The most abused out call in pickleball

How other sports influence your game. Reviews from video game debut.

July 19, 2024

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In This Issue:

☝️ The most abused out call
🌏 The United Pickleball Association stamps its passport
🎮 Initial reviews from the PPA Pickleball Tour 2025 release

Game on.

Using Other Sports for Better Pickleball

When the putaway doesn’t go as planned

In today's Up Your Game, we discuss skills you can take from non-racquet sports and apply them to your pickleball game.

Baseball & Softball

Paddle is prepped before the ball arrives

In baseball or softball, early preparation is the key to consistent and better results in all aspects of your game.

When fielding, you're taught to put your open glove in the spot where the ball is going because it helps you field more cleanly and puts you in a position to throw.

In the batter's box, you prep your body early by holding your bat up high and reading where the pitch is going. This allows you to time your swing and prevent being too early (pulling the ball) or too late (pushing it).

In pickleball, it's the same.

When you recognize the ball is going to a specific spot, you want to move your body to that spot and prep your paddle position early. If done correctly, it should feel like you're paused while waiting for the ball.

This early prep allows cleaner volleys, better dinks, and stronger drives.

Golf

Develop a pre-serve routine

Routines are common in golf.

You assess your target, look at your surroundings to find the best path, and take a practice swing, visualizing what the ball will do.

These routines help us build physical triggers and mentally prepare us for what's about to happen. In short, they eliminate mistakes.

You could just walk up and whack it, but your chances of repeatedly recreating good form and technique are slim.

Developing a routine before you serve can do the same in pickleball.

To develop a strong serve routine that prevents silly mistakes, try this:

  1. Assess and visualize where you want the ball to go

  2. Set your stance, making sure your feet are firmly planted

  3. Bounce the ball in front of you while taking a breath

  4. Release your breath as you serve the ball

Learning from previously played sports is a great way to enhance your pickleball game. What can you find in your past to help you play better pickleball?

Prep, Play, Recover

It’s mid-July, and the sun is blazing down, turning your latest pickleball match into a true test of endurance. You’re pushing hard, the points are long, and each drive feels hotter than the last. As you hydrate to fend off cramps, there’s another secret weapon waiting courtside to keep you in top form: the Theragun Prime by Therabody.

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Sync it with the Therabody app and you can tailor your recovery routine to match your body’s needs, ensuring you’re always game ready, even on the hottest days.

Don’t let the summer slow you down and snag a Theragun Prime. Use promo code DINK10 at checkout for a cool discount. Here’s to playing pain-free, staying agile, and keeping your summer games as hot as your drives!

The Most Abused Out Call in Pickleball

One of the strangest rules in pickleball is that the kitchen line is ‘out’ on a serve. It’s one extra thing you have to clarify for beginner players and is the source of controversy whenever a ball is close.

What’s worse is that some players choose to apply that same thinking to the midline. Sure they know the correct rules — that the three remaining lines are in — but for some reason, balls that hit the midline are commonly called out.

One player on the PB Forum commented “Say it loud and often! It’s the most abused out call.”

There’s something about a ball that nears the midline that leads people to call it out.

It could be that serves near the midline are somewhat rare.

  • Casual players don’t commonly place balls near the midline because it presents an added risk

  • When a ball does go that way, some assume it’s a mistake and decide in their heads that it is out before it hits the ground

A ball near the midline is also difficult for partners to help make the call. From their vantage point on the opposite side of the court, the ball blocks their view of the line.

That puts more pressure on the returner of serve. And when you’re the one hitting the ball, it can be hard to also be the one making the line call.

What’s your take on the midline serve? Do you agree that it’s the most abused out call in the game? Reply to this email and let us know what you think.

UPA Announces Five-Stop International Series

The United Pickleball Association has announced the UPA International Championship Series, which includes five tour stops in 2025. This is a chance to expand the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball brands outside of the United States while growing the game on a global level. 

  • Australia Pickleball Open - Melbourne, Australia - Jan. 29-Feb. 2: The inaugural international event kicks off the series in late January, hosted by PPA Tour Australia

  • India Pickleball Open - Mumbai, India - Feb. 5-9: Following Melbourne, the series moves to Mumbai, India, hosted by PPA Tour India

  • Canada Pickleball Open - Toronto, Canada in September: Pro pickleball heads to the Great White North

  • Asia Pickleball Open - TBA, Asia in October: The fourth event in October expands the series' reach and participation within Asia, with the exact location to be announced. Hosted by PPA Tour Asia

  • Europe Pickleball Open - TBA, Europe in October: The fifth event is scheduled for October at a European venue yet to be announced

It will not just be amateurs from the host country competing in these events. The UPA’s top pros like Ben Johns, Anna Leigh Waters, Catherine Parenteau, and more will be putting their talents on display.

This comes as the APP Tour expands in Europe and India, Major League Pickleball takes hold in Australia, the Pickleball World Series announces a six-continent competition, and countless amateur tournaments continue to sprout up across the globe.

Play with Precision

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What’s special about the Pro S1? Its patented 38-hole design ensures consistent flight and bounce, enhancing your shot precision. But it doesn’t stop there; these balls are seriously tough. Each one comes with a 1-Year No-Crack Warranty, letting you play hard and worry-free.

Due to popular demand, the 4 packs and 100 packs have flown off the shelves! The good news? There are still 12 packs available, but they're going fast.

Swing by Selkirk’s website to snag your 12-pack of Pro S1 balls and experience why top players trust them in every match.

Reviews of Pickleball’s Newest Video Game

The new PPA Pickleball Tour 2025 video game hit shelves on Wednesday. The first-of-its-kind game took on the challenge of converting a nuanced sport (that can be dull at times) into a video game.

Like most things in life, the game was met with mixed reviews:

  • “The graphics aren't great, but so far I think the gameplay is really fun. To a pickleball fan I think it's definitely worth trying (it's FAR better than any other pickleball game I've tried).“ via Reddit

  • “After playing this for a few hours, I can say that this game really does replicate the fun of pickleball on the screen. It scratches that pickleball itch.” via Reddit

  • “This game is UGLY. The fact that they are charging $50 for this is a joke. I had high hopes for this but it did not even come close to meeting expectations.” via Steam

  • “Looks like a game made in 2002” via Instagram

Of course, Memesofpickleball found their own favorite parts of the game to highlight. When it comes to graphics, the game doesn’t meet the standards in the industry in 2024.

On some shots, the ball misses the paddle altogether, it just changes direction back over the net. But give it time, pickleball has come a long way since 1965. Try it for yourself here.

A review from the Dink Fam...

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