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The PicklePod has some big shoes to fill. And we're officially taking applications. Sort of.

After five years and 200+ episodes, Zane Navratil is stepping away from the mic. So who's next to join Nico the Lefty? A top pro? A fan-favorite creator? Someone completely out of left field? Wouldn’t you like to know.

In This Issue:
— 3 keys to a better third shot drop
— Nico the Lefty needs a co-host
— Pickleball's latest AI fraud problem

The search is on. Let's see who can hang.

Your paddle gets all the attention. Your feet do the work. Swap the stock foam in your court shoes for VKTRY’s carbon fiber insoles, which return energy with every step. Sized for your height, weight, and sport. Right now, they’re $99 with a 120-day money-back guarantee. Find your fit.

Miss two drops and suddenly you've forgotten how to play pickleball? You're not alone. From overthinking your serve to assuming your partner secretly hates you, Reddit players are confessing the mental spirals that derail their games. Turns out, your toughest opponent might be between your ears.

Could Novak Djokovic become the world's No. 1 pickleball player in just 18 months? Zane Navratil thinks so. On the latest PicklePod, he argues that with the right training, the tennis GOAT could conquer pickleball in a year and a half. Nico disagrees. What do you think?

All those lunges, pivots, and hard stops add up. And your knees are keeping score. From nagging tendon pain to choosing the right brace, here's how to spot trouble, protect your joints, and avoid an extended stay on the sidelines. Your knees will thank you.

Into the net. Too high. Right into someone's wheelhouse. If your third shot drop feels like a coin flip, your swing might be the problem.

After studying slow-motion footage of Anna Leigh Waters, Lea Jansen, and Anna Bright, Austin Hardy of Pickleball Playbook identified three habits the pros share:

✅ Start low, finish high. Set your paddle roughly a foot beneath the ball, tip pointing down and wrist cocked back. This builds lift into your swing instead of sending another ball into the net.

✅ Be the windshield wiper. Brush up and across the ball, finishing on the opposite side of your body. Think combing the ball's hair, not smacking it on the head. That's how you generate topspin that dips.

✅ Load your outside leg. Shift your weight onto your hitting-side leg and pivot through contact. Stay balanced, keep your head still, and let your legs do the work.

One more thing: Stop aiming vaguely for the kitchen. Target your opponent's shins and feet. A low, dipping drop is a whole lot harder to attack.

Same setup. Same swing. Every time.

➡️ Steal these three habits from the pros.

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Great paddles are nice. But what happens when something goes wrong?

For 11SIX24 founder David Groechel, the answer is simple: Take care of your people. And with sales doubling year over year, that philosophy seems to be working.

The numbers are pretty wild:

Even better? Customers seem to love the experience, too. One employee, Ben, has achieved near-celebrity status. "Ben is a legend," wrote one happy player.

But AI cuts both ways. Groechel says customers are now submitting AI-generated photos of broken paddles to score fraudulent warranty replacements. Yes, really.

Still, his philosophy hasn't changed: Make great gear. Treat people right. Keep them coming back.

The paddles may bring customers in.

➡️ See how 11SIX24 is raising the bar.

That’s flax. The plant, then the woven fabric, then the layer sandwiched between two sheets of carbon fiber in the Revolin ARC’s face.

It’s there to dampen vibration, so you get the pop without the harsh feedback that comes with stiff paddles.

Revolin says flax performs a lot like fiberglass, and the result is a softer, more connected feel with a generous sweet spot.

TerraGrit keeps the spin texture durable, so the bite lasts. Choose the hybrid for stability or the elongated for reach.

Get your hands on the ARC with TerraGrit. $136 with code THEDINK.

After five years and more than 200 episodes, Zane Navratil has announced that next week will be his last as host of the PicklePod.

It’s the end of an era. In that time, Zane has emerged as one of the most prominent and respected voices in the sport — and won his share of medals and accolades along the way.

But one departing host means one very big opening. Who will join Nico the Lefty as the new co-host?

➡️ Tune in to learn more.

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