Happy Monday!

Are you one of the many players wishing there were more pickleball courts in your area? A recent study estimated that a whopping $900 million is needed to meet the growing need for pickleball courts and facilities. The “Chill Dills,'' a group of seven pickleball players from Maryland, may have found a solution to this problem when they recently won $10,000 in lottery winnings! 🤑 The group’s goal was to “win enough to build an indoor pickleball center with a hot tub outside.” Maybe they are onto something here. Is it time that we all start buying more lottery tickets? 🤔

Now, let's dive straight into your pickleball tips, strategies, stories, news, and more... 👏

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#1. 6 PICKLEBALL TIPS TO BLOCK LIKE A PRO

Blocking like a pro on the pickleball court requires a combination of technique, positioning, timing, and strategy. Here are 6 tips to help you improve your blocking skills on the pickleball court. 👏

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#2. 2023 MID-YEAR RULES UPDATE

USA Pickleball just released a mid-year Rulebook revision eliminating player out of position faults. Learn more about this rule change for non-officiated play and how it benefits you as a player. 📖

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#3. MURMURS FROM THE LOSERS' BRACKET: “SORRY” SEEMS TO BE THE EASIEST WORD

Is there no place for "sorry" in pickleball? Despite our best efforts, we fulfill a reliable quota of boneheaded, bad-miss hits every game. Rare is the game that all of our third-shot drops drop on the other side of the net. Playing pickleball gives most of us a vast new opportunity to be apologetic, but is apologizing at odds with the sport? 🤔

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​SELKIRK SPORT: THE CORE BAG LINE​

The Core Bag Line by Selkirk is the go-to backpack line for pickleball players looking for a well designed, well constructed, and functional backpack. This line features three of the most well known and loved silhouettes in pickleball: the Selkirk Day, Team, and Tour bags. All three sizes are crafted with the same durable +V11 Max polyfiber performance materials and overall improved bag structure. 👏

SHOP NOW

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#4. FIND A WAY TO PURSUE YOUR PASSION—PICKLEBALL OR OTHERWISE

You never know who is standing across the net from you. 👀 At first blush, we are all there to have a good time and get some exercise. But, over time, we slowly learn the backgrounds, stories, and personalities of who may be next to us or across the net from us. Learn about the surprising story of Dotty Zerbst that left me with an important lesson that I think would speak to a lot of us— player or not. 💬

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#5. SHOULD YOU SWITCH HANDS ON THE PICKLEBALL COURT?

The rules of pickleball permit you to switch the pickleball paddle to either hand while playing. 🙌 But, is it recommended and will it help your pickleball performance?

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#6. THIS PICKLEBALL RALLY PROVES WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER GIVE UP ON THE COURT

Check out this pickleball rally, where pickleball pro Allyce Jones flips over the perimeter barrier and then proceeds to pop back up while her partner, Tyra Hurricane Black, keeps the pickleball alive, until they eventually win the rally. 🙌 Learn more about how your attitude can enhance your play and other key takeaways 🔑 from this rally.

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#7. QUICK TIP – LOB WHEN THEY LEAN

A lob is one of the most underused shots on the pickleball court. However, this shot should be used strategically. 🧐 The optimal moment to employ a lob is when your opponents are leaning forward at the Kitchen line (i.e., they are staying low and likely expecting a dink). Seizing this opportunity disrupts their balance, forcing them to backtrack and relinquish their advantageous position. When your opponents are leaning in, you also have more space to execute a lob up and over their crouched positions. So, wait until your opponents are leaning in and then use an offensive lob to send them retreating 💨 on the court. Also, consider adding top spin to your lob for an even more aggressive shot!

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​UP YOUR GAME & HAVE A LAUGH!​

Have a laugh and learn some great tips to take to the pickleball court with longtime humor writer Frank Cerabino's book I Dink, Therefore I Am: Coming to Grips with My Pickleball Addiction! Plus, this book makes a great gift for your favorite player or partner! 📚

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#8. RULES REFRESH – PERMANENT OR NOT?

