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National Pickleball Day celebrations were abundant yesterday. One of our favorites was this weather report in Jacksonville, Florida.

This is how every weather report should be viewed. Instead of partly sunny or mostly cloudy, we can simplify the game and say indoor pickleball on Monday, outdoor pickleball on Tuesday, etc.

In This Issue:

💆‍♂️ Recover like a pro
💰 Pickleball-made millionaires
🏟️ Far from chalk in Kansas City

Fire up the weekend vibes.

Whip Up on the Whippersnappers

The game of pickleball gets younger every day. After you encounter some teenagers on the court you’ll notice one thing … they get to everything.

Youthful energy can be a superpower.

Selkirk Senior Pro Steve Paranto shares some tips to put these kids in their pickleball place.

Don’t Aim For the Lines
Even if you land a perfect shot on the line, chances are they’re going to be able to run it down. So don’t even take the risk. Keep the ball in play and wait for them to make a mistake.

Resist the Speedup
Chances are their reaction time is faster than yours. Be patient and let them be the one to pull the trigger. You may collect some easy points on counters or balls going out.

Lean into the Soft Game
Just like cooking chicken, low and slow is the way to go. Put them in awkward situations by aiming the ball at their feet. On their approach, Steve says, “Hit the ball where their feet are going to be.”

When You Have Them Back, Keep Them Back
Those young legs will be able to chase down a short drop shot. Save that move for your return to the 50+ division.

The origin of some of the game’s top players started with a humbling loss to a senior. Keep the tradition alive with these tips from Steve Paranto.

I've lost 130 pounds using pickleball as my primary source of exercise

Many of you read my piece on my weight loss journey, which included statistics like a 150-pound person burns an estimated 250-350 calories playing a casual or recreational game.

The feedback was incredible. It’s clear that weight loss is important to many of you, as is sustaining energy levels on the court. 

So when we came across Lumen, we knew we had to bring it to our readers. 

It’s the first handheld metabolic coach that measures your metabolism through your breath. If you want to:

• Lose fat and get leaner like I did

• Understand why your energy is low and your weight might be fluctuating

• Know when to fuel to maintain energy levels during matches (and in life)

Lumen could be for you. Just breathe into the device to know whether you have enough energy for your workout, or you need to fuel up. And on the app, it lets you know if you’re burning fat or carbs, and gives you tailored guidance to improve your nutrition, workouts, sleep, and even stress management.

With just a breath, Lumen lets you know what’s happening in your body in real time, builds you a personalized health plan based on your real time data, and helps you better understand your metabolism to ensure your nutrition is right where it needs to be, and nothing more. 

We’re excited that Lumen has agreed to offer the Dink Fam 15% off by clicking this link or visiting lumen.me/thedink. 

Start taking charge of your health today, so you can play more pickleball tomorrow.

Pickleball-Made Millionaires

You’ve heard of a self-made millionaire. How about a pickleball-made millionaire? America’s fastest-growing sport is responsible for some fast-growing bank accounts.

In an interview with @nicole.pickleball on Instagram, pro player James Ignatowich revealed that he stands to make over $1 million this year. The majority of that comes from his UPA salary, the rest from endorsements and clinics.

Ignatowich is high up on the list, but not the top dog. Earlier this year, Ben Johns told CNBC that he’s likely to bring in $2.5 million this year in pickleball-related income.

What does Big Poppa Jimmy plan to spend on? He’s not ready for the Lamborghini life just yet. He is sticking with his Honda Civic for now, but won’t shy away from an expensive meal at the likes of Nobu.

How the Pros Recover from Pickleball

If you want to play like a pro, it takes countless hours on the court. If you’re not spending the time off the court to recover, your sore muscles and aching joints are going to land you on the sideline.

Adding a simple 10-minute routine before and after your session will help you prepare to give your all on the courts every single day.

Here is what No. 1 APP-ranked Andrei Daescu had to say about recovery from pickleball:

“Recovery tools are definitely very important in the process. The technology these days is really advanced and can help you speed up your recovery. I personally use compression pants and massage guns.

