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The Philadelphia Eagles are Super Bowl Champions. Eagles fans hit the streets of Philly and New Orleans to celebrate.

For football fans and players, it doesn’t get better than a Super Bowl victory. When it comes to epic days in pickleball, one power couple logged a historic one yesterday. More on that below.

In This Issue:

3️⃣ 3 drills you can’t live without
🏆 Results from the pro pickleball doubleheader
🏝️ Billionaire island pulls back on pickleball ban

Congrats Eagles fans.

Our Picks ☝️

🧑‍🎓 College Pickle: OSU Snags Super Regional Title

The Ohio State University was the big winner at the Ohio Super Regional on the Collegiate Pickleball Tour. Wisconsin, Miami (OH), and Michigan State rounded out the top 4 and earned qualifying bids to the Collegiate National Championship.

🏆 Family Matters: Look Who Is Playing Minor League Pickleball

The Dink Minor League Pickleball is a proving ground for players with pro aspirations. That includes the mother of pro player Anna Bright and the brother of Gabe Tardio. Gather your team and compete in The Dink Minor League Pickleball event closest to you here.

🫳 Dropped: The Player Who Dropped Ben Johns

Max Freeman was set to play the PPA Cape Coral Open with the world’s No. 1 Ben Johns. New 2025 policies have sandwiched him between a rock and a hard place.

🔄 Trade: AZ Drive Change Name and Swap Players

After receiving a majority investment from the owners of the paddle brand Proton, the AZ Drive have changed their name to Phoenix Flames. It’s rumored that the first roster move for the new owners will be to bring in Proton-sponsored player Meghan Dizon via a trade with the Orlando Squeeze.

KOTC broke news that the Phoenix Flames have traded Dylan Frazier and Lacy Schneemann to the Orlando Squeeze in exchange for Tyson McGuffin and Meghan Dizon.

3 Drills You Can’t Live Without

The Johns Bros are the kings of pickleball drilling. You’ll rarely catch them in a rec game as they spend most of their time on the court doing drills.

On the PicklePod, we asked Collin Johns what three drills he couldn’t live without. Here are his answers:

1. Skinny Singles - at the kitchen
When Ben and Collin partner up, they like to stack. Ben is always on the left and Collin on the right. In this drill, they can spend all of their time on their preferred side of the court without a need to change positions.

A dink starts the rally and then the ball is live with each person trying to win the point. The drill works on “speedups, counters, blocks, different types of dinks, trying to get each other off balance.”

Johns explains that at his level this drill is preferred over cross-court dinking, “Because a lot of pickleball is attacking straight ahead and countering attacks that are hit from straight ahead.”

2. Skinny Singles - one up and one back
This is commonly played as a 7-11 game. The person back tries to get to 7 points before the person at the line can get to 11 points.

Johns says he prefers this over skinny singles because of the number of reps. Specifically the number of reps on important shots, the thirds, fourths, and fifths.

Find Collin’s third drill and see the Johns bros practicing here.

MUEV's Winter Clearance is Here

Alright, let's be honest, winter can be a drag. But hey, at least you can look good while you're playing pickleball. MUEV's winter clearance is here, and it's got some serious deals on stylish apparel for both men and women.

Think sharp polos for the guys and effortlessly chic dresses for the ladies. It's the perfect time to refresh your courtside look without breaking the bank.

Plus, with free shipping on orders over $50, you can treat yourself without any guilt.

So go ahead, browse the sale and find something that makes you feel good on and off the court. You deserve it.

Pickleball Ban Pulled Back—What’s Next?

In a win for pickleball players, the Planning Board has backed off its proposal to ban pickleball courts on residential properties islandwide.

Originally introduced to address noise complaints, the amendment will remain on the Annual Town Meeting warrant, but board members voted 4-1 to recommend voters take no action.

Instead of an outright ban, the board is considering regulations like setback requirements to prevent courts from being built too close to property lines. Some members also suggested broader rules for all "game courts" to close potential loopholes.

While this means pickleball courts are safe for now, discussions on regulation will likely continue and some are anticipating a flood of applications to build courts while no restriction exists. Stay tuned for updates!

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An Epic Day For Two of Pickleball’s Best

Parris Todd and Hunter Johnson are officially couple goals in the world of pickleball. You can’t have a more epic day than what these two pulled off yesterday at the PPA Tucson Open.

Couple Goals
Parris and Hunter were already slated to make history by appearing in this electric Super Bowl commercial from Michelob Ultra. To make the day even sweeter, they each won singles titles on Championship Sunday at the Tucson Open.

Hunter furthered his claim towards the No. 1 spot by defeating Christian Alshon 11-7, 11-2. Parris took care of business against Kaitlyn Christian 11-2, 11-3.

Alshon’s Triple Crown Threat
Christian Alshon proved he’s a true triple-crown threat by qualifying for all three Championship Sunday finals. While he lost in singles and mixed, he and Andrei Daescu put on an impressive performance in men’s doubles.

They took out Ben Johns/Hayden Patriquin on their way to a finals win over JW Johnson/Gabe Tardio. In a time where some of the other top dogs play the partner shuffle, these two could rack up some titles and become the team to beat.

Anna Leigh’s Double Gold
It’s not a true pickleball weekend if Anna Leigh Waters doesn’t add medals to her collection. She quietly brought home the mixed doubles title with Ben Johns and the women’s doubles title with Catherine Parenteau.

PPA Tucson Open Results

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.

Munro and Fudge Collect Double Gold

Rivalries are starting to form at the top of the APP Tour ranks. Megan Fudge and Jack Munro took home the most hardware from Vlasic Classic in Daytona Beach.

Men’s Doubles Battle
The closest match on Sunday was a nail-biter between Jack Munro/Will Howells vs Erik Lange/Max Manthou. Munro and Howells escaped with a narrow win 12-10, 11-9, and have back-to-back titles to start the year.

Partner Swap
Jill Braverman/Megan Fudge teamed up for another women’s doubles. Then both the men’s/women’s champions split up to partner with one another in mixed. Munro/Fudge got the best of Braverman/Howells in this meeting to secure the double gold.

Great Expectations
The biggest takeaway from the weekend will be Sofia Sewing securing her first pro medal. Her breakout comes with high expectations and some have her selected as a top 5 player by the end of the year.

Seven Straight
No one can touch Chris Haworth in the singles game. He won his seventh straight title on Sunday and added a bronze in mixed to pad his doubles resume.

APP Vlasic Classic - Daytona Beach Results

Headlines & Quick Hits

• Pickleball Strategy for the Three Zones of the Court

• A Pickleball That Plays Great & Helps The Planet

• Zane holds nothing back. Debating new pickleball policies with UPA exec.

• Best Dressed: APP Vlasic Classic & PPA Proton Tucson Open

Highlights

•  🔫 Is this shot in your arsenal

• 🙈 She hit’em where the sun don’t shine

• 🏆 Go on - brush your shoulder off Tina

Missed a recent issue? We've got you covered

• Amateur players' most common mistake

• Earn your poaching license

• The paddle too hot for public release

A review from the Dink Fam...

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