With Halloween 🎃 - and all of the costume parties that go along with it - right around the corner, does anyone want to be the paddle to our pickleball?

While we wait for Halloween, we have a packed newsletter to get through. Whether you love the lob, or love to hate the lob, the lob is the hot shot 🔥 as of late. So, to keep you up with the on-court trends, we have tips and strategies for you to master the lob and master beating the lobber. Plus, more pickleball tricks and treats from rule updates that could impact your game (quick preview - say bye to the chainsaw serve...), to pickleball in the Guinness Book of World Records, to pickleball making a positive impact, to other great stories from the courts... Let's get right to it!

---

#1. 9 TIPS TO HIT THE PERFECT LOB ON THE PICKLEBALL COURT

A lob is a shot in pickleball where you will put some height on the trajectory of the pickleball and send the pickleball relatively high into the air. The lob is becoming a more common shot on the pickleball courts, across all skill levels—including the pro pickleball levels. As a result, it is important to add this shot to your arsenal.

​Click here to learn 9 tips for the perfect lob on the pickleball court, including mechanics to hit the lob, as well as pickleball strategies to hit the most effective lob possible.

---

#2. HOW TO BEAT A LOBBER

Now, what if the lob, which is becoming more and more prevalent, is being used against you?! With the rise of the lob, it is more important than ever to know how to beat a lobber 🦞 on the pickleball court. Click here to learn three main strategies in beating a lobber or otherwise defending against the lob.

---

#3. WATERS SPOTLIGHT - TEAM WATERS READY TO END 2021 WITH A BANG

The biggest, baddest, coolest pickleball tournaments and events are all coming up between now and December 2021. And, Anna Leigh and Leigh Waters, the dynamic, mother-daughter duo making up Team Waters, are here for it!

​Click here to learn what is in store for Team Waters through the end of the 2021 calendar year from Leigh Waters herself. 💦

And, continue to follow Leigh's and Anna Leigh's journey here in Pickler's free pickleball newsletter, as well as on Instagram and Facebook. Also, mark your calendars 🗓 to watch Leigh and Anna Leigh compete in the PPA Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Wednesday, October 20th through Sunday, October 24th! You can catch them in action on the PPA Tour's YouTube channel.

---

​A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR: 10% OFF SUPERIOR LABS SUPPLEMENTS​

Don't let aches and pains get in the way of your game. Superior Labs supplements naturally support your body's ability to rebound, refresh, and heal. Potent, pure, and effective - with everything you need and nothing you don't.

New Pickler customers enjoy 10% off any size order (limit 1 per customer, now through 10/31/2021). Shop now at superiorlabs.com and use the code "SUPERIOR10" at checkout. Serve with confidence, smash the competition, and slay all day at any age!

Superior Labs is a proud sponsor of the USA Pickleball Association.

---

#4. QUICK TIP - IMPROVE YOUR BACKHAND WITH BALANCE

At times, pickleball players will mishit their backhand shots - for instance, their backhand dinks - because they pull their paddle-side shoulder and open up. For those pickleball players that are turning prematurely, try bringing your hands together on the pickleball paddle prior to contact, and then throwing your non-paddle hand backward in the opposite direction of your paddle striking the pickleball. Think of this like you are spreading your arms at contact (with a light bend in your elbow). By throwing your non-paddle hand backward in the opposite direction, you are balancing your body out ⚖️ and will be less likely to turn out and open your shoulder. As a result, by using your non-paddle hand for balance, you will also have less mishits on the pickleball court.

For a deeper dive on tips to improve your backhand shots, click here.

---

#5. DEKEL BAR: LIVING THE PICKLEBALL DREAM IN DREAMLAND

In life, a series of events can lead you exactly to where you are today. And, if any one of those events is missing, where you might be in life may be completely different. We recently sat down with pro pickleball player, Dekel Bar, which this seemed to ring true for.

​Click here to learn Bar's series of events that led him to be on the top pro pickleball players. Plus, grab some pro tips from Bar on how to mentally be in the game and how to master the Erne on the pickleball court. 💪

---

#6. WOMEN'S CORNER - PICKLEBALL + BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the people and businesses in the pickleball community are showing up in support 💕. For instance, ONIX Pickleball (one of the large pickleball-specific companies in the industry) donated $10,000 to IWIN (Indiana Women in Need Foundation) to increase awareness of breast cancer and help families affected by the disease, as well as created a pink line of pickleball paddles and bags to spread awareness (check out the pink line below or click here). Also, pickleball players and clubs hosted breast cancer awareness events, like the Hammock Bay Pickleball Club's "Dink for Pink Fundraiser" in Freeport, Florida.

