We’ve told you time and time again that the key to getting better is drilling like you mean it. But what does a productive hitting session really look like? Pro Jack Munro takes us inside his exhaustive routine. Take a seat and grab a fork, kids; you’re about to eat some humble pie.
In This Issue:
— The Dink is hiring a social editor
— How a pickleball paddle comes to market
— Preview: The APP Women’s Open
More is more.
Our Picks 👆
🎗️ Women’s Open: Underway in Columbus, OH
The APP is back with its second-annual Women’s Open, presented by The James, the pioneering cancer research institute at The Ohio State University. Big names abound, but tune in for doubles featuring top teams Jillian Braverman/Megan Fudge and Shelby Bates/Sofia Sewing. Our full event preview.
☑ Shameless Plug: We’re Hiring a Social Media Editor
Please forgive this quick indulgence: The Dink is hiring a Social Editor. Requirements: Possess a deep and unrelenting passion for all things pickleball. Responsibilities: Own the social strategy and execution for the world’s most prolific pickleball media company. Sound like you? Splendid. Now prove it.
🚫 Make It Stop: Paddle Pet Peeves
Gray edge guards. Tapered hybrids. Overtly fluffy marketing jargon. And what even is a Gen-4 paddle anymore? The guys at Pickleball Pursuit are here with their lists of paddle pet peeves. And they came with receipts.
⬇️ Philly Phun: Furry Guest Joins CityPickle Pop-Up
CityPickle’s month-long pop-up in Philly’s City Hall just opened for the season, and none other than the Phillie Phanatic joined the fun for a few points. We’re told he/she/it was actually pretty good.
Drill Until You’re Gassed
Everyone wants to play like the pros. But to do that, you’ve got to train like them too.
And honestly, we’re not sure you’re up for it.
Jack Munro’s latest video gives a glimpse inside a real pro training session, and it’s not for the faint of heart. Dripping sweat. Heavy breathing. And a healthy dose of failure. Here’s what it takes to get to that next level.
1️⃣ Up your rep count. Jack goes into each drilling session with a plan; he’s mapped out the drills he and his partner need to get through to feel like their time was well-spent. But one thing stands out right away: They’re not hitting 10 shots then moving on. They’re hitting 50. Per drill. At a minimum.
2️⃣ Stand on perfection. Jack treats every shot of every drill like it’s a game scenario. That means if he’s working on dinking up the line, he’s recovering his court position back to center between every shot. And if the goal is 50 combined dinks before they can move on, that means 50. Not 30. Not even 48.
3️⃣ Prioritize patterns. The meat of Jack’s drilling sessions are all about stringing two or three shots together, working on patterns he’s weak at or just wants to perfect. Like a cross-court dink to a speed-up down the middle. This more accurately mimics the reflexes and mentality required to win real-world points.
All of this boils down to drilling sessions that are both mentally and physically exhausting. Like, struggling-to-catch-your-breath difficult. If that sounds like overkill, you might not want to play like a pro after all.
Might as Well Rock the Tank
Baseline Shorts in black, Dink Tank in plum. Clean, simple, and built for long rallies.
And since you’re already part of the Dink fam, you might as well rock the Dink Tank too. MUEV’s gear keeps it light and breathable on the court, and sharp enough to wear when you’re off it.
Conception to Launch: The Pickleball Paddle Development Cycle
Justin Barton (top left) is the co-host of paddle review podcast Pickleball Pursuit, but he’s also the founder of Pickleball Etc., a paddle consulting business that helps brands bring new paddle concepts to life.
On this week’s podcast, Justin broke down a typical paddle development cycle. It’s exhaustive, but here are a few highlights:
The process begins with an idea or a concept that’s then mapped across extensive market research. Is the vision viable? Does it have a place in the greater paddle landscape?
Detailed plans are drawn up. Then it’s constant communication with the factory, most likely based in China.
Justin orders multiple samples for each model and begins a lengthy testing procedure.
He’ll start with 15 samples, say, and narrow those down to the handful he feels are closest to the original vision.
Then it’s back to the plans to iterate and fine-tune. New plans are made, and a dozen or more samples are ordered of the new designs. Now, testing re-commences all over.
Justin’s testing involves on-court play-testing, but also full core dissection to ensure structural and material consistency.
Once he’s happy, paddles are sent off to UPA-A, USAP, or third-party facilities to ensure they adhere to proper limits of power and spin. “You need to make sure you’re going down a road where you actually have a legal paddle,” he says.
If paddles fail testing, which they often do, it’s back to the drawing board and much of the process starts all over again.
None of this, of course, touches on graphic design, order volumes, shipping logistics, marketing campaigns, launch events…
Suffice to say, says Justin, the development cycle to get just one new model to market can take the better part of a full year. And that’s if things go smoothly.
Quick Look: PPA Vietnam
A few days removed from PPA Malaysia, some of the same pros have made the 1,600-mile trip to Da Nang to compete in the PPA Vietnam Cup.
Action is already underway. Here’s what to watch out for:
Fresh off his men’s doubles gold in Malaysia, Eric Oncins was the #1 seed in men’s singles. But he’s already out, losing in three games in the round of 16 to Thomas Yu.
American Kaitlyn Christian won women’s singles in Malaysia and enters this event at the #1 seed. She’s rolled so far. Next up: Yufei Long in the quarters.
The team of the tourney is Ben Johns and Dekel Bar. A win in the quarters could set up a fun semifinal showdown against Zane Navratil and Armaan Bhatia.
➡️ Catch it all on Pickleballtv. Here’s the full bracket.
Time to Check the Leadboard
We just updated The Dink Minor League Pickleball National Leaderboard, and the chase for Dallas is heating up.
Players across the country are jockeying for position, climbing the rankings, and eyeing those Nationals spots in Dallas this December.
Where do you land? Who’s ahead of you? Who’s chasing you down? Only one way to find out.
Not Just Golf: Massive Pickleball Facility Eyes Augusta, GA
The Finance Committee for the city of Augusta, GA, is reportedly so enamored by the prospect of a premium pickleball facility coming to town, it’s considering a special tax district to help soften the financial blow.
The tax allocation district, or TAD, would allocate a high-traffic intersection for designated economic development — in this case, a 48-court multimillion-dollar pickleball haven the city hopes will attract major tournaments and events.
"By creating a TAD, the commission would designate the site as an area in need of redevelopment, adopt a plan for redeveloping the area, and approve one or more projects to implement the plan," according to city analysis.
The plans include space for a massive fitness center, 2,500-seat commencement space, and even a 200-bed hotel with parking for 500 should demand require it.
The proposed site is a few miles from Augusta National Golf Club.
Headlines & Quick Hits
Standout Stats from the PPA Vintage Open
JOOLA Is the Official Ball of National Collegiate Pickleball
Lefty Sensation CJ Klinger Signs with adidas
Highlights
Getting kicked off of sacred land
Easy. Hard. Impossible.
Underrated: The $109 Luzz Cannon
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