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Your local courts may still be packed, but a new mid-year report indicates a possible slowdown in pickleball participation nationwide. Will it retain its crown as America’s fastest-growing sport for the fifth consecutive year? Time will tell, but we like our chances.

In This Issue:
— How to play through the yips
— For a better flick, get a baseball tee
— Pickleball’s explosive growth is slowing

Up, up, and away.

APP is going big for its eighth season, expanding to 12 events across the country, each available for amateurs and pros and televised on CBS Sports and ESPN. They’ve added a collegiate series and more showcase events, plus enhanced prize pools.

Top pro Christian Alshon and coach Leigh Waters are parting ways after years of working together. “Leigh and I found ourselves competing against each other too often, with her first obligation to coach her daughter, Anna Leigh, and The 5s,” Alshon announced on social media.

The Dink Minor League Pickleball held its first event in Geelong, Australia. Big congrats to the four divisional champions, who each punched their Dream Ticket straight to the National Championships: Get Pickled, Dink Responsibly, Fickleballers, and Paddlepops.

A surprising percentage of Monday’s poll-takers (58%) told us they watched every second of the Major League Pickleball Finals. We love to see it. And want to hear from even more of you. So, tell us…

Sometimes it’s the simplest drills that can have the biggest impact. Like dragging a baseball tee out to the pickleball court and ripping some flicks at a partner.

Take it from pro pickleball power couple Grayson Goldin and Hannah Blatt, who did just that during a recent drill session.

This particular exercise was designed to help Hannah get comfortable defending against aggressive speedups hit from below the net. It doesn’t hurt that Grayson is one of the heaviest hitters in the pro game right now.

“I can’t decide if this drill will make me better or give me my first black eye,” she joked on Instagram.

It could make you better, too. Reps on the tee can help perfect your forehand and backhand flick technique, while time on the receiving end will give you targeted practice defending against one of the most potent offensive weapons in all of pickleball.

➡️ Watch it.

We all want to stay in the game. Humana does too, which is why they’re backing pickleball’s biggest tours and supporting players at every level.

Whether you’re learning the rules or already deep in tournament play, they’ve got resources to keep you moving.

Check out humana.com/pickleball for warm-ups, useful tips, the 2025 schedule of Humana-sponsored pickleball events and more.

You’ll also see how Humana is making pickleball more accessible in communities everywhere, all while helping you stay healthy off the court too.

Listen, we know the first rule of the yips is you can’t talk about the yips.

But it’s time to break the cycle and help each other through this. Performance anxiety is normal. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.

In all seriousness, the yips aren’t all that uncommon. You’ve probably seen someone dump a routine serve into the net, then struggle with their serve for the rest of open play. It’s tough to watch. But it can be torture if you’re the one going through it.

Certified pickleball coach John Sanders has been there, and has some tips.

Take it from John: “The only way around the yips is through the yips.”

➡️ Read the full article.

It was inevitable, we suppose, but you still hate to see it: After five years of steadily increasing participation numbers, pickleball fever is finally showing signs of cooling off in the U.S.

The realization comes by way of a new mid-year nationwide sports participation report from the Washington, D.C.-based Sports & Fitness Industry Association.

While pickleball remains the fastest-growing sport among the 30 surveyed, including baseball, basketball, lacrosse, and tennis, “early indicators suggest its explosive growth may be slowing.”

Before you start ringing any alarm bells, relax. Meteoric growth is great, but a plateau might not be the worst thing, especially as facilities continue to struggle to meet demand across the country.

“After a remarkable 45% increase in 2024,” SFIA concludes, “the projected growth rate for 2024-2025 is 14.7%, potentially signaling a new phase of stabilization for the sport.”

➡️ Read the full article.

Pickleball’s supposed to be fun. You know what’s not fun? A blister popping up just as the match is getting good.

Bombas Court Sport Socks were made to fix that. Breathable so your feet stay cool. Cushioned so every split-step feels softer. And snug enough to stay put no matter how many dinks, drops, or dives you go after.

They’re not just socks, they’re one less distraction so you can focus on playing. And every pair gives back. Over 150 million clothing items have been donated thanks to Bombas buyers like you.

➡️ Grab a few pairs now and save up to 20%.

With Major League Pickleball freshly in the rearview mirror, the PPA Tour heads to Sin City this weekend for just its fourth stop of the 2025 season.

Action begins at the Las Vegas Convention Center tomorrow. The traditional draw will play out as follows:

A few storylines to be on the lookout for:

➡️ Read our full event preview.

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