Anna Bright wants you to hit better lobs

Ditch the flowers and chocolate. Is this shot legal?

February 14, 2025

It’s Valentine’s Day, time to show your partner some love. We’re not talking flowers and chocolates for your significant other.

Let your pickleball partner know you appreciate them as well. Make sure they’re signed up for The Dink Newsletter by sending them your unique referral code: https://newsletter.thedinkpickleball.com/subscribe?ref=PLACEHOLDER

In This Issue:

3️⃣ Anna Bright’s topspin lob tips
🏆 MiLP has taken off in China
🤔 Big decisions to be made for MLP rosters

Show some love today.

Our Picks ☝️

💕 Love Story: “If one of us wins, we both win”

Parris Todd and Hunter Johnson share their advice for how to successfully partner with a significant other in a new video with friend of The Dink, and Survivor winner, Tyson Apostol.

🧑‍⚖️ Legal: This Shot is an Automatic Winner, But is it Legal?

It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, chaos sets in. We’re talking about when a ball bounces and then spins backward over the net. Most players are in shock to see it’s physically possible. Smart players know to do this.

🐫 Camel Enrichment: Zoo Animals are also Pickleball Fans

Who has two humps and loves pickleball? This camel at the Calgary Zoo. Can we get this guy a giant paddle? The oversized pickleball is stuffed with treats and the camel is rewarded by rolling the ball throughout the enclosure.

🏗️ Architecture: Glass Dome Looks Exactly Like a Pickleball

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art added this glass dome to its collection in 2018. Let’s just say the architect had something specific on their mind while designing this 50ft dome.

Anna Bright Wants You to Hit Better Lobs

Nothing crushes the soul of an opponent quite like a successfully landed lob. All of the work done to reach the kitchen goes out the window and they’re back to square one.

Two winners of The Nike Dink Awards teamed up in a new video to share three tips to take your topspin lobs to the next level.

  1. The right time to lob - Bright prefers to lob from the right side on a ball that bounces in the kitchen. From this position, she can lob the ball over the backhand of the opposing right-side player.

  2. Get behind the ball - Don’t lob out of desperation. Move your feet, and get behind the ball to give yourself the best chance at consistent, repeatable lobs.

  3. Disguise your shot - The form on your topspin lob and topspin dink should look as similar as possible to keep your opponent guessing. Bright says that she keeps her form and lifts more with her shoulder while brushing up the backside of the ball.

For your partner's sake, err on the side of hitting the ball too high. Let the topspin work to drop the ball inside the baseline instead of getting your partner crushed with a punishing overheard.

7 Hidden Signs Your Body Is Crying Out for Magnesium

Think your anxiety, muscle tension, and irregular heartbeat are just part of getting older? Think again. Groundbreaking research reveals how a single mineral deficiency could be behind dozens of common complaints after 50.

Muscle Cramps?

Those unexplained muscle cramps keeping you up at night? That afternoon fatigue that hits no matter how much you sleep? While most doctors check for vitamin D or iron deficiency, they often miss a crucial mineral that could be behind these mysterious symptoms.

Even more intriguing? 

Many of the medications commonly prescribed to older adults might be making this deficiency worse. Up to 80% of adults over 50 are walking around with this common deficiency without realizing it. Before you accept another prescription, there's something crucial you need to know about magnesium.

Minor League Pickleball Goes Global – China Joins the Party

Pickleball is officially taking over the world. The Dink Minor League Pickleball (MiLP) just landed in China, and let’s just say—they’re not messing around.

Leading the charge are tournament organizers Full Send Pickleball and Track Ops Media, working alongside DUPR and The Dink to bring structured, high-intensity team play to China. One quality that resonates with the players in China is the opportunity to play competitively based on skill level instead of being separated by age.

The first event went down in October 2024 and led the way for 30 additional events from Beijing to Shenzhen. In 2025, we'll see more than 300 MiLP China events take place across the country in 15 cities.

Will we see a Chinese MiLP team at this year's National Championships?

Only time will tell.

🤔 Newsletter getting clipped? Click ‘view entire message’ or click here to read online

MLP Deadlines Quickly Approaching

The first MLP trade window of the year officially closes on Saturday, Feb 15 at 10 pm ET. Two teams managed to slide one more trade in before the window closes.

  • The California Black Bears traded Amanda Hendry and cash considerations to the Brooklyn Aces in exchange for Layne Sleeth.

The bigger deadline comes on Sunday, Feb 16, when teams must decide which players they will keep for 2025 and who to drop. All teams are required to drop at least one player. Each player they decide to keep will cost them 50% of the 2024 Draft Points spent on the player.

  • For example, 840,000 Draft Points were spent to acquire Ben Johns. That means the Carolina Pickleball Club will need to spend $420,000 to keep him for the 2025 season and again for the 2026 season.

That cost might seem high, but teams can’t put their checkbooks away yet. Draft slots will be up for auction with no cap. So if there’s a high-value player in the mix a bidding war could drive the price sky high.

Love is in the Air (and on the Court)

Nothing says 'I love you' quite like a new piece of pickleball gear, am I right?

This Valentine's Day, skip the chocolates and flowers and give your sweetheart something they'll actually use: a gift from the Selkirk’s Valentine's Day Collection.

Spoil them with the Core Line Tour Bag, perfect for carrying all their gear, and the incredibly popular LUXX Control Air paddle – known for its soft feel and incredible control. Trust me, this gift will score way higher than a dozen roses.

Selkirk accessories are a thoughtful (and way more useful) gift for the pickleball player in your life. Shop the Selkirk Valentine's Day Collection now and make this Valentine's Day unforgettable.

Say 0-0-Start on Love

It’s time to ditch the dating apps. Nothing is bringing couples together quite like pickleball. And now pickleballers who have found “The Perfect Match” can win a free pickleball-themed wedding.

Travel Butler County and The Pickle Lodge are making history by throwing the first-ever courtside wedding.

That’s right—one lucky couple will get to tie the knot at The Pickle Lodge on June 14, 2025, completely on the house. If you and your partner met on the court or just live and breathe pickleball together, this is your shot at the ultimate wedding experience.

The 100-person wedding package includes:

  • Pickle Lodge outdoor and indoor venue space complete with dance floor

  • A pickleball wedding cake, catering, and craft beer

  • Custom paddles, shoes, and apparel

  • Hotel accommodations for the couple and more

Today is the last day for couples to enter the giveaway. Tell the lovebirds in your pickleball crew to submit their application here and get ready to attend THE pickleball wedding of 2025.

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