‘Lobs for the Lord:’ Pickleball Gaining Ground in Faith Communities

Churches are using pickleball as a community engagement tool; church depicted with pickleball ball on the spire

Pickleball, with its inherently social and inclusive culture, is noted for its community-building capabilities…and churches across the country have picked up pickle for those qualities. In a time when church attendance is at its lowest point since 1940, parishes, mosques, and synagogues are likely desperate for ideas to keep the population engaged in faith. The First […]

One of the Biggest Partnerships in Pickleball History Just Announced

Some of the biggest names in organized pickleball have announced a landmark partnership that could stand to change the landscape of ratings and tournament experience in the sport. Pickleball Inc., the United Pickleball Association (UPA, a.k.a. the parent company of Major League Pickleball & PPA Tour), and DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating) have announced a […]

You Should Miss More Pickleball Serves (Here’s Why)

James Ignatowich serving in pickleball

Top five pickleball pro James Ignatowich here. There is a risk reward trade-off for anything in life, and the pickleball serve is no exception.  If you aren’t missing 1 out of 10 pickleball serves, you aren’t taking enough risk. But the key is how you miss them. More on that below. Long gone are the days of […]

Pickleball ‘Bangers’ are (Mostly) Good for the Sport

MLP image of a player about to slam a pickleball

When a post in our Facebook group receives nearly 800 comments, we’re inclined to think it’s because it struck a chord with pickleball players. In this case, it’s clear that poster David Nguyen struck a chord with some players…and upset others: He simply asked, in essence: what’s so bad about bangers? They’re the subject of […]

Highlights & Impressive Moments from PPA North Carolina 2024

Anna Leigh Waters playing during the 2024 PPA Tour North Carolina Cup

You’d be (partially) forgiven for assuming that the PPA North Carolina Cup 2024 was just another pro event. After all, it’s a busy month for the PPA and pro pickleball in general. But there were some serious standout moments during the event that made for a very entertaining – and unexpected – watch. Here are […]

Florida’s The Villages is Making a Case for ‘Pickleball Capital’

Artist rendering of The Pickleball Club's new location in The Villages, Florida

Central Florida’s The Villages has quite the pickleball pedigree. The area received its first pickleball court at La Hacienda Recreation in 1990 and has since constructed over 250 courts. This fall, that number will increase significantly.  The Pickleball Club has broken ground on a site at NE 62nd Terrace for its Village Park Center club location, and the space is practically guaranteed to […]

An Elite Pickleball Maneuver: the V-Lock

Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters show off an elite pickleball maneuver, the V-Lock.

The ‘V-Lock’ is a critical part of ALW & Ben John’s success. It’s a forehand-in-the-middle thing. For you lefties, reverse everything, but the following still applies. In the video above, Ben isn’t just isolating his opponent Anna Bright — he and ALW are locking her in a corner with their “V” positioning, forcing her to decide which […]

Pickleball Pro Roasted by Tennis Greats for Athleticism Tweet

Images from left to right of Nick Kyrgios, Christian Alshon, and Tom Blake

How many skirmishes will there be in the tennis vs. pickleball war? I thought we reached a ceasefire. Some recent social media posts from top pickle pros might have reignited something. Christian Alshon recently tweeted about how pickleball made him a “better athlete than tennis ever did.” Modern tennis legends Nicholas Kyrgios & James Blake […]

Grading the 2024 Major League Pickleball Draft Picks

Major League Pickleball just completed its 2024 Premier Level draft, meaning we’re starting to understand where professional, team-based pickleball is headed this year. Before I dive in to the grades, a few surprising things that I want to mention… Notable veteran players not drafted: Rafa Hewett (MLP DAWG), Pat Smith (who has been playing great […]

What Pickleball Looked Like in the 1970s

There’s enough buzz surrounding pickleball now to trick the uninitiated into thinking it’s only been around for a few years. Of course, true fans know that isn’t true. And we have the pictures to prove it. These images, sent to Sonoma County photographer Jim Johnson from a local OG pickleball player, tell an important story from […]