Good morning. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again — if 2022 was the year pickleball took over the United States, 2023 is the year it goes global. 

Case in point: the first World Pickleball Cup will take place in Lima, Peru this month. We’ve also just learned that two global pickleball governing bodies have announced a potential merger-in-progress.

More on that below.

In This Issue:
 
🥵 Take the heat off
🌎 Global progress
⁉️ Anything can happen this week

Andale!

Stay Calm Under Fire

You know what to do if, for some reason, you catch on fire: stop, drop, and roll. But what's the plan if you’re caught in a firefight?

Top women's pro Callie Smith is a force at the net, and probably one you'd like to avoid a firefight with altogether.

But despite her ability to fight fire with fire, even she chooses to douse the flames on occasion, leveraging a block volley to slow things down:

• Get into ready position: knees bent, feet about shoulder-width apart and on the balls of your fee

• Keep your paddle tip above your wrist

• Meet the ball with your paddle out in front, don’t punch at the ball

• Bring your elbows up and away from your body, bringing the paddle closer to your chest

The result should be a soft, un-attackable ball that bounces safely in the kitchen. This is a great way to neutralize speed-ups and drives and get back to dinking.

For more pickleball and fitness tips follow @calliejosmith_pickleball on Instagram.

Just a Tap Away

Tired of searching for the perfect pickleball court? Dive into hassle-free court rentals with Swimply!

Whether you’re planning a pickleball party or a friendly game, Swimply connects you to private courts in your vicinity. Simply download the app, pick a court, and you’re set. Beautiful backyard pickleball courts are just a tap away!

Don’t let court hunts sideline you. Explore Swimply now on their website or in the app store. Escape locally with Swimply.

The Global Handshake

The International Pickleball Federation (IPF) and the World Pickleball Federation (WPF) began merger talks at a recent meeting.

In case you didn’t know, IPF was originally founded by USA Pickleball, while WPF was organized with 6 confederations representing the world continents in an effort to better understand how to grow the sport globally.

The organizations’ presidents agreed on several key points:

• That an international pickleball federation must operate democratically

• It must be inclusive

• It must be run by its member countries

• That a “one country, one vote” policy be implemented in the federation’s decision-making

A joint press release announced that this initial agreement is “good news for the sport of pickleball” and that the sport “must be represented by only one international governing body if they are to be accepted as members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).”

Annnnnnd there we have it. This wasn’t just a bid to play nice; it’s an effort to place pickleball where it should already be: at the Olympics. 

Having a singular international governing body is a requirement for participation at a future Olympic Games. 

While the most recent Olympic committee recommendations list for new sports to be included didn’t include pickleball, the IPF says its mission is to make it a recognized sport by the International Olympic Committee by 2032.

It’s That Time Again

Not only is tomorrow the start of Major League Pickleball’s Dallas event, but it is also the start of 11 straight days of pickleball at Brookhaven Country Club in Texas.

• Tomorrow, the Challenger Level squads will decide who advances to the knockout round and who is headed home early. The SoCal Hard Eights are the defending champs from the Atlanta event. They look to make it two in a row and establish themselves as an MLP powerhouse.

• Friday starts the Premier Level play. Kicking things off on Championship Court is Riley Newman and the DC Pickleball Team taking on JW Johnson and the Columbus Sliders.

• The Orlando Squeeze are the reigning Premier Level champs. They will have a target on their back as they try to escape the group of death.

Get ready for an unbelievable stretch of pickleball propaganda out of Dallas, TX. No judgments if find yourself scoping Zillow for a move to the Lonestar state after this massive pickleball celebration.

And don’t forget: immediately following MLP is the BioFreeze 2023 USA Pickleball National Championships. Read our predictions here.

It's November, Time for a Cold Weather Ball

When it's cold, you have to change two things on the court: what outfits you wear and what ball you play.

To celebrate the cold front, PCKL is once again giving a HECK of deal with balls being 40% off when you buy more than than 48 balls and use code DINK15 checkout!

Don't believe us? Check out this Reddit thread from yesterday of users talking about how the Elite 40s play when it gets chilly out.

A Better Way

If you thought sticking your paddle into your local court’s chain link fence — or even a plank of wood with holes in it — was the only way to keep track of who plays next, we’re about to blow your mind:

Enter Pickleball Forum member Mike Johansen’s solution. Featuring two-toned holders, the design makes it easier to tell where the front of the line is: the line actually moves to the front instead of the front moving down.

Think your local court has a better solution? We want to see it. Send pics here.

Pickle for a Cause

October was Breast Cancer Awareness month, and while we may be into November now, Pickleball for the Cure wants to remind you that it’s never too late to help.

The program encourages players to “dink in pink” all year round, joining in fundraisers like the 30-Day Pickleball Challenge or hosting your own pickle-themed fundraising event. Learn more here.

Experience the Ultimate Control

Introducing the Selkirk Luxx Control Air, the ultimate control paddle for Pickleball players who value finesse and precision. While the industry has focused on power paddles, Selkirk recognizes the demand for control.

Tailored for tacticians, this paddle combines Florek Carbon Fiber Technology, a 20mm X7 Thikset Honeycomb Core, 360° Proto Molding Construction, and Aero-DuraEdge Edgeless Technology for an expanded sweet spot, unrivaled control, durability, and accelerated spin.

Experience the Luxx Control Air to elevate your pickleball game. Click here to explore it for yourself and seize control on the court.

Your Favorite Crossover

This week, PicklePod host Zane Navratil, joined the Tennis Sucks podcast for an intense crossover episode. They recap the wild $50k pro-player showcase in Lakeland, including Rafa Hewett's ability to straight-up convince the refs to change their mind on kitchen faults.

Zane & Travis Rettenmaier get into it over the legality of the Squeeze’s orange uniforms, plus, 65% of paddles failed testing at MLP Atlanta, will the same happen in Dallas?

Watch the full episode here and subscribe to The Dink YouTube channel for another episode of the PicklePod premiering tonight at 6 pm ET.

Headlines & Quick Hits

• Rehydration never tasted so good

• Scary stories from the pickleball court

• Win an Engage Pursuit Pro paddle signed by Dekel Bar

• Katy Perry's Firework Foundation is helping to give away an entire pickleball facility to one lucky city

• ICYMI: Creating space on the pickleball court

Highlights

• Pure heat 🔥

• “Pickleball is so easy…”

• The perfect couple?

• The “OUT” ball that drops IN

A review from the Dink Fam...