Bottom line: We love that the sport of pickleball is used as a vehicle for good out there! Could pickleball be the perfect fundraising activity?​

---

#7. NOTEWORTHY - LONGEST PICKLEBALL RALLY HITS GUINNESS WORLD RECORD BOOK!

Identical twin brothers, Angelo and Ettore Rossetti, set a new Guinness World Record for the longest pickleball rally on World Pickleball Day (October 10th, 2021). After 6 hours and 11 minutes, the Rossetti brothers hit more than 16,000 consecutive shots to become the likely world record holders (to note, the Guinness Book of World Records still has to verify the results, which is a process that could take up to 3 months) 🤯. That is about 43 shots per minute for 371 minutes! The Rossetti brothers also raised $3,000 for the Save the Children charity... yet another example of using the sport of pickleball for good (just like raising awareness for breast cancer during this month of October)!

Fun fact: The Rossetti brothers now hold three Guinness World Records - the longest pickleball rally, plus the longest tennis volley rally (30,576 volleys) and longest tennis rally by time duration (14 hours and 31 minutes). Also, the Rossetti brothers have raised over $100,000 for Save the Children. Way to go, guys! 👏

---

​A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR: 35% OFF TRUST BIOLOGIC PAIN GEL​

Pickleball keeps us all young – whether we are a junior pickleball player or a junior pickleball player at heart. Regardless of age, we all want to play pickleball to live longer and live better. To keep you in top shape on the pickleball court for years to come, use TRUST Biologic's CBD+CBG Pain Gel both before and after you play to cure any outward aging complaints, inflammation, aches, and pains.

Learn more about TRUST Biologic today by visiting trustbiologic.com. All TRUST Biologic products are 100% satisfaction guaranteed and ship for free, and you can grab 35% off your first order with the code "PICKLER35"!

---

#8. HEADLINES FROM THE COURT

There is no slowing down for the sport of pickleball 💨. Catch up quick with the latest headlines from the pickleball court...

• Did you know that, on average, two new places to play pickleball popped up every day last year across the United States?
• Two students at the University of Virginia started a pickleball club after coming back to campus from lockdown during the COVID pandemic. Now, they have over 300 members! Pickleball is growing rapidly, especially with the younger demographic.
• Daytona Beach Shores pickleball player, Paul Connifey, has played pickleball for 1,000 straight days and counting... Sounds like Connifey is living his best life! 😎
• The sport of pickleball got some TV screen time over the past couple weeks, as pickleball was a topic of conversation on ABC's hit show, "A Million Little Things," and Ben Johns and Collin Johns were featured on "Live with Kelly on Ryan." This screen time only helps to further the growth and interest in pickleball. 📺
• Louisville had its first USA Pickleball sanctioned tournament these past couple weeks on October 8th through October 10th. Ahead of the tournament, Jefferson County's pickleball ambassador, Michael Fulkerson, had some notable comments on the newswires, which we think captured the power of pickleball and the community around the sport:
  • "I was an empty-nester and I didn't know I was kind of depressed and lonely from my kids not being around so much. And the pickleball family kind of filled that void. It's just been wonderful for me."
  • "You have a painting contractor by trade, a geologist, a realtor and a doctor, and we're all playing on the same court, having a ball playing."

• Continuing with the theme of giving back and doing "good" in this newsletter, a new start-up, Autside, is laying claim to the yard games space with high-end, cleverly designed products for play, while giving back to the autism community (hence the name Autside). The slogan of the company, "Feel Good Field Goods," brings together the concept of yard games and giving back, and this giveback component is important to Autside's founder, Glen Collins, on a personal level, as he has found that play therapy is so transformative for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), like his son. Although focusing on yard games as a whole (e.g., cornhole, frisbee, etc.), Autside is jumping head first into the sport of pickleball. Autside is looking to connect with the pickleball community and the social good heart that comes with it. The fact that Autside was conceived in a social environment with friends over tacos and beers, that Autside has a mission of getting people outside and playing together, and that Autside has a founder that is very passionate about pickleball and all the fun that comes with it, Autside may just be a new member of the pickleball community that is in it for the long haul. Click here to learn more about Autside.

