL: Fundraising Campaign To Help Build New Pickleball Complex In Mahomet

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[email protected] and send us a link to your story!

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