Earn your poaching license

JD Martinez and Linkin Park join the pickleball crew. Pro pickle doubleheader.

February 05, 2025

Some memes cut right to the core. For pickleballers (and any racquet sports player) this one cuts deep.

In This Issue:

🪪 Earn your license to poach
✌️ Pro pickleball doubleheader
📈 USA Pickleball growing the game near you

“The truth is... I am Iron Man.”

Our Picks ☝️

👨‍⚖️ Lawsuits: Who is Held Responsible For Eye Injuries in Open Play

Every time you pick up a paddle, you might be stepping into a legal minefield. One lawyer tells the cautionary tale of how an injury can lead to legal trouble.

👚 Gear: The Girlies Pickleball Club

Anna Bright and Rachel Rohrabacher took ‘The Girlies’ partnership to a new level with a merch drop on Monday. Their signature sweater sold out within 5 hours.

⚾️ Baseball: JD Martinez Lands Pickleball Sponsor - JOOLA

The six-time MLB All-Star and World Series champ has spent 14 seasons dialing in one of the cleanest swings in baseball. But now, he’s setting his sights on a different court.

🎸 Rock: Linkin Park Has A New Habit to Break

The popular rock band with hits from the 2000s and 2010s found somewhere to belong and it’s on the court with the rest of us.

Earn Your Poaching License

Most players are only a threat to poach when their forehand is in the middle.

But if you’ve seen Anna Leigh Waters fly around the court, then you know she is willing to poach from anywhere. Her two-handed backhand poach is one of the most dangerous in the game,

If you don’t trust your backhand, then it’s hard to justify flying across the court and taking an aggressive hack. So what do we do to develop trust? Drill.

Selkirk-sponsored pro player Susannah Barr demonstrated how she drills this shot in a new video.

This drill will test both your footwork and conditioning. Start in the mid-court and practice crashing on a ball like it’s a popped-up fourth.

Quickly, return to your side of the court and cycle through the process again and again until you feel confident crushing twoeys like ALW.

Selkirk LABS Project 008 is Here

We've been waiting patiently, and it's finally here: the Selkirk LABS Project 008 paddle.

Their new PureFoam paddle core technology is revolutionizing paddle performance. It resists deformation, ensuring long-lasting playability.

The high-density core enhances feel, maximizes spin, and expands the sweet spot, while the perimeter's foam wall boosts responsiveness. Every shot feels impactful and consistent.

The Project 008 comes in the usual thicknesses: 16mm, 13mm, and 10mm (available very soon). You'll also find the familiar Epic and Invikta shapes, but get ready for this: they've introduced the 'Tour' shape – the longest handle and longest paddle shape they've ever made.

USAP Grant to Benefit 100K+ Players

USA Pickleball Serves, the charitable arm of USA Pickleball, has announced the recipients of its 'Grow the Game' grant program. A total of 51 community organizations and schools across the United States have been awarded tailored pickleball equipment bundles from Franklin to support the initiation or expansion of their programs.

The 'Grow the Game' grant program aims to encourage and support community organizations and schools to offer pickleball programs, thereby increasing exposure to the sport. This initiative is set to benefit over 192,000 individuals nationwide.

The awarded equipment bundles are designed to assist in beginning or maintaining pickleball programs, contributing to the growth of the sport at the grassroots level.

A couple of this year’s winners include:

  • Boys & Girls Club of Flagstaff – Flagstaff, AZ

  • California State University Dominguez Hills – Carson, CA

  • Goshen Elementary School – Augusta, GA

  • The Be Kind People Project – Phoenix, AZ

  • Creighton University – Omaha, NE

The second round of applications for the ‘Grow the Game’ grant will open on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, and close on Aug. 5, 2025. Find out how to apply here.

An Arizona Residency

When it comes to pickleballers per capita, the Phoenix area might lead the nation. In fact, when PPA Tour CEO Connor Pardoe researched their underserved markets, he found Tucson to be high on the list.

To remedy that issue, the PPA Tour has set up a residency in Arizona for the month of February. This week the tour hits Tucson for the first time with the Tucson Open. Immediately following that event, they make the 112-mile trek North for the Mesa Cup Feb 17-23.

All Eyes on Ben and Hayden
The biggest story out of Tucson will be a first-time partnership between Ben Johns and Hayden Patriquin. It’s always fun to see Ben play with someone new and even though Big H has nothing left to prove, a title alongside Ben would be a welcomed addition to the resume.

We Are Never Getting Back Together
It’s water under the bridge for Riley Newman and Matt Wright. They will attempt to rekindle some 2022 magic for a championship run in Tucson.

Open Singles
Ben Johns, Anna Leigh Waters, and Catherine Parenteau are all sitting out from singles. Kaitlyn Christian will step in as the No.1 seed in women’s singles.

Since this event is an open, one division will be played each day. Tomorrow is singles day with mixed doubles and men’s/women’s doubles to follow on Friday and Saturday respectively.

Find a full preview of the event including predictions from our guy Erik Tice here.

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

Swap Your Slips for Grips

It’s probably time to switch up your grip.

Exo Grip is here to save your game with easy, effective solutions that keep your paddle just where it should be—firmly in your hand.

Peel off your old grip, clean the handle to get rid of any stickiness, and roll out a fresh Exo Grip. Start at the base, wrap tightly and evenly to the top, trim any extra, and secure it with the finishing tape. Done and done.

Give your gear the grip it deserves!

Off to the Races in Daytona Beach

The APP Tour will be entertaining Florida crowds with the Vlasic Classic in Daytona Beach. It’s the tour’s second event of the year and the favorites from Fort Lauderdale will look to maintain a monopoly on gold medals in Daytona.

Fudge Poised for a Big Year
Megan Fudge made it clear last month that she’s got big goals in 2025. She won double-gold in Fort Lauderdale and will aim to do the same in Dayonta. Fudge has a legitimate chance to lead the tour in both singles and doubles for the full calendar slate.

Men’s Singles Shake Up
We won’t see another Chris Haworth vs Grayson Goldin meeting in the finals this week. They’re on the same side of the draw and would meet each other in the semifinals. Will Howells is the top seed on the other side and will have to battle the likes of Patrick Kawka, Jack Foster, or William Sobek to reach the finals.

Coverage for the event starts tomorrow at 10 am ET on APPTV. Find a full preview of the event here.

Headlines & Quick Hits

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