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We’re headed back to HQ today after an insane week at The Dink MiLP Nationals in Dallas.

Five days of non-stop pickle. 1,300 competitors from all over the world. We laughed, we cried, we threw a paddle or two, and then…

National Champions were crowned during the iconic champagne-popping medal ceremonies (the videos are unbelievable) of The Dink Minor League Pickleball National Championship, powered by DUPR.

We’ll be recapping Nationals all week. Congrats to our Champions!

In This Issue:
— Previewing this week’s APP Championships
— Tampa pickleball facility collects dues, never opens
— The complete list of MiLP Championship winners

Pop the bubbly.

This Saturday, The Dink’s Courted social pickleball event makes its final stop of the season, pulling up to Sip & Pickle in Miami, Florida. Think food, drinks, music, and new friends, with some pickleball mixed in for good measure. Get your tix now.

Back in May, we told you about Stack Athletics acquiring OG paddle brand Vulcan and their plans to make it the “most fashion-forward, aspirational paddle line in the sport.” Since then, mum’s been the word. But just last week, the first paddles of the new line popped up on the UPA-A’s approved list. Take a look.

From Gru and his Minions to Dorothy and the Tin Man to the whole Scooby Doo gang, teams turned out in force for The Dink MiLP National Championship $1,000 costume contest this weekend. See the best of the best.

The APP Tour Championships get underway tomorrow at The Fort in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Marquee names like Sofia Sewing, Megan Fudge, Will Howells, Jack Munro and more will lace ‘em up one more time for all the marbles. You can catch the action on ESPN+. In the meantime, Erik Tice predicts all the winners.

If you’re the type of player who constantly hits speed-ups off your shoelaces or keeps trying to make the third-shot lob a thing, well… we can’t help you. Do better.

But if you’re like most of us and occasionally find yourself swinging for a miracle when a simple dink or reset would do, there’s a pretty simple fix for that.

As Kyle Koszuta points out, the key to hitting fewer ill-advised shots boils down to one thing: balance. Rather than go for that all-or-nothing swinging volley or zero-percentage baseline drive off your back foot, try this instead.

✅ If you’re back near the baseline and scrambling: hit a lob, high and deep; this is all about buying you an extra second or two to get back in position and set your feet.

✅ If you’re pulled out wide at the kitchen line: simply reset the ball middle. Don’t go for the hero shot here. You’re far better off living to fight another day.

✅ If you’re forced to return a killer serve out wide: don’t go for a drive winner. Just don’t. The court geometry is working against you. Hit a drop down the middle then get back to center.

The through-line here is playing smart, buying time when you need it, and forcing your opponent to hit another shot rather than gifting them an unforced error. Or, as Kyle puts it, just stop hitting stupid shots already.

Yeah, we’re zooming in on the bottom of the shoe for a reason.

The Franklin ACV Pro was built for real pickleball movement. Its aggressive herringbone tread pattern delivers serious traction so you can explode, stop, and switch direction fast.

When your shoes grip like this, the rest of your game just clicks.

➡️ Check out the ACV Pro from Franklin Sports and feel the traction difference.

The trophies have been handed out. The costumes all packed away for next year. The last piece of confetti cleared off Championship Court.

After a jam-packed five days full of insane highlights, colorful costume contests, and the most elite amateur team pickleball on the planet, the 2025 The Dink Minor League Pickleball National Championship is officially a wrap.

Players from 35 U.S. states and 8 countries packed Pickler Universe in Dallas for the largest MiLP National Championship to date – the world's top amateurs all in one spot battling for national titles and a $100,000 prize purse.

The Championship featured:

The youngest competitor was 10, the oldest 69, and every single one played their heart out.

The 2025 National Champions:

➡️ For event photos, videos, and highlights, check out our article.

A lot of people think frozen seafood is the backup plan — the thing you buy when the “fresh” stuff runs out. But here’s the twist: when it comes to quality, frozen can actually be fresher than what’s behind the counter.

Most “fresh” fish has already been frozen for transport, then thawed for display. Sometimes it’s thawed and refrozen more than once. By the time you see it sitting on ice, it may have been there for days. Not exactly the fresh-caught moment you pictured.

If you want seafood that’s truly fresh, frozen should be your first choice. Wild Alaskan Company freezes wild-caught fish from Alaska just hours after harvest, locking in peak flavor, texture, and nutrients until the moment you’re ready to cook.

It’s not a shortcut. It’s simply the smarter way to enjoy top-quality seafood at its best.

Divine Iron promised to be a gleaming, 50,000-square-foot state-of-the-art gym, training and recovery center, and 12-court pickleball facility located in Tampa’s Westshore District.

The “all women’s gym” started marketing its features and amenities last December. The introductory prices were appealing, including just $79 for monthly pickleball access for the first 100 buyers — a steal to get away from the Florida heat.

Early member dues started rolling in.

But after several fits and starts, WFLA News Channel 8 reports, the business appears to be doomed before it even opened, citing permitting issues with the city.

“October was the last email we all received, and they said they were dealing with permitting issues,” one early member told WFLA. “They were saying all the right things to kind of keep you strung along to see if they were going to open or not.”

Now the social media channels have gone dormant, the pickleball-specific website is down, and a call to the business’s listed number is met with an automated response: “Your calling is currently suspended. Please try later.”

The company’s owner said he plans to return all membership money.

A review from the Dink Fam...

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