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USA Pickleball drops the hammer

USA Pickleball drops the hammer

Pattern recognition unlocked. Your recovery cheat code.

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We finally have an answer. For weeks, the pickleball world has been in limbo after JOOLA Gen 3 paddles were removed from USA Pickleball’s approved equipment list.

The results from USA Pickleball’s new round of testing are in. We have the results for you below. Spoiler: it isn’t just JOOLA that’s affected.

In other news, Major League Pickleball released some gameplay updates ahead of its D.C. event. We’ll cover that in more detail in Friday’s issue because, well, this issue is jam-packed already.

Do you wear compression sleeves when playing pickleball?

In This Issue:

🔬 USA Pickleball’s decision on JOOLA Gen 3s
🔮 Use patterns to predict what’s next
🤸‍♂️ Prepare and repair for better pickleball

Put down the paddle. Step away from the paddle…

Advanced Pattern Recognition Unlocked

We’ve written about the importance of recognizing patterns in pickleball. Today, we want to discuss a more advanced pattern: the down-the-line speedup, slide, and counter.

First, speed it up

This pattern begins by speeding a ball up down the line (to your opponent’s backhand).

If you hit a winner, great - but we’re not talking about that.

The more interesting part is that when your opponent counters, you put your body in a better position to cover the middle with either a forehand or backhand counter.

You can see this performed by Matt Wright in Sunday’s Championship match at the PPA Tour’s CIBC Texas Open:

Timestamp 7:18

The pattern recognition is on point by Matt because he knows any counter that JW Johnson hits will likely not go back down the line, but instead toward the middle – which is where Matt’s backhand is sitting, waiting to pounce.

We know this because of the triangle rule.

Then, clean it up

If you watch the video closely, you’ll see that almost as soon as Matt hits his speedup, he is already putting his body in a new position anticipating the ball toward the middle.

This allows Matt to hit a stronger counter and winner.

Recognizing the moments when your opponent’s counter will be weak allows you to anticipate and set up the next shot for a winner.

Grab a friend and practice

You can practice this pattern with a friend.

Both of you should line up at the kitchen across from one another
Have one player dink down the line and the other speed up to the backhand
Notice where the counter goes – it’s either toward the middle or toward the inside hip
The player speeding the ball up should focus on moving their body into a better hitting position right after the initial speedup. Don’t wait for the counter or it’s too late
Aim your next shot toward your opponent’s feet or back toward their backhand.

If you do this well, you should win most of these hand battles.

Once you start recognizing this pattern, you can use it against your opponents repeatedly.

Jack Sock’s Signature Paddle

Jack Sock, a four-time Grand Slam tennis champion and Olympic gold medalist, has seamlessly transitioned into a pickleball star, making a significant impact on the game and earning himself a signature paddle from Selkirk.

Featuring a signature “Jack Sock” colorway, the LUXX Control Air paddle is Jack's weapon of choice, seamlessly supporting his transition from tennis to pickleball. Known for its exceptional control, this paddle lets Jack dictate the match's pace, perfectly suiting his aggressive, offense-driven style.

For players who want to match Jack's powerful play without sacrificing control, the LUXX Control Air is the paddle of choice. If you're a tennis convert like Jack Sock, this paddle is your perfect fit.

Step up your game with Jack's signature paddle today.

USA Pickleball Rules on JOOLA Gen 3s

It has been nearly three weeks since USA Pickleball de-listed one of the most popular paddles of 2024. In that time, it has repeated the approval testing process on what is presumed to be the correct paddle.

Yesterday, they announced that the paddles have failed to meet USAP approved equipment standards and will not be added to the approved equipment list. Sound of jaw hitting the floor.

Now that a decision has been made, the scope of the controversy is coming into focus.

Thousands of paddles were released into the market for over a month
Millions of dollars changed hands as a result of paddle sales, marketing expenses and more
Tournaments across the country have been won at the pro and amateur level using these paddles
Select pro players have had access to the paddles for months
Prize money and titles have been awarded over that time

All of this can’t be erased and questions remain.

