New Year, same love for pickleball! It is nice to see that the cold weather 🥶 is not slowing down any pickleball players out there...

As usual, we are here to deliver your pickleball tips, strategies, stories, news, and more. But, since this is the first newsletter of the year, we also are requesting your feedback! Please be sure to make it all the way to point #11 below - just like you do on the pickleball court 💪 - so you can help us give you the pickleball content that you want and need this year.

Before we jump in, check out a few quick hit headlines from Pickler The Newsroom in the video below! 👇

Let's go! 👏

#1. HOW TO ATTACK AN "UNATTACKABLE" PICKLEBALL

Generally speaking, it is ill-advised to attack a pickleball that sits below the top of the net. However, as you improve your skill level, there may be exceptions to this rule. Learn when to attack those "unattackable" balls & 3 tips to maximize your success. 💥

#2. MURMURS FROM THE LOSERS' BRACKET: FINDING ROMANCE ON THE PICKLEBALL COURT: TOP 10 PICKUP LINES

We here at Murmurs from the Losers’ Bracket have taken notice of the intersection between pickleball and romance. Learn why the term “pickup game” is starting to get a new meaning in pickleball circles. Plus, grab 10 pickleball pickup lines if you are looking for love on the courts. 🤣

#3. THE ONE THING THAT YOU CANNOT DO ON THE PICKLEBALL COURT

There are a few things that will crush your chances of winning pickleball games. However, one thing will make sure you never score a point. Learn the one thing that you cannot do on the pickleball court. 🙅

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#4. 2023 PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT CALENDAR - WHICH ONE(S) WILL YOU BE PLAYING IN?

Pickleball tournaments are more popular than ever. They are everywhere and all of the time! To see when and where the largest pickleball tournaments and events will be held - from the USA Pickleball National Championships to the US Open to the pro pickleball tours and leagues (PPA, APP & MLP) - check out Pickler's 2023 Pickleball Tournament Calendar. The 2023 season starts this week! 🗓

And, don't forget to support your local pickleball club and community by playing in your local pickleball tournament, too! 🤗

#5. 36.5 MILLION REASONS WHY PICKLEBALL IS THE FASTEST GROWING SPORT

Pickleball is booming. A new poll concluded that the sport of pickleball has grown to 36.5 MILLION PLAYERS. Previous reports pegged pickleball with just 4.8 million players. Let's dive into the numbers... 📈

#6. RULES REFRESH - BEWARE OF PERMANENT OBJECTS

Pickleball courts are frequently part of multi-use courts, where you can play basketball, badminton, dodgeball, pickleball, among other sports (e.g., an indoor gymnasium). With these multi-use courts, there can be extra obstacles that can interfere with play (for instance, a basketball hoop). So, what happens if the pickleball hits one of these obstacles - like the basketball net 🏀 in the air above - before bouncing on the court? Play on, replay, or fault?

The basketball net would be considered a "permanent object" in the rules of pickleball (see the definition below):

If the pickleball hits any permanent object - like the basketball net - before bouncing on the court, then it is a fault. So, beware of these obstacles and play within your environment. ⚠️

#7. QUICK TIP - NEUTRALIZING SPIN

Imagine you are playing against someone with a lot of spin. 🌪 For instance, a player that loves the slice or chip backhand return of serve or the inside out drive or volley. To overcome a shot with tough spin, consider returning the pickleball with a flat shot. In other words, do not try to spin a spinning pickleball back to your opponent. Strike the pickleball squarely and drive flat through the pickleball.

One practice tip is, if you are struggling to hit a third shot drop off of a spinning return of serve, try driving the third shot and dropping the fifth shot. This may help you neutralize a spinning return of serve because your opponents will probably (and hopefully) hit a flatter (in other words, less spinny) fourth shot to you after blocking your third shot drive. This would then set up an easier fifth shot drop for you and your partner.

​NEW YEAR, NEW BOOK!​

Grab a new book to start the new year with I Dink, Therefore I Am: Coming to Grips with My Pickleball Addiction. Have a laugh and get great pickleball tips with longtime humor writer Frank Cerabino's book! 📚

#8. BY THE NUMBERS: PICKLEBALL CROSSOVER FROM OTHER KEY SPORTS

Pickleball is the ultimate crossover sport. Learn why this characteristic will propel pickleball to hit 40 million players by 2030, and which three sports are leading the way for future pickleball players. 🤔

#9. HEADLINES FROM THE COURT

Looking for a deeper dive on the latest pickleball headlines in Pickler The Newsroom... 🗞

• As discussed above, the biggest headline starting the new year is the new numbers of just how many pickleball players there are in the United States. New reports show that there are 36.5 MILLION pickleball players. 📈 Pickleball is booming! But, we have a major problem… we need more courts!
• This boom leads some to question whether pickleball is the real deal or just a fad. Some have compared pickleball to NFTs or “sporting crypto.” But, given that almost half of the people that picked up pickleball in the last 6 months intend to play more this year, we are leaning toward pickleball being the real deal. Our “hot take” is that pickleball will grow more in 2023 than it did in 2022. 🚀

• Another surprising headline is that Tennis Australia—instead of resisting the pickleball boom—is going to lean in. Tennis Australia is going to introduce pickleball to the tennis clubs across the country, which may face resistance from tennis purists. 🎾 The two sports—tennis and pickleball—can co-exist!
• We love a little trash talk 🗑 across the pickleball net, and so do celebrity athletes. Tennis star Sam Querrey (and #1 draft pick for the second-tiered Challenger Level of Major League Pickleball (MLP)) took to social media to poke fun at criticism from pickleball players, while NFL star Rob Gronkowski went public with his claim that he could 100% beat his former teammate and MLP owner Tom Brady. With more celebrities coming into the game, we expect more of this high-profile banter.
• Lastly, shoutout to this mother-son duo who sprang into action to save a man’s life after he collapsed on a court, and pickleball is not just helping you get exercise and stay social—it is also building your leadership skills. Who knew?! 😎

#10. WHAT TO ADD TO THE PICKLEBALL DICTIONARY?

Pickleball has had a wild 12 months. To call it a whirlwind, would be an understatement. New faces, places, shots, terms, etc. have joined and even changed the pickleball community. So, when we look back at the 2022 edition of The Pickleball Dictionary (see below), we are not surprised to see terms and definitions that are now outdated or things that are missing because they only arose in the last 12 months. With that said, we are currently finalizing the updates on The Pickleball Dictionary to hopefully resolve these outdated items due to the fast-paced nature of the world of pickleball.

But, before we finalize the updates for 2023, we want your input! Do you have any terms or phrases that you think should be added to The Pickleball Dictionary? 🤔 Let us know by replying to this email. Our inbox is open. 📥

#11. SURVEY FOR YOUR FEEDBACK - HELP US GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT

One of Pickler's New Year's resolutions is to better tailor our content to the pickleball topics that are most relevant and entertaining to you. Please help us achieve our 2023 resolution by filling out this quick survey with just 8 questions.

We greatly appreciate your feedback! 🙌

​SAVE 10% TO START 2023!​

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