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!

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Hey Dinkville Community!

A huge congrats to Kim DeMarigny for winning the Selkirk Core Backpack in our latest giveaway! 🎒👏 But don’t worry—we’ve got another big giveaway coming your way!

If you sign up for Dinkville's Charity Pickleball Tournament before April 1st, you’ll:
✅ Get a free tournament t-shirt 🎽
✅ Be entered to win a Selkirk Luxx Paddle 🏓🔥

We’ll select a winner from all registered players—so the earlier you sign up, the better! Don’t wait—register today and get in on the action HERE!

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Today In Pickleball Brought To You By The Dink

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Up Your Game

Avoid the Dreaded ‘Chicken Wing’

What if we told you the key to faster hand speed, especially at the kitchen line, is actually slowing down?

As the sport’s speed and intensity increases, it may feel like the only way to keep pace is to anticipate your opponent’s next shot to give your hands a bit of a head start.

But this can actually hurt you. If you react to a shot too early, you end up committing to a movement that can leave you stuck or out of position when the ball actually comes your way.

At the kitchen line, this often means shading to your trusty backhand. You might not even know you’re doing it. But it’s likely why you get caught in the dreaded “chicken wing” position so often: you zigged, your opponent zagged.

Instead, try this: Trust your positioning, stay balanced and react to the shot that comes, not the shot you think is going to come.

Your hands are quicker than you think. Trust them.

Watch the Video

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The Eye-Shot That Ruined an ‘I Do’

Credit: USA Pickleball

Meeting your forever partner can be challenging enough. But as many of you know, planning the next inevitable life stage — wedded bliss — can be an all-consuming test of your commitment.

For one reddit user, the big day was just three days away. So her and her fiancé decided to do what they do every Friday evening: enjoy a few games of casual pickleball.

Everything was fine until a fluke shot made direct contact with his eye.

“An ER visit turned into an optometry visit into an ophthalmology visit into a cornea specialist visit,” the tale goes. “My fiancé was in too much pain, had a nasty shiner, and literally could not open their eyes so we made the last minute decision to cancel the wedding.”

The two did end up getting married in a much smaller ceremony in their apartment, but let this be a lesson to us all: Love may be blind, but that doesn’t mean you have to be. Wear. The. Glasses.

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Prison Rules Pickleball

We’ve told you before—pickleball is spreading everywhere, including prisons across the country. And honestly? That’s a great thing. It gives inmates something productive to do, teaches patience, strategy, and maybe even a little humility. Speaking of humility …

Scott Peterson, the convicted murderer serving life at Mule Creek State Prison, learned a hard lesson on the court—literally. During a pickleball game, he allegedly fired a shot straight at another inmate, which resulted in a hands battle of the traditional kind. No hospital trip needed, but let’s just say he won’t be testing the waters with body shots again anytime soon.

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Please reply to this email and say hey as I would love to get to know you and learn how we can continue to grow pickleball in our community!

Thank you,
Landon Hallam
Dinkville Founder/CEO