The paddle too hot for public release

How a pickleball is actually made. Gamify your drill session.

February 03, 2025

Super Bowl week is upon us. The sports world turns its eyes to the Big Easy for the most viewed television broadcast of the year.

But let’s be honest, the commercials are the best part, and this year pickleballers will be watching for one in particular. Michelob Ultra is set to debut a pickleball ad featuring A-listers like Willem Dafoe and cameos from some of our favorite pickleball pros.

The APP Tour will hit Daytona Beach while the PPA Tour makes a stop in Tucson, AZ, providing Championship Sunday action as an appetizer for the big game.

In This Issue:

🏉 Gamify your drill sesh
🥵 The paddle too hot for public release
🎙️ Zane demands answers on the PicklePod

Punxsutawney Phil must have access to indoor courts.

Our Picks ☝️

🔬 Behind the Scenes: How a Pickleball is Made

🎥 Video: Increase Your DUPR

Most people think that drilling might be the only way to level … you might just need to think outside the box.

🏆 College Pickleball: UNC Takes Super Regional Title

The University of North Carolina strikes first. The Tarheels snagged the first Super Regional title of the year with a win in Georgia over the weekend.

🗣️ Let’s Debate: Our Guy Erik Tice Debates Pro Player Lea Jansen

Gamify Your Drill Sesh

Drilling is boring, but it works. Anything you can do to make drilling more entertaining or competitive pays off in the long run.

One simple way to gamify your drill sesh is to add an objective measure. The Prince of Pickleball calls this drill ‘field goal’ as he tries to split the uprights of a standing whiteboard.

He takes 10 baseline forehand reps and attempts to pass each one under the whiteboard standing on the opposite baseline.

  • This drill is great because it provides instant feedback on whether he hit his target or not. After 10 reps he knows exactly how many he nailed and where he can improve.

  • The drill also provides a conditioning component that most drills don’t. The rapid-fire nature forces him to maintain good form even when he is winded and his legs are burning.

Grab your partner and go head-to-head from different spots on the court to see who has the best control. Bump the count up to 20 reps to make sure you’re not losing form late in matches.

Get creative with your targets. You don’t always need top-of-the-line training aids. Take aim at an empty can, your old untrustworthy paddle, or a picture of your pickleball adversary.

6 More Weeks of Winter Pickleball

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow...winter pickleball is here to stay.

Stay warm on the court with MUEV. Shop their performance hoodies and zip-ups now.

Plus, don't miss their winter clearance – great deals on shirts, shorts, and dresses for both men and women.

Ripple Paddle Making Waves

One of the most highly anticipated paddle releases in the past few months has been the Ripple R1.14 paddle from Ronbus.

The Ripple is a part of the third-generation paddles with a partial foam core and was recently praised by John Kew and Zane Navratil on the PicklePod. It is rumored to be just as powerful if not more powerful than the top paddles on the market.

But what’s a good paddle release without a little controversy?

  • The paddle's most recent target release date was set for Jan 31, 2025

  • Zane took to X with the assumption that the paddle might have been released and then subsequently de-listed from the approved paddle list by USA Pickleball

  • USA Pickleball released a statement to clear the air. Apparently, the paddles that were previously approved, “Were beta samples, not final production paddles.” When the actual production paddles were submitted for testing, they failed the PBCoR test

  • Ronbus followed up on IG indicating they will launch a “Thorough investigation to determine the cause of the discrepancies” including PBCoR testing of the paddles at their own facility

If you have seen these paddles out in the wild it’s likely the “pre-production” version of the paddle which was distributed to some paddle reviewers and influencers.

So what happens to the thousands of paddles that likely would have been sold last Friday? It’s clear that this saga is far from over.

We will provide further updates when we hear more.

Passing Gold Through Customs

Tyson McGuffin and Lacy Schneemann looked right at home amongst the Aussies all week long. They doubled up for two golds each in Melbourne.

Scheemann’s First PPA Gold
Lacy Schneemann has collected seven silver medals on the PPA Tour but got the monkey off her back with two golds in Australia.

The first was well earned in an epic 5 game mixed doubles showdown against Gabe Tardio/Jessie Irvine. Her second came as a slight underdog in women’s doubles alongside partner Vivian Glozman as they topped the No. 1 seed Allyce Jones/Hurricane Tyra Black.

Tyson Loves Australia
Tyson McGuffin nearly reached the triple crown pinnacle down under. After the mixed doubles win, Tyson played another grueling 5 game match where he and Gabe Tardio held off CJ Klinger/Quang Duong to take gold.

McGuffin’s last match of the day was the singles final against Gabe Tardio. Unfortunately for McGuffin, youth prevailed in the final and Tardio escaped with a 11-9, 11-4 victory. That didn’t stop Tyson from finding his way into a risqué feature on Barstool Sports.

The Aussies Only Chance
The Aussies’ only chance at a gold and any medal came in women’s singles. Somer Dalla-Bona kept it close with Kaitlyn Christian but couldn’t overcome the firepower of the now two-time singles champion. Australian ladies were able to bring home silver and bronze in the women’s singles bracket.

You can find a full recap of the event here. Learn more about how international competition is developing in Australia, India, and China here.

PPA Australia Pickleball Open Results

🤔 Newsletter getting clipped? Click ‘view entire message’ or click here to read online

Don’t Let Sweat Steal Your Game

Alright Dink fam, sweaty hands on the court? No problem. 4on TotalGrip Spray’s is your quick and easy solution.

This sweat-activated grip enhancer keeps your hands glued to your paddle, even in the heat.

Just shake, spray, and play. It's odorless, won't stain, and washes off with ease.

A Whole New Ballgame in 2025

Samin Odhwani is the newly appointed Chief Strategy Officer at the United Pickleball Association. Heading into his first year in the role Samin and the team at UPA gave Major League Pickleball a major overhaul.

Zane and Thomas run through the changes that include a switch from rally to side-out scoring, the addition of 2 roster spots to each Premier Level team, and exclusive contracts that require players to be signed with UPA in order to play MLP. Watch it here.

Headlines & Quick Hits

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