What happens with JOOLA?
There are millions of dollars at stake and plenty of customers who thought they purchased a tournament-eligible paddle. Are mass returns and refunds in order? How does JOOLA make it right by their customers?

It is hard to blame USAP in this scenario if they truly did receive the wrong paddles in the approval process. It leads to a different question that we will likely never have an answer to: Were the wrong paddles actually submitted by accident?

How does this decision impact the amateur landscape?
Will clubs and facilities ban the JOOLA Gen 3s from local competitions and prohibit its members from using the paddle? How will it be enforced?

JOOLA is not the only brand affected
Ronbus announced this morning that their formerly USAP-approved Ripple paddle has now been de-listed. This decision is based on the results of a newly implemented test we speculate is the exit velocity test.

Is this just the beginning for paddle de-listings? Who is next on the hit list and will more paddles lose approval based on their exit velocity?

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail

Performance begins well before you step on the court. What you do before and after your games will often determine how well you play and, most importantly, how quickly you can get back out there to do it again.

Pre-Game Routine Goals
1. Increase the blood flow throughout the body
2. Enhance mobility/flexibility in directions and positions you will utilize on the court
3. Ramp up the nervous system for high-intensity gameplay

There are plenty of exercises to accomplish these goals, but one of the most efficient is working with a percussive massager like the Theragun.

Post-Match Recovery
Post-match stretching is one of the most underrated options for recovery. If you want to feel closer to 100 percent the next day, stretching is a must. A routine for pickleball-specific muscles includes:

quad stretch
piriformis stretch
calf stretch
shoulder stretch

What the experts say
We spoke to some pickleball performance experts who added their own personal suggestions to keep pickleballers healthy and on the court.

Here’s What Your Feet Need to Know

Hey Dink fam, remember when we asked you about your go-to footwear for pickleball? Well, pickleball-specific court shoes were the preferred choice, with tennis court shoes trailing behind. Surprised? So were we! But it turns out, there's more to this choice than meets the eye.

We discovered significant differences between tennis and pickleball court shoes. From sole design to support levels, these differences can impact your game more than you might think.

Speaking of shoes, we stumbled upon two pairs from K-Swiss that are making waves in the pickleball community. The Pickleball Supreme and Express Light Pickleball models are designed to up your game with top-notch comfort, grip, and responsiveness.

So, now that you're in the know about the differences between these court shoes, why not give them a try? Your game — and your feet — will thank you.

Show Me the Money

The United Pickleball Association announced the addition of a new C-suite member. George Killebrew is now the Chief Revenue Officer of UPA.

Killebrew is the former CRO of the Dallas Mavericks and former commissioner of Major League Rugby. He has consulted for the PPA Tour since October of last year.

Under his leadership, the Mavericks were consistently ranked among the top teams in revenue generation in the NBA. He was also instrumental in securing national broadcast deals with Major League Rugby.

Why does this matter? Well, creating the next big spectator sports starts with building a TV-ready product. Something people want to tune into each weekend. And we’ve had plenty of discussions around how to do that:

Zane’s take in 2022
Our take on people taking pickleball seriously
APP CMO Tom Webb’s take on changes that need to be made

But that’s only half the battle because if you can’t monetize it, it isn’t sustainable. And that’s what Killebrew is here to solve. Broadcast rights, major sponsorships, ticket sales, etc.

Killebrew has done it before. Now he wants to do it again…with pickleball.

Headlines & Quick Hits

“Surprised by how many items were in the first box, the quality is amazing. I was expecting something good, but this was beyond good” - The Pickleball Box is the perfect Father’s Day gift!
How many tuned in to the PPA Texas Open on FOX on Sunday?
Four Ways to Improve Immediately as an Amateur Pickleballer
MLP makes some gameplay updates ahead of MLP Washington D.C.
ICYMI: Jack Munro, Mehvish Safdar Star at the DUPR Collegiate Individual National Championships