Happy National Pickle Day! 🥒
As much as pickleball may be trying to shirk the stereotype that it has anything to do with pickles, pickleball and pickles may be inextricably linked forever.
Check out a few quick hit headlines from Pickler The Newsroom in the video below 👇, and then let's pickle to the good stuff...
#1. I GOT REALLY GOOD AT PICKLEBALL WHEN...
Once you get a pickleball paddle in your hand, you may be like me and quickly commit to improving your skills. If you are working on raising your game, learn the two skills that helped me improve (from a 3.0 to a 5.0). In other words, “I got really good at pickleball when…” 🤩
| LEARN THE 2 SKILLS |
#2. PICKLEBALLERS: THIS BUD'S FOR YOU - BUT MAYBE NOT BILL SIMMONS
Pickleball is growing, especially at the participatory level. However, is pickleball just a sport to play, or is it also a sport to watch? Some entrepreneurs, celebrities, athletes, and now Fortune 500 companies, like Anheuser-Busch 🍻, believe that pickleball has the potential to be a spectator sport. But, others are not believers, like veteran sports commentator and author, Bill Simmons. Learn about Simmons' reservations on pickleball. 🤔
| LEARN MORE |
A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR RIA EYEWEAR: WEARING PROPER EYEWEAR ON COURT IS CRITICAL
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RIA’s lenses are built through extensive color science research to enhance contrast of the pickleball against the court background, helping to improve on-court vision. All lenses are treated with anti-fog/anti-glare coatings and are 100% UVA/B protective. RIA also offers interchangeable lens options to account for various lighting conditions. Most importantly, their frames have been tested to specifically withstand impacts from pickleballs traveling at high speeds to protect you on the court.
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| SHOP RIA EYEWEAR |
#3. BEST PICKLEBALL GIFTS FOR THE 2022 HOLIDAYS
Yes, it is getting to be that time of year again... It is time to eat, dink, be merry & play pickleball! Regardless of skill level, we have your gift ideas covered for the holidays with these handpicked pickleball gifts. Check out the best gifts to give to a pickleball player this 2022 season! 🎁
| HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE |
#4. MURMURS FROM THE LOSERS' BRACKET: ZEN & THE ART OF PICKLEBALL MAINTENANCE
We here at Murmurs from the Losers’ Bracket often have to process defeat on the pickleball court. Yet, we always persist thanks to a pickleball version of Zen Buddhism. 🧘♂️ If you plan to nama-stay on the pickleball court through thick and thin, learn some Zen words to live by with their appropriate pickleball modifications. Read now and have a laugh! 😂
| HAVE A LAUGH |
#5. PICKLER THE PODCAST - TENNIS PRO NOAH RUBIN MAKES JUMP TO PRO PICKLEBALL
Tennis players 🎾 have slowly been transitioning to the sport of pickleball. With more and more opportunities coming alive in pro pickleball (including more prize money), higher-level and higher-ranked tennis players are beginning to seriously consider pivoting to pro pickleball. This includes Junior Wimbledon Champion Noah Rubin, who ranked as high as #125 in pro tennis. At the age of 26, Rubin is exchanging his tennis racquet for a pickleball paddle and going pro in pickleball. As he methodically maps out his path into pro pickleball, learn what motivated Rubin to make the switch and what his goals are as he gets ready to jump all-in into pickleball in 2023. Tune in to the latest episode of Pickler The Podcast now! 🎧
And, don't forget to subscribe to Pickler's YouTube page, so you never miss another Pickler video - whether it be a podcast, pickleball tip video, or other can't-miss video.
#6. DEFEND THE ATP LIKE A PRO
ATPs - or around the post shots - are increasingly being hit with success on the pickleball court, as players improve their skills. Learn how to defend against the ATP like a pickleball pro. 👏
| DEFEND LIKE A PRO |
#7. QUICK TIP - STAY ON THE SAME PAGE
They say pickleball is more like chess, not checkers. In other words, pickleball is a game of strategy. And, in doubles pickleball, it is important to work with your partner to figure out the best strategy and execute it. But, sometimes, you and your partner may disagree when it comes to the best strategy. When that happens, it is critical that you and your partner get on the same page. 📖 If you both are playing different strategies, neither of you will be successful. For instance, if one partner wants to stay back off of the Kitchen line, while the other wants to hold the line, then there will be too many angles and openings on the court. So, even if you initially disagree, find a way to get on the same page, and stay on the same page, when it comes to strategy in order to have the most success.