The routine benefits the whole body, but the most used muscles in our game seem to be the glutes, hamstrings, and shoulder, so I usually target those."

For those of us without the time or money for regular massages, a massage gun is a quick alternative that can live in your pickleball bag. A short session will relieve pain, reduce tightness, and improve circulation.

Hear what other pros like Rachel Rohrabacher and Meghan Dizon had to say about their recovery routine here.

Far From Chalk in Women’s Singles

Top seeds were dropping like flies in Kansas City. Both the No. 1 and No.2 seeds fell short of the semifinals.

MLP Players Breaking Through
The No. 31 seed Kate Fahey of the St. Louis Shock upset Lea Jansen in the first round yesterday and fought her way to the semifinals. Fahey defeated the No. 30 seed Mari Humberg of the New Jersey 5’s this morning, to advance to gold.

Both women’s semifinals were pushed to today due to rain last night. In the first match of the day, Brook Buckner defeated Kaitlyn Christian to earn a spot on Championship Sunday. Christian was responsible for the upset Catherine Parenteau in the quarterfinals.

Return of McGuffin
Tyson McGuffin is back to the singles finals after ‘squeezing’ out Orlando teammate Federico Staksrud. He will face Connor Garnett for gold on Sunday.

See how our pro pickleball guru Erik Tice is doing with his PPA KC predictions and find out how and when to watch this weekend.

MLP Waiver Update
No Premier Level teams made a claim during the waiver period yesterday but plenty of players are on the move.

• LA Mad Drops traded Blaine Hovenier to the Las Vegas Night Owls in exchange for Anderson Scarpa and cash considerations

• California Black Bears traded Susannah Barr to the Atlanta Bouncers for Genie Erokhina and cash considerations

• California Black Bears traded Rafa Hewett to the Las Vegas Night Owls for Mo Alhouni and cash considerations

• California Black Bears subsequently dropped Mo Alhouni and added Chris Haworth (learn more about Haworth here) 

Winning Summer Starts Here

Got plans to hit the courts this summer? Let’s make sure you’re all set with the Pickleball Box. It’s your summer survival pack for the game.

Inside, you’ll find Tifosi's SWANK sports glasses to keep those harmful rays out of your eyes and help you spot the ball better under the glaring sun. You’ll also get a Dink-branded hat and T-shirt that aren’t only stylish but also save your skin from UV rays.

And because we know how games can get intense, there’s Jelly Belly Sports Beans to keep your energy up, and Jigsaw Health's Pickleball Cocktail to keep you hydrated — sip it chilled from the cool Ice Shaker we’ve thrown in. Oh, and for those scorcher days? There’s a MISSION cooling towel in there to bring the temp down a notch after a hot match.

Really, the Pickleball Box has got you covered for a perfect summer on the courts. Grab one today and keep the focus on your game, not on gathering gear.

Tanking, Agassi vs ALW, Owning Your Hooks

Travis Rettenmaier shares his unfiltered takes on the leaked 'letter' from Collin Johns, why Riley Newman is struggling in 2024, and the reason line calls won't get better until a solution is put in place.

Travis and Zane start the groundwork on organizing a series of exhibition Battle of the Sexes matches including Anna Leigh Waters vs tennis legend Andre Agassi. Catch the new episode here.

Headlines & Quick Hits

• National Pickleball Day may be over, but your pickleball style is just getting started 

• APP Launches First-Ever Training and Development Academy

• The United Kingdom is Buzzing about Pickleball as English Open Gets Underway

• The Dink’s Major League Pickleball Premier Level Power Rankings

Highlights

• Don’t be afraid to shove him out of the middle 🙌

• More points like this, please 🙏

Miss a recent issue? We've got you covered

• UPA-A takes next step in paddle testing

• Your favorite actor just bought a pickleball team

• $9 million prize pool offered in new global event

A review from the Dink Fam...

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