Pickleball club targeted in robbery

Why your pancake shot still doesn't work. Results from Nationals and Milwaukee.

November 18, 2024

Welcome back to reality. It was a pickleball-filled weekend at the USA Pickleball National Championships and PPA Milwaukee Open. 

We snap back to reality for a couple of days before the highly anticipated conclusion of the MLP season later in the week. While you’re avoiding your work week do us a favor, at the end of today’s issue give us a rating and let us know what you want to see more of in The Dink Newsletter.

In This Issue:

🥞 Serve’em up like Riley
🏆 Howells and Oshiro are National Champions
🚓 Pickleballers an ‘easy target’ for thieves

Let’s crush it.

Our Picks ☝️

🔄 Substitutions: Martinez Vich and Long are out of MLP Playoffs

The Atlanta Bouncers will be without Jaume Martinez Vich this weekend in Orlando He is dealing with a personal matter and will be replaced by Anderson Scarpa.

The top seed Chicago Slice will be missing Brendon Long due to an injury. Wyatt Stone will replace Long for Chicago.

🗣️ Quote: “I’ve never been so angry in my life. We’re the obvious choice”

Reigning Irish champions Laura Fitzgerald and Ben Kasbeer have expressed outrage over their exclusion from the national team for the European Championships.

🤩 Celebrity: Eric Decker and Jake Plummer headline celebrity match for charity

The Dinks for a Difference celebrity match featured celebrities and pros including Frankie Muniz, Gerry Turner, Joey Fatone, Shane Doan, Meghan Fudge, Ryler DeHeart, and more. The event raised funds for USA Pickleball Serves, benefiting community and youth programs.

🙌 Giveaway: The easiest way to upgrade your collection

Have you been waiting all year to buy a new paddle? Save that cash for holiday gifts and win a paddle of your choosing here.

The Finer Points of the Newman Pancake

Riley Newman’s pancake forehand volley helped eliminate one of the most common targets in pickleball. For years the mantra was to aim speedups at the opponent’s paddle side shoulder forcing them into an awkward chicken wing shot.

Instead of trying to cover his shoulder with a weak backhand, Newman adjusted his grip so he could defend himself with a forehand volley.

Continental to Semi-Western
Riley rotates from the traditional continental grip to a forehand favored semi-western grip. From that position, Riley is ready to strike with his pancake shot or famous two-handed backhand.

Elbow In
What makes Riley’s shot so effective is the range that he has with it. It can be used for a shot at his chest or an arm’s length away on his right side.

A major key is to pinch your elbow in towards your body. Get your elbow down in front of your chest so you can slap down on the ball with power.

Get Low
The final key to this shot is to get low at the kitchen line. Bend your knees to reduce the size of their target and keep you in a prime pancake position.

No More Slip-ups

Don’t let slip-ups cost you your game. Meet the HEAD Motion Pro Pickleball shoes, designed with a pro-grip and a tough toe cap that laughs in the face of drag.

These bad boys are tailored for the court, helping you reach further and bang harder. Plus, they look sharp in fierce red or peach.

Pickleball Club Robbed, ‘We’re Just a Target’

The Camas-Washougal Pickleball Club in Washington is grappling with the theft of a large storage box from Wolfe Courts in Hathaway Park, Washougal. The stolen box contained essential equipment, including an automated defibrillator, paddles, balls, and maintenance supplies.

Club President Lynda Boesel is advocating for improved security measures, such as better lighting and camera installations, and has suggested using a nearby city-owned storage building for safer equipment storage.

The club, which has grown by over 100 members this year, is now asking members to bring their own equipment. To replenish stolen items, Boesel launched a GoFundMe campaign, raising over $4,000 so far. The theft highlights the club’s vital role in the community, from promoting pickleball to supporting local services through donations.

Bright Good as Gold in Milwaukee

Anna Bright played in two gold medal matches in Milwaukee and won both of them. She was the only player to walk away with two golds on Sunday.

New Mixed Powerhouse
It’s been a while since we’ve seen Bright and Dylan Frazier pair up in mixed. Both are top 5 doubles players and together they are contenders for the mixed doubles crown. They captured a PPA mixed title yesterday with a win over Jessie Irvine/Gabe Tardio.

Another Women’s Doubles Classic
The Kawamoto twins should never be underestimated in a draw. As the No. 5 seed, Jackie and Jade cruised to the women’s doubles final and yesterday they pushed Bright/Rachel Rohrabacher to their limits.

The match went to 5 games but at the end of the day, it was ‘The Girlies’ Bright/Rohrabacher who came out on top and are back-to-back champions.

Number 2 for Fed and Gabe
Federico Staksrud and Gabe Tardio won their first title together in Kansas City earlier this year. Yesterday, they locked in title number two with a convincing win over CJ Klinger/James Ignatowich.

Johnson Takes Down the Champ
Hunter Johnson was a considerable underdog heading into the men’s final. He started the match on fire with a game one win 11-4. But in game two, the tables turned and Johnson was actually pickled by Fed. Johnson flipped the script again in game three closing out the match and securing his second gold of the year with an 11-3 win.

Down to the Wire
Kate Fahey narrowly escaped with gold in women’s singles. First-time finalist Chao Yi Wang took Fahey to three games and was only a couple of points away from the crown. Fahey won game three 11-9 to secure her third title in just a few months.

PPA Milwaukee Open Results

Everyone Remembers Their First Time

First steps, first time riding a bike, first love, first team sport, first kiss, and first time on the pickleball court are memorable events. It is amazing how many people become smitten right from the start.

From Fran’s Story

I had just moved to a new community in North Carolina. I had never heard of pickleball, but my walking partner had picked it up and spoke about it avidly. Every time I heard her speak about it, I disliked the sport even more (which I had never seen or played). Then the pandemic hit, and all sources of socializing were shut down except for golf, tennis, and pickleball.

So, I went to my first pickleball open play. No one was more surprised than I was, but right then and there, I was hooked. I had never been an athlete, and I couldn’t believe the feelings I was having–endorphins, camaraderie, competitiveness–all of the above? Who knew I wanted those things?

I started playing every day. I became a pickleball addict.

Howells and Oshiro Each Take Two

Credit: USA Pickleball

A new group of National Champions were crowned yesterday in Mesa. Bobbi Oshiro and Will Howells paired up for a mixed doubles title and each won two golds on the weekend.

Singles Champions
Bobbi Oshiro’s second gold came in women’s singles. Oshiro is not known for racking up singles titles but with a National Championship on the line, no one was going to stand in her way.

The men’s singles title went to Chris Haworth who has been one of the best singles players all year long. He topped Patrick Kawka 11-1, 14-12.

Bringing the Energy in Doubles
Will Howells’ second gold came alongside Jack Munro in men’s doubles. The duo brought big energy to the competition, pumping up the crowd between points.

In women’s doubles, it was Jill Braverman and Megan Fudge who hoisted the trophy. They fought off Mari Humberg/Allison Harris to secure the crown.

If you want a chance to compete at Nationals next year you have to start preparing early. Find the list of golden ticket qualifier events here.

USA Pickleball Nationals Results

Headlines & Quick Hits

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