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When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Or, if you’re former PPA pro James Ignatowich, make an absolute killing launching your own paddle brand.

Iggy joins the PicklePod this week to talk about turning his unceremonious pro termination into a pickleball paddle empire — and why he’s not looking back anytime soon.

In This Issue:
— Big names traded early in MLP
— The 3-step topspin progression
— The APP Tour’s signing spree

Always look on the bright side.

The MLP trade window is open, and already some big names have hit the block. Christian Alshon and Chris Haworth are headed to Brooklyn, Genie Bouchard to LA, and Jessie Irvine to Atlanta. And we’re only getting started. We’re tracking all the moves in real time right here.

Stop us if you’ve heard this before: you drill and drill and drill only to lose it all the second you start playing an actual match. This is called coaching lag, and it happens to everyone. There’s a fix, but you might not like it. Yep — go drill some more.

With MLP consolidating to just 20 Premier teams this season, roster spots are at a premium. Of note: 17 players were drafted this season who have never played MLP before. That’s about 15% of the 120 total players. MLP OG Zane Navratil discusses.

Whether you're a coach, PE teacher, or just a parent watching a gaggle of kids, these fun pickleball games will get everyone moving, involved, and having fun. They burn tons of energy, and you look like a coaching genius. You’re welcome.

Adding topspin to your pickleball shot is a must once you hit a certain level. But it’s deceptively difficult. The pros, as they so often do, make it look so simple. Effortless. Second nature.

Us rec league warriors know different. A simple push or slice dink is easy. Consistent. But start brushing up on the ball and a whole new degree of difficulty has been added. Soon we’re spraying dinks all over the court. And we look, and feel, like amateurs again.

But fear not. We’ve got a simple but effective progression you can run through to add this all-important skill to your arsenal.

✅ The self-feed drill starts simple. Drop the ball in front of you and focus on one thing: getting your paddle tip down.

Your palm should face the ground. Yes, it feels weird. But that's the point. By exaggerating this position, you can actually see the ball spinning as it comes off the ground. Think of it as going from six o'clock to twelve o'clock with your paddle. The motion is extreme and low-to-high. Bend your knees if you need to. Just get under that ball.

✅ Once you've got the feel from self-feeding, have a partner toss you some balls with minimal pace.

You're not taking a full backswing yet. You're just working on being turned to the side and letting your paddle move from low to high. The goal is to feel the difference between dropping a ball and having one come at you. Keep that palm toward the ground. Brush low to high. Repeat until it starts to feel natural.

✅ Now your partner feeds you balls with actual pace. This is where timing comes in. You need to bring the paddle back, drop the paddle face, and get under the ball off the bounce. Your paddle stays closed, your swing motion stays firm and compact as you move through the shot. Contact the back of the ball and brush up on it in an exaggerated motion.

Here’s an obvious but helpful tip: on each shot, actually visualize applying aggressive topspin to the ball. Now make it happen. Over and over again.

➡️ Watch the video.

You don’t just train hard. You want to hold up.

Pickleball isn’t exactly gentle on your body.

Long rallies. Quick cuts. Early mornings. Back-to-back matches.

And after 30? Your natural collagen production starts declining — about 1% per year. That matters because collagen is what supports your joints, connective tissue, skin, hair, and nails.

A lot of collagen powders only contain one or two types.

Organixx Clean Sourced Collagens includes all 5 major collagen types — plus vitamin C to help your body actually absorb and use it.

So whether your focus is joint support, recovery, or just looking as strong as you feel — this covers the full spectrum.

If you’re going to supplement, use one that’s complete.

Check out Organixx Clean Sourced Collagens.

James Ignatowich used to be a household name on the PPA Tour. The only thing faster than his counter were his feet, moving a mile a minute as he blazed around the court in a ball of endless energy.

Then he was fired. Or “terminated” in more polite terms. He appealed, but it felt more symbolic than anything. While many players in that position would wallow in self-pity or take to social media to complain, James changed course and started his own paddle brand instead.

And he’s never looked back.

On this week’s PicklePod, Iggy joins Nico and Zane to talk through that decision and why he thinks RPM has seen such explosive success — to the tune of about 10,000 paddles sold per month, and counting.

For anyone unfamiliar with James’ game, or his sense of humor, lock in: this one is the very definition of unhinged from start to finish.

➡️ Watch the PicklePod.

For all you drop-servers out there, USAP head ref Ron Ponder would like to offer a word of warning.

“If your hand moves AT ALL on the release, you have imparted force to the ball and that's a fault,” he shared on Facebook.

In rec play, it’s likely one of those small nuances that goes unnoticed and doesn’t make much of a difference. But in tournament play, he says, you could (and really should) get called out for it.

The safest way to avoid a fault, he offers, is to extend your hand outward, palm down, and simply open your fingers, letting the ball drop.

Think you’re in the clear? You’re likely faulting without even knowing it.

Selkirk just made its move.

Three new SLK paddles. All under $200.
All redesigned from the ground up.

Dauntless.
Geo.
Valkyrie.

Different shapes. Different play styles. Built for players who want real performance without jumping into the $280-$300 tier.

The mid-range category is the most competitive space in pickleball right now — and this drop just shifted it.

Not beginner gear. Not budget compromise.
Smart money gear.

We just broke down the entire release to help you decide which one actually fits your game.

Shop the new SLK lineup and use code ADV-THEDINK for $30 in Selkirk Bonus Bucks.

Seemingly out of nowhere, the APP Tour started blitzing social media yesterday announcing a bunch of pro signings. Even more have followed suit today.

They’re a pro pickleball league. Leagues sign pros. What’s the big deal, right?

The thing is, the APP Tour’s whole thing is they outwardly don’t lock pros into exclusive contracts, instead championing the freedom of pros to play where they want. Their CMO Tom Webb came on our podcast just recently and said the same.

So it came as a surprise to everyone when they publicized a signing spree, highlighted by top names like Quang Duong, Sofia Sewing, Megan Fudge, Bobbi Oshiro, Jack Munro, and others.

The posts used language like “signed,” “locked in,” and “multi-year deal”… leading many to think this could be a seismic shake-up in the pro landscape. Maybe even Tour Wars all over again.

But that’s not what’s happening here, at least in terms of one of the most notable names, Quang Duong.

We chatted with his dad, Duc, today for some more intel. Turns out, QD is only required to play four APP Tour events this year and his deal is not exclusive.

Is this the case for all these other “signed” pros as well?

➡️ Let’s take a closer look, shall we?

A review from the Dink Fam...

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