In this article we dive into why so many players spend so much time developing “tricky” spin serves, and what they should be focused on instead.
Pickleball serve tips: Keep it simple for consistent success
Who could challenge the top seeds next PPA Tour season?
Toward the end of 2025 and early in 2026, it seemed that some teams were closing in on the top seeds in the PPA Tour doubles divisions. In the fall, Tyra Black/Jorja Johnson beat Anna Leigh Waters/Anna Bright in Las Vegas, then Jackie and Jade Kawamoto beat them again in Cincinnati. In men’s doubles, Hayden Patriquin/Federico […]
Win more pickleball games with this simple approach used by top pros
All pickleball players want to win more rallies, more games and more matches. And a lot of people have advice on how to do that — YouTube videos, instructors, your friends at the court, etc. Everyone claims to have the solution that will help you win more. That’s the promise. If it was working, you probably […]
Understanding the dead dink in pickleball: Why, when and how to use it
The “dead” dink is a misunderstood and wrongly maligned shot in our sport. It is one of those areas of the game where a few coaches and content creators created a stigma around a shot that is critical to good play and, in doing so, hampered the games of thousands of pickleball players. Let’s fix […]
Pro pickleball case study: Why JW and Jorja Johnson have taken a step back in 2026
JW and Jorja Johnson have been the second-best mixed doubles team on the PPA Tour for the past 2+ years. From 2023-25, they appeared in 19 finals, won 5 gold medals and beat Ben Johns/Anna Leigh Waters twice. In Major League Pickleball they teamed up on the Dallas Flash and went 26-7 in 2024 and […]
Pickleball instruction: How to play mixed doubles with your significant other (and not argue with them)
They don’t call it “Mixed Troubles” for nothing. While a regular pickleball partnership has its own challenges, playing pickleball with your significant other is a different sort of challenge altogether. Below we’ll explore tools to help lifetime partners who wish to also be pickleball partners. There is a world in which this can happen – […]
Hot take: You probably don’t actually need a third-shot drop
This article applies to the majority of pickleball players (72% based on DUPR ratings). Before you shut down your computer (or phone) screaming “heresy!” … hear me out. I do not offer this coaching advice lightly. After all, it runs directly contrary to the general consensus. The third-shot drop is the quintessential pickleball shot. From […]
Learn from the pros: A high third-shot drop is much better than one into the net
There’s a lesson we can all learn from what is so far the biggest upset of 2026 on the PPA Tour. Last month at the PPA Tour Mesa Cup, Anna Bright/Hayden Patriquin stunned Ben Johns/Anna Leigh Waters by rolling to a three-game sweep in the gold-medal match. On match point, Bright sent a third-shot drop […]
The pickleball plateau: Why you’re stuck and how to move past it
Let us know if this sounds like you: When you started playing pickleball, you knew nothing about it. But it seemed interesting, so you learned a little bit here and a little more over there. Eventually, you felt OK about your game, but then … you were stuck. That is what we refer to in […]
Pickleball instruction: Disciplined execution is key to advanced play
The pro pickleball players who constantly succeed share a trait: The ability to consistently execute on their plan. I am thinking of this as “Disciplined Execution.” In my vernacular, “Disciplined Execution” means doing your best to develop, stick to, and execute a game plan. It is important to always include “doing your best” in any […]