Welcome back to The Pickleball Clinic Newsletter!

Have you ever gotten into a big argument while playing pickleball? Has it ever been close to getting physical? Today, we’ll look at an insane attack on the courts, determine how high your pickleball ceiling is, explore what playing pickleball would be like against the NBA's 7’5” Victor Wembanyama, and much more.

Let’s do this! 👇

For the vast majority of us, pickleball is associated with community and friendship. But sometimes there are altercations on a pickleball court, and very rarely those incidents become physical.

In fact, physical altercations are so rare in pickleball that whenever they happen, they are generally reported in the news. Well, a recent pickleball incident that turned violent was unique in quite a few ways...

It all started in St. Augustine, Florida, where a woman was playing pickleball with her son on one of 20 pickleball courts at Treaty Park.

The woman, Michele Bannister, got into an argument with another player and reportedly had a disagreement with him over retrieving a ball. After the match, that same man evidently walked over to Bannister's son and critiqued something about his game.

That is when Bannister allegedly hit the man in the head several times with her paddle, causing many cuts that resulted in a large amount of blood.

"She probably got in six good whacks with the side of the paddle," said North Florida Ambassador for USA Pickleball, Pam Hatch, aka Pickleball Pam, who happened to be playing nearby. "She was being torn off of him as well. She was upset. Something really did set her off."

The police were called to the scene, and while speaking to the officers, Bannister told them that her name was “Aiyanna Lei,” not Michele Bannister.

That probably wasn't the best idea because when cops later tracked Bannister down at her home, she was arrested and charged not only with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, but also with false identification given to a law enforcement officer.

Bannister claims that she was simply protecting her son. However, investigators determined there was no sign that her son was at risk.

"Her actions were needed to stop a violent attempt to attack her young son," said Bannister's attorney, Rosemarie Peoples of Smith & Eulo. "I expect that a jury of her peers will fully exonerate her heroic efforts to defend her child."

Was Bannister genuinely concerned for her son's safety? Or is she using that an excuse to evade punishment? We have no way of knowing, but we hope the truth comes out at her trial.

Keep Your Paddle Up in a Ready Position

One of the most common mistakes I see from beginners is dropping the paddle down to their side after they hit. When that happens, you lose valuable reaction time and put yourself in a weaker defensive position. Instead, keep your paddle up and centered in front of your body while you’re waiting for your opponent’s shot.

This puts you in a ready stance where you can react immediately to anything coming your way—especially attacks. If your paddle is low, you have to lift it, set it, and then react. If it’s already up, all you need to do is make a small adjustment or turn to defend. That simple habit can make a big difference in how prepared and stable you feel during rallies.

When you go from defense to offense… 💪👇

When it comes to a pickleball paddle, you're going to be looking for control, power, and spin. Those are the main things. But how a paddle gets you there is always evolving. That's why you want to trust your paddle to RPM, the only paddle designed and created by a PPA champion, James Ignatowich.

Ignatowich has spent hundreds of hours meticulously studying paddle design, and that's why the RPM Friction Pro took the pickleball world by storm when it first came out. Fast forward to today, and the RPM V2 has added a new Axial Carbon Layup and an enhanced EVA foam ring to generate elite spin and power.

For those who want a full-foam paddle, that's where RPM's Q2 comes in. The Q2 balances controlled aggression, accessible power, and long-term durability. Grab your RPM paddle today, and use code (clinic15) for 15% off.

Club Spotlight: Dill Dinkers Henderson, NV

What happens in Vegas... starts with pickleball. Court Kings helped bring the largest dedicated indoor pickleball facility in the area to life at Dill Dinkers in Henderson, Nevada.

The club features 11 indoor courts, including six regulation courts and five championship-sized courts, all finished with Premium Pro Cushion® Play surfaces. The climate-controlled facility also includes a dedicated event space where they host corporate events, a ball machine, spectator viewing area, and pro shop, creating a premier experience for players of all levels.

Court Kings proudly provided the court surfacing, fencing, and net installation for the project, delivering a premium cushioned playing surface designed for both performance and player comfort.

The feedback has been outstanding. Owner Greg Louie shared: "We've had a number of pro players and coaches try our Pro Cushion courts and we've received rave reactions. Players are saying these are the nicest courts they've ever played on and wish they could play on these courts at every tournament."