• Pro pickleball player, JW Johnson (18 years old and with a birthday around the corner), put on a show at the APP Hilton Head Pickleball Open! Johnson brought home a pair of gold medals in pro mixed doubles and pro men's doubles 🥇🥇. On the mixed side, Johnson partnered with reigning #1, Simone Jardim, for a first-time partnership (and a 24-year age gap between the two... don't you love pickleball bringing all ages together!). When asked the key to success for their first time playing together, Johnson noted he "just did what [he] was told." Jardim seemed to be the strategist, while Johnson was the executioner. Then, on the men's side, Johnson partnered with fellow teenager, Dylan Frazier, to take down AJ Koller and Callan Dawson in a lob-centric final. As we noted at the top of this newsletter, the lob is definitely the hot shot as of late 🔥. On the pro women's doubles side, Lea Jansen and Vivienne David had a day, taking home the gold medal 🥇. These two surely need to team up again in the future, as they had some great chemistry on the court.
• Mark your calendars 🗓 for live pro pickleball at the next major pickleball tournament, the PPA Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Wednesday, October 20th through Sunday, October 24th.

---

#9. RULES REFRESH - BROKEN BALL, WHAT NOW?

Have you ever suspected that a pickleball is cracked or broken during a rally and you weren't sure what to do? We have you covered...

If a pickleball is cracked or broken during a rally 💔, then the players on the pickleball court should continue play until the end of the rally. After the rally has ended, and before the next serve, any player on the pickleball court may appeal the rally to the referee (or the opposing player(s)) to determine if the pickleball is in fact broken or cracked. Upon appeal:

• If the pickleball is broken or cracked and there is a referee, then the referee will determine whether the broken or cracked pickleball affected the outcome of the rally. If so, then the rally will be replayed with a new pickleball. If not, then the rally will stand, and the referee will give the players a new pickleball.
• If the pickleball is broken or cracked and there is no referee, then the players on both sides of the pickleball net must agree that the broken or cracked pickleball affected the outcome of the rally. If so, then the rally will be replayed with a new pickleball. If there is a disagreement, then the rally will stand.
• If the pickleball is not broken or cracked, then the rally will stand and the players will continue play.

Key takeaway: If you suspect a broken or cracked pickleball, focus on your play and finish the rally to the best of your ability. Then, consider whether to appeal to the referee or opposing pickleball player(s).

For a deeper breakdown on all of the rules of pickleball, check out Pickler's Ultimate Guide to the Rules of Pickleball.

Have you had an interesting rules issue on the pickleball court? Send it to us at stacie@thepickler.com, so we can share with the rest of the pickleball community in a future newsletter.

---

#10. PICKLEBALL RULE CHANGES ARE IMMINENT

Every year, USA Pickleball takes a hard look at the rules of pickleball in an effort to improve the rules. This year is no different, except that USA Pickleball has tried to improve the transparency in its review process. To date, the USA Pickleball Rules Committee has voted on certain rule changes, which include:

1. The "chainsaw" serve (using two hands or the paddle to spin the pickleball before striking the serve) will be prohibited; and
2. The drop serve will no longer have a provisional status and is here to stay.

Now, it is time for the USA Pickleball Rules Committee to take the proposed changes to its board of directors for a final vote (which will likely be a confirmation of the Rules Committee's recommendations). Also, worth noting, the concept of rally scoring did not pass (so no changes will be made to the scoring), but a careful study will be performed to see if rally scoring should be implemented in the future.

Bottom line: Say "bye-bye" 👋 to the two-handed, or one-handed + paddle, spin serve...

---

#11. TURNING DEFENSE INTO OFFENSE

Life lessons come from all places - even unexpected places, like the pickleball court.

There is an old adage that says “the best defense is a good offense.” Defense is essential to success in many aspects of life, including life on the pickleball court. However, defense alone will not result in success.

​Click here to learn the importance of being able to turn defense into offense on the pickleball court.

---

NO TRICKS! ALL TREATS!

Live better. Play pickleball. And, look darn good doing it! Shop Pickler's new pickleball collections to grab the pink hoodie below 👇. Plus, 10% of all profits will go toward non-profit organizations that support the growth of the sport of pickleball!

Shop Now

Looking for a fun pickleball camp to get away, make new friends, and play pickleball? What could be better, right? Check out EngagePickleball's camps, which provide the best value in the business. You might even get a free EngagePickleball paddle while you're there, too!

---

HELP YOUR PARTNER OUT!

Know someone that could benefit from a few pickleball tips? Maybe you'd like your pickleball partner to learn to play better pickleball? If so, share this newsletter! We provide this newsletter for free and rely on word-of-mouth to grow our audience, and we've made sharing easy!

Plus, if you serve up referrals, we will send some awesome rewards your way! For just 3 referrals, you will earn a $10 gift card to Pickler's shop, for 20 referrals, you will earn a $50 gift card to our friends over at Fromuth Pickleball, and, for 30 referrals, you will earn access to Pickler's pickleball video lesson collection (value of $134.95)!

Just be sure to use your unique referral link below:

Also, don't forget to follow us on all of your favorite social media channels, including Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

BALL'S IN YOUR COURT...

---

​Interested in partnering with us?​