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When To Poach & When To Stay Put
Improve Your Pickleball IQ, Is Dehydration Sabotaging Your Game? Smashing Paddles, PB in Japan, Humana Steps Up & More...
FIT PICKLER
June 26, 2025
Health, Fitness, News & Fun for Picklers of All Ages
What's Cooking in the Kitchen This Week:
“GOT IT CONTEST” WINNERS ANNOUNCED
When To Poach & When To Stay Put
Fitness Expert Glenn Dawson: The Greatest Stretch For Lower Back Pain
Pro Player Finds Out The Hard Way That Paddles Are Way More Difficult To Smash Than Rackets
Humana Launches ‘Invite’ Campaign to Inspire Active Aging Through Pickleball and Community Connection
Sounds Of Summer: How The Pickleball Revolution Has Communities On Edge
How Pickleball Became a Growing School Sport in Japan
Coach Mary: Pickleball Etiquette
🏆JUNE WINNER OF THE “GOT IT” CONTEST
This month’s Prize: “Pickleball”
T-ShirtWinner: “Robert H.”
Congratulations!
(Check Your Email for Details)
🥷 SKILLS
When To Poach & When To Stay Put
To Poach or To Fry That Is The Question
Poaching can be a game-changer—or a game-breaker. When done well, it’s one of the most effective pressure tools in pickleball. A smart poach lets you take over a point mid-rally, cut off high-percentage shots, and put the ball away before your opponents can react.
But if your timing is off, you leave a gaping hole on the court and frustrate your partner in the process. So how do you know when to go—and when to hold your ground? Learn how to read the moment, make smart decisions, and poach with purpose (not panic).
What Poaching Really Does Poaching isn’t just about being aggressive. It’s about taking control at exactly the right time—and only when it benefits your team.
💪 Weekly Health & Fitness Section
Weekly Advice To Keep You Fit & Injury Free
Fitness & Vitality At Any Age!
Is Dehydration Secretly Sabotaging
Your Pickleball Game? How To Tell &
What To Do About It
If you play pickleball during the summer, here's a surprising fact: If you're even 1% dehydrated your game can suffer.
You lose focus during crucial rallies. You react slower – just enough to miss those kitchen line shots. And you are more likely to get cramps. Not to mention getting tired faster than you should.
To put that in perspective, you can hit 1% dehydration from everyday activities like gardening or climbing stairs – let alone playing pickleball in heat. Yet most players have no idea they're already playing with a handicap.
But The Problem Is Actually Worse
Most players think they're properly hydrated because they're drinking water and don't feel thirsty. But often that’s not enough – particularly during summer when sweat loss is at its peak.
🏋️ STAYING FIT with GLENN
The Greatest Stretch For Lower Back Pain
🏓 PRO NEWS
Pro Player Learns The Hard Way
That Paddles Aren’t Like Rackets
Smashing Paddles? Stick to Pumpkins!
One frustrated player found out the hard way—today’s pickleball paddles don’t break like tennis rackets. In a moment of competitive rage, he tried to smash his gear mid-match… but the paddle just wouldn’t crack.
The whole meltdown was caught on video—and it’s a hilarious reminder that high-tech paddles are built to take more than just spin. Watch the tantrum unfold…
Click here…
💪 HEALTH NEWS
Humana Launches ‘Invite’ Campaign To
Inspire Active Aging Through Pickleball
& Community Connection
Come On In The Water’s Fine
Congratulations to Humana for stepping up in a big way to support active aging through pickleball. Their new “Invite” campaign does more than promote wellness—it celebrates senior athletes, fosters community, and gives thousands a reason to get moving.
By spotlighting joy, inclusion, and connection, they’re redefining what aging can look like. Find out how this major health brand is using pickleball to change lives, one invitation at a time.
🗞️ NEWS
Sounds Of Summer: How The Pickleball
Revolution Has Communities On Edge
Longing For The Sound Of Silence
The pop-pop-pop of pickleball might sound like summer fun to players—but to some neighbors, it’s the soundtrack of a nightmare. With nearly 70,000 courts now in the U.S., disputes over noise are escalating into lawsuits, city crackdowns, and even environmental protests.
See just how far the tensions have gone—and why the battle over court noise is only heating up. Read the full story to hear what’s at stake. Click Here…
🇯🇵 WORLD NEWS
How Pickleball Became A Growing
School Sport In Japan
Japan: Endless Discovery
Pickleball is making quiet—but steady—waves in Japan, where it's being woven into school curriculums from elementary PE to university teacher training.
What started as a U.S. export near military bases is now an emerging sport in at least 14 prefectures, thanks to its space efficiency, low injury risk, and cultural alignment with lifelong fitness.
Discover how Japan’s disciplined sports culture is shaping a distinctly local version of pickleball—and why it could soon become Asia’s next pickleball powerhouse.
Click Here…
🤣 HUMOR
🧭 COMMUNITY NEWS
RALLY RUNDOWN:
LOCAL HIGHLIGHTS
LOUISVILLE, CO: Pickleball Center Owners Hope To Create Community
SACO, ME: Advocates Play Pickleball To Raise Money To Fight Alzheimer's
LONGMEADOW, MA: 44th Annual Frankel-Kinsler Classic Day Of Tournaments Supporting The Care Of Our Community's Elders
WICHITA FALLS, TX: Hanger Banger Pickleball Tourney Supports Local Nonprofits
CHATTANOOGA, TN: Flying Pickle Pickleball Club Set To Open In Chattanooga
HUNTSVILLE, AL: Alzheimer's Association Hosts Longest Day PB Tournament
LARGO, FL: New Pickleball Facility Offers Drinks With Your Dinks
WESTERN PA: Where To Recycle Plastic Pickleballs
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
💪 LOB, BABY, LOB
LOB, BABY, LOB
Many beginners lob regularly because of mobility issues, footwork, and because they did not return deep to the backhand. Lobs from the NVZ are another animal! Offensive lobs from the Kitchen are an effective tool to get your opponent off the net, to get them on defense, and to set up an attack for your team.
We also cover offensive lobs from the baseline in Zane’s demo. Be sure to watch the attached videos several times. If you cannot get to them from this article, then go to YouTube, search for offensive lobs, and look for Kyle, Morgan, Jordan, Zane, Callie, and Enhance PB.
Connor Hance from Enhance Pickleball demonstrates various targets to aim for with lobs.
He emphasizes going over your opponent’s backhand side. He also gives you some good strategies of when to use an offensive lob – i.e. when your opponent must come in close to the net to field a dink, this is a great time to lob over them!
The flying pickleball academy video emphasizes taking the ball out of the air at the NVZ off a dink and making sure you do not hit your lob too high. If it is too high, your opponent can run it down. Just get it over their paddle!
Kyle Koszuta covers offensive lobs, and emphasizes the following:
What? Offensive lobs occur when all four players are at the NVZ.
Why? Always looking for ways to push your opponent off the Kitchen line. Their partner will also have to retreat. Also, attempt to mix it up and throw different shots at your opponent.
When? Short opponents, immobile opponents, poor overhead technique from opponent, if opponent is leaning in, later in the rally, after they are set in the dinking rally. If they are used to the pattern, this is a good time to disrupt it.
How? Paddle down in stance, lean in, extend arm, use hips and shoulders, lift the ball with your core, not a swing, but a lift. After you execute the lob, get back and low to defend.
My Two Cents: Consider using a two handed backhand to execute lobs. It is easier to maintain control, it helps you engages your legs, core and hips, and it helps you get topspin.