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The talk of the town right now is all about Major League Pickleball. The 2026 season gets underway in May and will look a lot different from years past. In many ways, that’s a good thing.

Some teams are merging. Some are up for sale. That means fewer total teams, just one division, and even steeper competition for starting roster spots. Giddyup.

In This Issue:
— NYC’s youth pickleball program
— Anna Leigh plays Pat McAfee live
— How to snap the chariot whip

Onward and upward.

Anna Bright posted a bunch of highlights from her recent Reddit AMA and let us be the first to say: they’re pure gold. She’s hilarious and self-deprecating and helpful all at once. But one tidbit caught our attention: “I want to see more alpha lefties.” Wouldn’t you know, she just talked about exactly that on the PicklePod.

A small town in South Florida is embroiled in a turf war some fear could get heated — or even physical. Tennis and pickleball players share two courts at a town park, and neither side wants to cede an inch. “Sooner or later there’s gonna be some kind of harm done to somebody,” said one resident. “It’s that heated.”

Did Ben and Anna Leigh sweep Player of the Year again? What female took Top Breakout Pro honors? Any guesses for Best On-Court Personality? The winners from the Player categories of The 120/Life Dink Awards are here. (Be on the lookout for the next batch of winners next week.)

For anyone interested in the state of the paddle industry, two heavyweights — OG pro Zane Navratil and premier paddle reviewer Chris Olson — spent nearly three hours talking tech, rumors, predictions, and more. It’s a paddle nerd’s dream.

Most players generate topspin by coming across their body. It works, but it telegraphs your shot and limits your options.

The Chariot Whip keeps your opponent guessing because your finish looks the same whether you're attacking or defending.

Nailing this motion is simple:

Go ahead and do that right now. We’ll wait… Now you see where the name comes from?

It’s that easy. No crossing your body. No fancy footwork. Just a compact motion that creates insane topspin and deception.

It’s consistent, it’s disguised, and it works for a variety of different shots, from drives to resets to dinks and attacks.

You’re swinging the same simple pattern every time, but on the other side of the net, your opponent is left guessing until the last possible moment, often until it’s too late.

Ben Johns made this follow-through famous and still uses it to this day. And that’s worked out pretty well for him.

➡️ See it in action.

Selkirk’s limited-edition Summit colorway is officially live — now available on the LUXX Control Air with InfiniGrit.

Same cool-under-pressure control you know and trust. Just a colder look that absolutely stands out on court — and won’t be around forever.

If you’ve been eyeing the LUXX for its smooth feel, control-focused performance, and confidence at the kitchen, this limited drop is a fun way to upgrade before inventory runs cold.

Shop the Summit LUXX here and use code ADV-THEDINK for $20 in Selkirk Bonus Bucks.

Last year, Major League Pickleball featured 16 teams in the Premier Level and 6 in Challenger. The gap between top and bottom teams, at times, made for pretty uninspired match play. And it proved difficult to motivate fans to care equally about two separate divisions.

Well, just yesterday, MLP dropped some major competition structure updates that change all that.

We go deep on everything in our article, but here are the highlights:

Brand-new expansion team the Palm Beach Royals also made news yesterday by signing Sofia Sewing, the top-ranked APP Tour pro who just signed with MLP.

This is a big move for Major League Pickleball that should help galvanize fandom around one premium product. There’s lots more to come leading up to the free agency draft on Friday, February 27.

➡️ Get in the know.

Conquer Kids has been named the Official Youth Pickleball Program of the Brooklyn Pickleball Team, marking the first youth development initiative in New York City to be formally supported by a Major League Pickleball team.

The partnership, powered by JOOLA, just launched and aims to introduce pickleball to students from second grade through high school across the New York City public school system, all through in-school instruction, after-school enrichment, and community-based programming.

With more than one million students enrolled citywide, the stated goal is to put a paddle in the hands of every NYC public school student.

Initial programming will roll out at a group of seven schools across multiple boroughs. Expansion to additional schools is planned.

If the pilot program is successful, the program could roll out to other U.S. cities going forward.

“Pickleball is growing at an incredible pace, but growth only matters if it’s accessible,” said Louis Long, Co-Founder of Conquer Kids. “By partnering with the Brooklyn Pickleball Team and JOOLA, we’re ensuring kids across all five boroughs have the opportunity to learn, play, and fall in love with the game.”

➡️ Learn more.

Ever get halfway through a rally and realize your hand has slid down the handle? Or fixate on that tiny edge ding that somehow throws off your feel?

Midwest Racquet Sports has a full lineup of overgrips and edge tape that actually help with that — slightly tacky grips that stay put when your game heats up, and protective edge tape that keeps your paddle from getting chewed up.

Little upgrades like this aren’t flashy, but once you add them to your setup you wonder why you waited so long.

Shop overgrips & edge guards at Midwest Racquet Sports and use code THEDINK for 15% off.

Since signing a landmark deal with Nike, world No. 1 pickleball pro Anna Leigh Waters has enjoyed her fair share of mainstream pop culture moments.

First was a shoutout in a Jimmy Fallon monologue on The Tonight Show. Then there were the PPA billboards with her likeness in Times Square. Now, she's playing pickleball against Pat McAfee live on ESPN from Super Bowl Radio Row.

The clip starts with Anna Leigh talking to McAfee from a nearby podium, but quickly morphs into a dink rally using the host's desk as a net.

At one point, you can even hear ALW calling "kitchen!" on McAfee, who was absolutely trying to win the point.

➡️ Watch the clip.

A review from the Dink Fam...

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