By Mark Peifer, USA Pickleball Certified Referee; Past Chairman, USA Pickleball Rules Committee

Your opponent attempts an around the post (ATP) shot, but they mistakenly hit the referee in the leg with the ball. 😳 The referee is standing in their normal position near the net post. What is the call?

The answer here requires the knowledge of two rules. The first is the definition of permanent object in Rule 3.A.24; “Permanent objects include …seats for spectators, the referee, line judges, spectators when in their recognized positions, and all other objects around and above the court.”

Now that we know the referee is considered a permanent object, what is the right call for getting hit? For that we need to see Rule 7.J. under the heading Fault Rules. "Rule 7.J: After the serve, a ball contacting any permanent object before bouncing on the court.”

Therefore, in the scenario above, this would be a fault on the person attempting the ATP because they hit a permanent object (the referee).

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#9. 6 TIPS FOR PLAYING WITH AND AGAINST A LEFTY ON THE PICKLEBALL COURT

Whether you are a right-handed, left-handed, or both-handed pickleball player, these tips will help you improve your game when playing with and against left-handed players. Learn 6 tips for playing with and against a lefty on the pickleball court now!

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#10. HEADLINES FROM THE COURT

🔊Stay in the know on all things pickleball

• You know you officially made it when you become a bobblehead. 🥳 Pickleball did just that recently. To celebrate National Pickleball Day (Aug. 8), the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled the first Pickleball Bobblehead, featuring Kitchen the Pickleball Mascot. You can buy yours today for only $30.

• Pickleball’s increase in popularity continues to drive tension at local levels. Denver is the latest city with a love-hate relationship with pickleball...
• Viva Las Vegas! 🎲 Get ready for some luxury pickleball court options in Sin City starting in spring 2024.
• We know all the advantages and life lessons pickleball brings, but soon, we can pass those same lessons on to our kids in the newest book, ‘Pickleball Paul.’ 📚 In this fictional story, the main character (a fox) 🦊 takes readers on many relatable adventures and shares positive messages along the way.

• Pickleball brings us together, ❤️‍🩹 and has the ability to heal us in more ways than one. See how one man in Florida is giving us the inspiration we all need and showing how pickleball addiction can be a good thing.
• 💰Pickleball pays! Major League Pickleball projects that 2023 prize money, distributed across six events, will total $5 million. Is it time for you to make the jump from amateur to pro?
• Watch the video below to see one player's true dedication when a rattlesnake disrupted their game by slithering 🐍 across the court.

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#11. ON THE TOUR – HISTORY MADE

The PPA tour wrapped up its Tournament of Champions over the weekend, and the competition was intense. The tournament took place Tuesday, August 15th, through Saturday, August 18th in Brigham City, Utah. After an exciting tournament, two more pros walked away joining the Triple Crown ranks 👑👑👑. Both Tyson McGuffin and Catherine Parenteau went gold three times, now joining Ben Johns, Anna Leigh Waters, and Simone Jardim as the only players in PPA Tournament history to earn a Triple Crown.

The weekend prior, the APP returned to St. Louis for the second year running for the 2023 APP St. Louis Open. It was a great weekend for the sport as the podium was filled with new names. In fact, four APP pros earned their first gold medals 🥇 of the season in front of another large crowd. Will we continue to see newer names at the top?

For a full recap on the St. Louis event and to see the full list of medal winners, check out the following:

• ​History Made at TOC with a Huge Double Triple Crown​
• ​A Welcome Double For Susannah Barr At The Association Of Pickleball Players St. Louis Open​

Don't forget to mark your calendars for more pro pickleball action in August and September! 🗓

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​GRAB 10% OFF!​

Up your game by grabbing 10% off a new paddle, shoes, and more pickleball necessities from Fromuth Pickleball (some exclusions apply) with the code 10PICKLER! 💸

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BALL'S IN YOUR COURT...

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