THANK YOU First Horizon Park for an Exciting Winter of Indoor Pickleball!
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!
Elevate your game with a Dinkville Instructor! Book a Lesson Today!
Looking to take your game to the next level? Reach out to our Dinkville Preferred Instructors who would love to work with you! Tell them Landon sent you when you reach out! Click HERE to see our instructors
Super Dink: Glow in the Dark Pickleball Tournament on Feb 3rd at C2 Pickleball
Dinkville is excited to announce Super Dink: Glow in the Dark Pickleball Tournament at C2 Pickleball in Hendersonville, TN on Saturday February 3rd! There will be Men's, Women's, and Mixed Doubles Brackets for ALL Skill Levels so make sure to find a partner and get signed up today!
There are 80 Teams Registered so make sure to Sign Up Today HERE!
Thank you to our tournament sponsor Miracle Automotive for making this event happen! If you are looking for a car or need anything at all in the car industry, make sure you head to Miracle Automotive!
If you can't make this event, go to C2 Pickleball for other upcoming Pickleball events and membership options!
Recapping the Winter Season of Indoor Pickleball at First Horizon Park
We wanted to express our sincere gratitude to the Nashville Sounds First Horizon Park for hosting the first-ever indoor Pickleball this Winter! The success of this season wouldn't have been possible without your incredible venue and support.
From the exciting opening night with hundreds of people to the lively leagues, the atmosphere at your ballpark created unforgettable moments for everyone involved. We appreciate the effort, dedication, and enthusiasm that your team brought to make each event a resounding success.
Looking back on the fun times and camaraderie shared by participants, it's clear that your venue provided the perfect backdrop for a winter full of enjoyment. We're truly grateful for the positive experiences and memories created at the Nashville Sounds First Horizon Park.
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Today In Pickleball Brought To You By The Dink
Third Shot Drop Crash Course
The third shot drop carries a lot of weight in the game of pickleball. It’s the key to neutralizing the returning team’s advantage and advancing towards the NVZ.
If you're an avid reader of the Dink, chances are that you know how to execute a 3rd shot drop. In a new video, John Cincola explains the variations of drops that he uses and the logic behind his shot selection and placement.
Flat Drop
This is the basic drop that focuses on two variables, power and height. Fine-tune how hard you push through the ball and the angle of your paddle face to get consistent with the flat drop.
Topspin Drop
The topspin drop adds the risk of making a mistake but also adds the reward of challenging your opponent.
To execute: Square up the face of your paddle and brush up the backside of the ball. Cincola likes to use the topspin drop when aiming down the line.
Underspin Drop aka Slice Drop
For the underspin drop, the paddle face opens up to a roughly 45-degree angle. Because the paddle face is open, the swing can follow a level path instead of swinging up. As opposed to the topspin drop, Cincola prefers to use underspin when going cross-court.
Where to hit your third?
Cincola also provides a hierarchy for where to hit your thirds.
1. Confidence trumps strategy. If you have a favorite location to hit your drops, then hit it there. Confidence and consistency are keys to a good third shot.
2. Choose your spot. When confident hitting to any location, target the player that is less of a threat on the fourth. Avoid erne threats and forehands that can reach into the kitchen if possible.
Cincola’s third tip requires a little more explanation and can be found here.
I 💔 NY
Unsurprisingly, there’s an increase in pickleball demand in the Empire State (much like there’s an increase in demand everywhere). But New York has some serious – and expensive – catching up to do.
The state will need to build 3,558 courts at a project cost of $124.5 million to keep up with demand over the next 5-7 years, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s 2023 report.
That’s nearly 3 million square feet, or about 50 football fields.
We recently learned from the SFIA that Texas will need to build 2,527 courts at a project cost of $88.5 million to keep up with demand over the next 5-7 years.
But at least Texas still has the space for it. Sure, once you get out of the city, New York has some room…but it’s still the Northeast. Property is expensive to buy and expensive to develop.
Regardless, New York needs to kickstart its pickleball investment if it wants to serve the pickleball public. According to SFIA’s report, it ranks last in the nation in terms of dedicated court coverage.
With only 0.23 dedicated courts per 10,000 people, that’s 81% below the national average.
Sock a Threat for Gold
We're about halfway through the PPA Masters in Palm Springs but there is already so much to catch up on.
Let's start with the top seed, Ben Johns. He was upset by one of the game's rising stars, 17-year-old Quang Duong. Side note: Duong was forced to make a last-minute paddle switch because his white paddle was deemed illegal.
Also in men's singles, Jack Sock has made his presence felt with an upset over the four-seed Connor Garnett. Side note here: Fan Duel Sportsbook resumed pickleball betting and bettors could have jumped on Sock at +750 mid-match.
- Sock and Catherine Parenteau are still alive and appear to be a threat in mixed doubles
- He and Collin Shick were eliminated last night by Riley Newman and Thomas Wilson in men’s doubles.
Genie Bouchard's debut was a good indicator for all the pickleball haters out there who think they can hop off the couch and enter the pro ranks. Try it and see what happens. The former #5 player in women’s tennis lost her first match in each division.
The Vulcan ball has forced players to adapt to a new play style. The new trial serve has caught some negative feedback from pros and resulted in a ton of faults.
Play resumes today 1pm ET with Championship Court on pickleballtv and Grandstand Court on YouTube.
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Landon Hallam
Dinkville President