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| SHOP THE HOLIDAY SALE NOW! |
#8. RULES REFRESH - RESPECT THE NET PLANE
One commonly unknown rule in pickleball is that you may not cross the plane of the net (or the imaginary extension line of the net beyond the net posts) until after you hit the pickleball. This includes anything that you are wearing or carrying, such as a pickleball paddle. Phrased another way, you may not cross the plane of the net before you hit the pickleball. If you cross the plane of the net before you hit the pickleball, then you would have committed a fault and will lose the rally. (To note, there is one exception to this rule on an over-and-back pickleball, though.)
So, respect the net plane 🛑, just like pro Kyle Yates carefully does in the video below when counterattacking an ATP from Riley Newman. Yates holds his ground just inside the plane of the net and does not cross the imaginary line.
#9. HEADLINES FROM THE COURT
Looking for a deeper dive on the latest pickleball headlines in Pickler The Newsroom... 🗞
- As mentioned above, it's National Pickle Day, and when there are pickles, there is pickleball. For instance, we have pickles playing pickleball on t-shirts, and even Subway and Lays are tying a new marketing promotion on their addition of pickles to the menu to a pickleball-related contest. 🥒
- Don’t forget 🗓 that the CBS pickleball special titled “Pickled”—which also shows some pickles—is airing this Thursday, November 17th on CBS at 9:00 pm ET. Early reports say that actress Emma Watson, who is known for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series, is the one to watch. Expelliarmus! 🧙♂️
- The world of pro pickleball is nothing short of insane. 🌪 Last week, we reported that there is a new pickleball league in town called VIBE. Well, a week later more massive news, as there is a merger between Major League Pickleball and VIBE (and their respective billionaire leaders) to create a 24-team super league. We love to finally see some unity in the sport. 🙌
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Plus, more major news in the pro pickleball world:
- Anheuser-Busch bought one of these 24 pickleball teams and is the first Fortune 500 company to enter the space. This is the first sports team that Anheuser-Busch has purchased since the St. Louis Cardinals in 1953 (which it then sold in 1995). 🍻
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USA Pickleball National Championships puts on a show and draws possibly the largest crowds for any tournament on the year. This event seems to remain the crown jewel of pickleball tournaments. Also, to note, during this event:
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The Pickleball Hall of Fame added 4 new inductees (a big congratulations and thank you to you all! 👏):
- Norm Davis
- Pat Kane
- Larry Moon
- Wes Gabrielsen
- And, Jay Devilliers hit ESPN’s SportsCenter’s Top 10 for the second time with this incredibly smooth behind-the-back winner. 🤯
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The Pickleball Hall of Fame added 4 new inductees (a big congratulations and thank you to you all! 👏):
- As much as pickleball is growing across the country and the world, there are three states that seem to be craving it above the rest, according to Google searches. The top three states are: (1) Utah, (2) Arizona, and (3) Florida.
- But, other states are also looking to grow their pickleball presence, as New York is adding pickleball courts at JFK Airport, and Oregon is clearing homeless camps at parks to make way for more pickleball courts.
- Pickleball is not just growing on-court. It is growing off of the court, too, as documentaries are being created and pro players are being incorporated into a forthcoming video game. Maybe this new video game will be able to match the success that PONG has had. Maybe we should lean into the stereotype and call it “Pickle”? 🎮
- Pickleball is just such a unique sport. It gives us exercise and a social outlet. It is one of the rare sports that has equality and parity between people of different genders, ages, and backgrounds. It can bring people together to make a difference, like raising money for charity, or just to have a laugh. And, for all of these reasons and more, we are really into pickleball… just like the Holderness Family, who nails it with this “Ode to Pickleball”: 🎤
#10. ON THE TOUR: TRIPLE CROWN AT THE 2022 USA PICKLEBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Over the last eight days, approximately 2,300 pickleball players (ages 8 to 85 years old) competed at the 2022 USA Pickleball National Championships at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. One pro player rose above the rest to not only claim the title of "National Champion," but also to claim the coveted triple crown. 👸👸👸
| LEARN MORE |
And, don't forget to mark your calendars for more pro pickleball action this month! 🗓
#11. CLASHING PRO PICKLEBALL LEAGUES MERGE & UNIFY THE SPORT
Just a week after a new pro pickleball league is announced, two of the major forces in the pro pickleball landscape - Major League Pickleball and the PPA Tour - merge and join forces 🤝 in an effort to unify the sport. Learn more about what this merger means for pickleball.
| LEARN MORE |
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