The reason your 'put aways' keep coming back

The stage is set for DUPR Collegiate Nationals. Boca Raton wins NPL Season 2.

October 21, 2024

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In This Issue: ‍

‍🏟️ The stage is set for the DUPR Collegiate Championship
🏆 Boca Raton are the season 2 champs
💥 The one ball you can hit hard every time

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Our Picks ☝️

🏎️ Video: Pickleball at the Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix

If you watched Netflix’s “Drive to Survive” then the name Christian Horner should ring a bell. He’s the team principal of the Red Bull Formula One team and one of the many F1 personalities to play pickleball on The Picklr court at F1 in Austin, TX.

🎙️ Podcast: Christian Alshon Makes his PicklePod Debut

Christian Alshon caught the tennis world's attention on Twitter last year and even had an exhibition match in the works with James Blake. These days, he says, “I’d rather be known for winning than talking sh*t.” Catch his PicklePod debut on tomorrow’s episode.

🏖️ Expansion: City Pickleball Finds a New Home in Florida

City Pickle has become known for putting pickleball courts in iconic places, including Central Park in the heart of NYC. Their next venture will take them South for the winter with 13 courts set to open on November 8 in West Palm Beach.

📺 Television: Hell’s Kitchen Wishes it was a Pickleball Show

Gordon Ramsay’s competition cooking show, Hell’s Kitchen, was desperate to find a way to get pickleball in the mix. They had contestants dink a ball into labeled barrels to decide which ingredients they would be forced to use for a cooking challenge. Watch it here.

The One Ball You Can Hit Hard Every Time

Most pickleball advice tells you to stop hitting the ball so hard.

Not today.

Today’s Up Your Game gives you permission on the one shot where you absolutely need to crush it. Here are your tips for delivering a better put away.

Prep your paddle and body early

As soon as you recognize an opportunity for a put away, you must prep your body and arm as early as possible. The mistake many make is waiting until the ball is almost on them to make their move.

Instead, once you see it coming, you should:

  • Lift your arm and paddle (keeping it in your peripheral)

  • Rotate your hips

  • Pause until right before you strike the ball

Note: Depending on where the trajectory of the ball is, you may also need to “clear” your body. This means stepping to the side to give your forearm more room to work. You should never have to reach for an overhead put away, nor should you feel like your arm is too tucked in.

Make contact out front

The contact point is crucial for generating power.

Always aim to hit the ball in front of your body. If you connect with the ball too far back, you lose momentum and control. By making contact out in front, you fully extend your arm and accelerate through the ball, giving you more power and accuracy.

Doing this allows you to hit the sweet spot of the paddle more often – which is where you generate the most power off the paddle.

Follow or “plow” through

Relaxation is key to generating power.

While you need a firm grip, keep your arm and shoulder loose. A tense arm will slow down your swing, reducing your ability to hit hard. By staying loose, you allow for faster acceleration, which is essential for powerful putaway shots.

Think of it as “whipping” through the ball, letting your arm naturally follow through.

In this video from pro Zane Navratil, he likens it to throwing a baseball. You can watch him demonstrate how to hit better putaways here.

Selkirk’s TruWear Collection Hits the Court

As the chill of fall sets in, it’s the perfect time to gear up with some warmer threads. That's where Selkirk’s TruWear Collection comes into play.

The collection features everything from pullovers and hoodies to versatile workout shirts available in both short and long sleeves. Need something for those cooler mornings? The long-sleeve shirts are a real game-changer. And for those days when you’re feeling a bit more polished, why not hit the court in one of their sharp polos?

With a color palette that includes basics like black, white, grey, and navy blue, these pieces are super easy to throw on with anything. Plus, the joggers? They’re perfect for a warm-up session or just lounging after a match.

Check out Selkirk’s TruWear Collection and elevate your off-court style this season. Who says staying warm can't also mean looking cool?

The Stage is Set for the DUPR Collegiate National Championship

The DUPR Collegiate National Championship is a mere two weeks away. The final qualifying event for Nationals was the Arizona Super Regional, which concluded yesterday in Glendale.

The final was a showdown between Utah Tech University and Arizona State University. The Trailblazers swept the Sun Devils in the final to bring home $2500 for their team.

Utah Tech has become a force in the college pickleball scene, in part due to Dylan Ciampani's leadership, but also due to Mary Monson, a 15-year-old high school sophomore who takes online classes at Utah Tech and plays for the team.

Utah Tech is a favorite heading into the National Championship. They won the Nevada Super Regional earlier in the year.

College Pickleball Growth
This year will be the third DUPR Collegiate National Championship and the first time the event is held in Dallas at the UPA World Championships.

Over the past three years, the event has grown from 120 players in 2022 to an expected 600 players in 2024. Previous champions include the University of North Carolina (2022) and the University of Virginia (2023). Will a new school stake its claim as Pickleball U in 2024?

A Powerwash For Your Insides

What if you could restore your gut health with one simple fix?

According to one doctor in California, there may be a way.

In fact, he believes it’s so powerful that it could be like a “power wash” for your insides.

Dr. Gundry, a world-renowned heart surgeon, reveals the root cause of weight gain, food cravings, and low energy in a short video he released to the public.

From Speed Cubes to Paddle Reviews

If there is one thing we know about pickleball players, we’re a quirky bunch with really interesting paths to the sport.

For Chris Olson (Pickleball Studio) - the guy known for making or breaking paddle companies with a single review – that quirky background includes speedcubing. Before the entire pickleball community knew Chris, he made a name for himself in the world of competitive cubing. He even worked as the Director of Photography for the Netflix documentary The Speed Cubers.

But what led him from twisting cubes to testing paddles?

In this exclusive feature, Chris shares his journey from solving Rubik’s cubes to becoming the top paddle reviewer in the industry. He reveals the challenges of being an unbiased voice in pickleball, his favorite and least favorite paddles of all time, and how he's building his empire 6-8 paddles at a time.

Boca Raton Wins NPL Season 2 Title

The National Pickleball League is a team-based professional league for players aged 50+. Over the weekend, they hosted their season championship, marking the end of season number two.

After five regular-season events, the Boca Raton Picklers led the NPL standings. You may recognize a few names on the team, including Mircea Morariu, Brian Levine, and Tao Thongvanh.

The Picklers held off the second-place Columbus Hot Shots to bring home the title and prize of $48,000.

Champions: Boca Raton Picklers
Runner Up: Columbus Hot Shots
Third Place: Houston Hammers

NPL is already gearing up for next year with plans to add two more teams before the third season. The league’s Coachella Valley Scorpions made news earlier this year when actor Vince Vaughn invested in the team.

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