Free Beginners Clinic Packs Out 12 Courts at Municipal Park
Dinkville is proud to be sponsored by Selkirk, and we highly recommend their exceptional products and strong commitment to the future of pickleball. Please check out their site HERE and use code ADV-LHALLAM at Checkout to receive a FREE GIFT from Selkirk!
Dinkville's Anniversary Tournament on June 22nd-23rd at Peay Park
Dinkville's 2nd Anniversary Tournament set for June 22nd-23rd at Peay Park in Goodlettsville, TN. Multiple brackets so all skill levels are welcome! If this is your 20th tournament or your first, we would love to have you out for a fun pickleball tournament!
Saturday June 22nd- Morning Men's and Afternoon Women's Brackets
Sunday June 23rd- Morning Men's/Women's Singles and Afternoon Mixed Brackets.
Sign up before May 31st to secure FREE MERCH at Check in!
This is a DUPR rated tournament so all scores will be submitted to help players get a more accurate player rating.
57 New Players Pack The Courts at Free Beginners Clinic on Tuesday Night
We are thrilled to report that our recent Beginners Clinic at Municipal Park was an overwhelming success! With 12 courts and over 57 enthusiastic beginners eager to learn the wonderful game of Pickleball, the event truly packed out the park.
We extend our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you who attended the clinic. Your enthusiasm and dedication to learning made the event truly special. It was fantastic to see so many new faces eager to embrace the sport of Pickleball.
A special thank you goes out to all the Dinkville Captains who generously gave their time and energy to make this event possible. Your commitment to helping others learn and enjoy the game is truly commendable, and we couldn't have done it without you. Best Pickleball Community EVER!!
As we look ahead, we encourage you to keep an eye out for upcoming events. Whether you're a seasoned player or a newcomer, there will be plenty of opportunities for you, your friends, and your family to enjoy the next Pickleball event together.
Support Fellow Dinkville Member Amon Kelley
Fellow Dinkville member and active Pickleball player Amon Kelley had to have Heart Surgery this week. As the Dinkville Community, we would like to put together a wonderful Pickleball Package for him (Bag, Balls, Merch, etc) to show our support through this difficult time. If you would like to contribute, please click below as ALL proceeds will go to him!
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Photo by Alexander Shatov / Unsplash
Make sure to follow Dinkville on Instagram @dinkville_Pickleball to keep up with recent events and stay in tune with upcoming announcements!
Today In Pickleball Brought To You By The Dink
Slow It Down
One of the big differences between pros and amateurs is the speed of the game. Not how fast the ball is moving, but the speed with which the players see the game.
More experience on the court leads to faster processing time. It allows you to anticipate what will happen next and prepare accordingly.
A piece of advice that any beginner can benefit from is to slow things down. Slow the game down to your speed until you develop control of the ball and start to anticipate what is coming next.
That starts with your swing.
You can’t just flail at the ball and hope it goes where you want it to. Pickleball requires such little force that a swing at 50 percent power is plenty enough to clear the net and even reach the backcourt.
Next is shot choice.
A drive is a great way to end a point fast. Either you force a mistake and end the point or make a mistake and end the point yourself. Favor the drop over the drive in the early days.
The same applies to speedups.
Don’t start a firefight unless you have a plan. You will start to see openings where your opponent is out of position or off balance and then you can take advantage.
A beautiful part about the game is that it can be won with power OR finesse. Favor finesse until you're able to handle the speed and power.
Bad Boys. Whatcha Gonna Do?
The pickleball crime spree continues and this is starting to look like more than a coincidence.
In February, we told you about the tennis/pickleball chain Game-Set-Match that had been hit for $20,000 in paddles. This week cameras caught criminals in the act at the Las Vegas location.
Reports say that a group entered the store with a coordinated attack to steal the goods. One man distracted the clerk with questions about tennis equipment while two women went to work on the pickleball section.
They snagged 16 paddles totaling over $5,000 before exiting the store. You can watch the surveillance video for yourself here.
If you want free paddles the easy way, just refer a friend. Copy this link and send it to your pickleball crew to start earning prizes, including free paddles for life.
Hopped Off the Plane at LAX
The PPA Tour whirlwind schedule brings them to the city of Angels for the third of four consecutive weeks of play.
A New No. 1
Anna Leigh Waters is absent again this week due to her participation in the US Open. In her absence, Ben Johns and Anna Bright are teaming up for the first time and will be the No. 1 seed in mixed.
Eight Straight?
Can Federico Staksrud make it eight straight finals appearances in men’s singles? He will have a somewhat favorable draw this week with the No. 3, No. 5 and No. 6 seeds all on the opposite side of the bracket.
Doubles Dominance
The Johns bros and Anna Bright/Rachel Rohrabacher won in convincing fashion last week. Will anyone stand in their way and prevent them from another title in LA?
New Duos
A few new partnerships will try to break through in men’s. Tyson McGuffin will test the waters with Jaume Martinez Vich. Singles standout Connor Garnett will pair with Augie Ge to try to break down the competition.
See our full preview and predictions for the LA Open here. You can watch the event on Amazon Prime and PickleballTV starting at 2pm ET tomorrow.
Stand Out in Any Crowd
Ever wondered what the top pickleball players are wearing on their heads these days? Meet the Selkirk Amped Trucker Hat. Forget about just shielding your eyes from the sun; this hat amps up your style and your game.
Straight out of the gate, the Trucker Hat impresses with its bold, no-nonsense design. But let’s talk comfort - because that’s where this hat really scores. With its breathable mesh and snug fit, it keeps you cool under pressure and looking sharp match after match.
Check out the Selkirk Amped Truckers Hats today and make your mark on the court!
Plata O Plomo … Or Maybe Tungsten
Adding weight to your paddle is a great way to customize it to your liking. Some players add weight to add power to their game. Others like the stability it provides when the ball doesn’t hit exactly in the sweet spot.
Although some players (and a lot of pros) have started weighting their paddle, the majority of The Dink Fam has not. Over 53 percent of players polled in our survey indicated they add no weight to their paddle.
That may stem from a lack of understanding how lead tape can be used to alter a paddle.
- Adding tape along the sides adds stability and increases the size of your sweet spot
- Adding tape on the top edge increases power and head weight
- Adding tape on the neck of the paddle increases stability without sacrificing as much hand speed.
Of course, adding weight comes with drawbacks as well. The increased weight will likely slow your paddle down in firefights, at least until you have time to adjust.
The increased weight will also make the ball jump off the paddle. You will need to relearn how hard to hit drops, dinks, and resets to avoid pop-ups.
You will also need to be mindful of injury. Don’t add weight and then go play for six hours. Ease into it with shorter play sessions while experimenting.
Read more about where to add tape and what tape to buy here.
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Thanks,
Landon Hallam
Dinkville Founder/CEO