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Not many pros openly discuss the mental toll this sport can take at the highest levels. Between shuffling to near-weekly events across the country (or around the globe), the constant pressure to perform, and harsh criticism from fans and the media alike, it can feel like a lot.

Kate Fahey is known as a fierce competitor on the court. But she’s a staunch mental health advocate off of it, too. She gets real on this week’s PicklePod. And honestly, it’s something everyone should hear.

In This Issue:
— Sting attacks back with the scorpion
— The brand disrupting paddle tech
— MLP’s first-ever 4-team trade

Another great day to play pickleball.

It’s hard to believe, but we’ve arrived at the final MLP event before the midseason tournament in Grand Rapids next month. Eleven teams battle it out this weekend in Randall’s Island, NYC. Action starts tomorrow. Here’s what you need to know. 

Knee pain is the most common complaint in pickleball—nearly 1 in 3 players feel it. But the relief might start lower than you think. VKTRY carbon fiber insoles cut impact force by up to 10%, taking a real load off your knees and feet. We play in them ourselves. Try a pair.

Yes, pickleball can form cliques just like high school. But just because you have a regular group doesn’t mean you can take over open play and make it miserable for everyone else. Want to keep your besties together? Book a private court already.

The Palm Beach Royals just placed Grayson Goldin on injured reserve and picked up Casey Diamond. The only issue? Grayson, by all accounts, is perfectly healthy. Now the Royals get the best of both worlds, it seems. Don’t hate the player, hate the game?

As good as your blocks, resets, or counters might be, you will inevitably find yourself across the net from an opponent whose speed-ups are just too good.

Try as you might, you’re getting lit up. And something needs to give.

Enter: the scorpion.

This shot looks advanced but is actually pretty intuitive once you get the hang of it. Instead of defending a speed-up from a normal upright stance, you get under the ball so the attack can no longer jam your body.

It’s all about timing: right when they make contact, you drop down into a squat, shoot your paddle straight up, and punch the ball back down at their feet.

It looks flashy, but it’s really very practical. Here’s how to pull it off:

✅ The scorpion is an educated guess as much as a reaction. You have to anticipate that your opponent is about to speed the ball up at your body.

✅ Drop into a squat but keep your torso upright and your eyes looking at the direction of the attack. You’ve got a millisecond to track the ball path and get in front of it.

✅ From that low position, bring the paddle up and out so it sits right in front of your face. You want a stable wall the ball can rebound off, not a paddle buried near your chest.

✅ Don’t take a full swing; you’re not balanced enough for that, and you definitely don’t have the time. Instead, punch outward with your paddle face angled slightly down. Make the ball bounce and you’re golden.

✅ Once you’ve made contact, pop back up and get in the ready position. If they do return your attack, chances are it’ll be ripe for an easy putaway.

One more pro tip: center your body in front of your opponent before committing to the scorpion. This puts you in the best position to line up the shot correctly.

This all happens very fast. Just like a sting from the actual animal (we’re guessing…?).

➡️ Watch a pro demonstrate.

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If you've spent any time obsessing over pickleball paddle launches this year, you've probably heard about the latest six-figure marketing campaigns, celebrity endorsements, and premium paddles pushing well north of $250.

What you may not have heard about is FLiK.

Which, if you ask their founder Fred Robinson, is partly their own fault.

"We are not perfect marketers," Robinson admits. "But we are trying to build the best equipment possible for athletes."

That philosophy is exactly what makes the new FLiK F3 so compelling, an all-court paddle built with a “Triple Core” technology so ahead of its time, it’s now being replicated by some of the biggest paddle brands out there.

You may not have heard of it. But you should definitely try playing with one.

Many pickleball brands promise the world with each new paddle release. But the F3 truly is the rare paddle that delivers a dependable blend of pop, control, and consistency.

Any paddle that comes close also comes with a big-ticket price tag.

So why is FLiK practically giving the F3 away for just $126?

➡️ This is innovation over monetization.

It’s hard to believe, but Kate Fahey is the worst player on her MLP team, the St. Louis Shock. She’d be the first to admit it.

That’s not to say she’s some slouch. By all accounts, she was the best player at MLP St. Petersburg, where the Shock swept the competition and won the event outright.

Some might play with a chip on their shoulder in this type of competitive environment. But Kate sees it as a privilege, albeit one that can come at a cost.

“I do get super anxious on the court. I do feel a lot of pressure and I do get really nervous,” she told Zane and Nico on this week’s PicklePod.

Kate works with a sports psychologist, who she credits with helping the mental side of her game a lot.

And yet, she’ll be the first to tell you that pro pickleball, like any highly competitive sport, is a game of psychological warfare just as much as it is physical.

And sometimes, it’s those who can fully own that who come out on top.

“I think if anyone were to see me on the court, they wouldn’t call me mentally well,” Kate said of her signature intensity. “Own that. Accept that. And love that about yourself.”

➡️ Hear more from Kate.

Deep into a long session on the court, mistakes start creeping in: you react a beat late, speed up a ball you meant to reset, get impatient at the kitchen.

It's not that you've forgotten how to play. It's that focus fades faster than people realize, and the sharp decisions go first.

That's why Troscriptions made Blue Cannatine. It's a dissolvable tab that kicks in fast, built to support focus and reaction time without the jitters or crash of an energy drink between games.

No hype, no buzz. Just a clearer head when you'd usually be fading.

Try Blue Cannatine.

Summer Camp isn’t just for kids.

Pack your paddles and play at the most iconic locations. Expert coaching. Unbeatable views. The perfect excuse to plan that NYC trip.

Upcoming Camps:

Times Square

Central Park 

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