Projects like Dill Dinkers Henderson demonstrate Court Kings' commitment to building world-class courts that not only look exceptional but elevate the playing experience for everyone who steps on them.

Ready to build courts that look and play like these? Contact Court Kings at [email protected] to learn how they can help bring your vision to life.

In certain walks of life, including sports, the term "ceiling" is used to describe the extent of one's potential. Conversely, a person's "floor" describes their minimum level of projected success.

For example, when assessing a college athlete's potential at the professional level, a scout might report that he or she has an average floor but a high ceiling.

That means that the athlete could very well turn out to be average, but has the potential to be excellent. So, with that in mind, what is your pickleball ceiling?

In theory, everyone should have a level at which they could not go beyond. For some people, that DUPR rating might be a 4.8 and for others, it might be a 5.5. But assuming that you dropped everything and devoted your life to pickleball, what would that ceiling be?

For starters, let's look at what you DON'T need to become an excellent player, which let's define as being 4.5+. You do not need speed, so factors such as age or mild lower body injuries will not significantly hold you back

You also don't need high levels of strength, endurance (at least in doubles), or even agility. In fact, most of what you do need to become an excellent player can be learned. After all, pickleball shots are swings and swings are products of muscle memory. 

So if you hit thousands and thousands of drops, drives, dinks, volleys, resets, and serves, you're going to get very good. Plus, if you learn and study the game, then your court positioning and shot selection will be on point, which is crucial to becoming an excellent player.

Even physical attributes that are thought to be natural, like fast hands or reflexes, can be improved upon with practice. Plus, much of what people think of when it comes to “fast hands” is actually not just hand-eye coordination, but rather other factors like anticipation, paddle positioning, and firm wrists.

So do different people have different ceilings based on natural attributes, such as hand-eye coordination, agility, and youth? We suppose so, but at least in pickleball, almost everyone's ceiling is A LOT higher than you might think, especially if you put in the work.

And hey, it's not just pickleball. Just look at the recent NBA Finals MVP, Jalen Brunson. His ceiling was never that high because he was never tall enough, fast enough, or quick enough to be considered a superstar, let alone the best player on a championship-winning team. 

Well, just tell someone that their "ceiling" isn't that high, and watch them break through it.

Yup, we’re all guilty of this. 👇

We are so excited that TheraICE is our Official Hot & Cold Therapy Partner because they can help so many of you out there who are suffering from aches, pains, and overall soreness. Plus, you can get 20% off all the incredible TheraICE products when you use code "CLINIC20". That means 20% off their sleeves, including the TheraICE AnySLEEVE, which fits any body part, such as your knee, elbow, calf, and ankle.

TheraICE is all about delivering comfortable and convenient cold and heat therapy so you can get back to doing what you love—like playing pickleball! So go ahead and grab your TheraICE AnySLEEVE today.

When you're up at the kitchen and you can reach a ball out of the air, that's helpful to you because it robs your opponents of time. And if it's high enough above the net, then that's great because you can attack it. But what if the ball is not high enough to attack, but you still want to apply a little pressure to your opponents rather than simply hitting a dead dink? Enter the roll dink volley. Here's Matt to show you exactly how to hit it. 👇

We mentioned the New York Knicks' best player, Jalen Brunson, above, so we figured why not include the best player from their finals opponents, the San Antonio Spurs? Well, we didn't do that on purpose, but it just so happens that Victor Wembanyama (aka "Wemby" or "The Alien") actually plays pickleball!

The 7’5” NBA star has been spotted at outdoor rooftop pickleball courts in Austin, Texas. Just imagine for a second what his reach is like when he's standing up at the kitchen. Your dink or drop better be really short because what you can get away with on most people will be swatted by Wemby. (Also, you might not want to lob him. 😂)

Hope you enjoyed the read. See you next week!

- Your Friends at The Pickleball Clinic

Missed an issue? You can catch up anytime!

WANT TO WORK WITH US?

Let us know who you are and how you’d like to partner with The Pickleball Clinic here!

Have an idea, story, or video? Reply to this email! We’d love to hear from you…