Welcome back to The Pickleball Clinic Newsletter!

Let’s do this. 👇

Business is all about growth and expansion. For some companies, that means doing more of the same, just at a bigger level.

But for other businesses, growth often happens by expanding the list of products they make and/or entering new industries. As pickleball has taken off in popularity over the past 5 or 6 years, many previously non-pickleball companies have entered the pickleball space. Let's take a look at some of them.

AARP: The non-profit advocacy organization for the 50+ age group has partnered with the APP Tour and Major League Pickleball (MLP).

Adidas: This footwear and apparel company threw its hat into the pickleball ring with paddles and other pickleball gear.

Carvana: The online used car retailer became the exclusive title sponsor of the PPA Tour.

Franklin Sports: Yes, Franklin has always specialized in making sporting products, but its huge move toward pickleball is quite remarkable.

Knighthead Capital Management: This New York-based investment firm entered the pickleball space by buying an MLP team.

Razer: This global gaming lifestyle brand recently partnered with JOOLA to make a limited-edition paddle.

Jenius Bank: The Japanese-owned digital bank was the title sponsor of last week's Pickleball World Championships in Dallas, Texas.

Vlasic Pickles: Kind of a no-brainer here. Nonetheless, this pickle company entered the pickleball space with an APP Tour event called the Vlasic Classic.

There are many more companies involved in pickleball, both in the United States and internationally, and that's in addition to the huge list of celebrities and business people who are already invested in our sport.

So for those who thought that pickleball was just a passing fad, we hope you didn't bet on that belief. 😉

Prepare for a Reach-In Volley to Go Cross Court

If your opponent is reaching far into the kitchen to hit a shot out of the air, it is likely that it will go diagonally off the paddle. This may not be fully cross court, it may go more towards the middle, but the farther you reach into the kitchen, the sharper the diagonal angle is likely to be. This way, when you see someone reaching far into the kitchen you can start cheating diagonally!

You like seeing fast reflexes? Here you go. 👇

Pickleball in Paradise (WE did this!)

For a long time, co-founders Aaron and Matt have had the idea of taking advanced pickleball players on a once-in-a-lifetime retreat that would transform their game, while in paradise. So that's what they did. And it starts THIS March! They partnered with Alex Szczepkowski, a 6.0 player, coach, and director at their academy Montclair Pickleball to create Elite Pickleball Retreats, bringing pickleball players unforgettable experiences that grow their game while in beautiful places.

Their very first trip will be from March 18 - 22, 2026, at the beautiful all-inclusive Sandals Regency La Toc Resort in Saint Lucia. Players will get 3 full days of intense training, guided matchplay, private lessons for everyone, fitness and yoga classes, pro player seminars, mindset seminars, film review, personal goal setting, and SO much more. Plus, the resort has beautiful pools, beaches, and awesome excursions like snorkeling, cave tours, and hiking. If there was anything else we didn’t add in here, we probably already have it planned but forgot to type it. This is a ONE OF A KIND pickleball trip. Find the full details here.

Just imagine getting Matt's coaching videos, except in person for 3 hours a day. The retreat is designed for both 3.25 - 4.0 and 4.0 - 4.5 players who are looking to take their games to the next level and have the time of their lives. As you might imagine, spots are very limited. So find out more and reserve your spot! 

It's starting to get colder in most parts of the country. There have even been sightings of the "s" word — snow. 😱 But in other parts, you can play outdoor pickleball all year round. One court where you can really make a splash is on the rooftop of the Kimpton La Peer Hotel in West Hollywood, California. You can rent it out for private tournaments or parties with up to 75 guests, and on weekends, it transforms into a disco court with DJs and cocktails. Now that sounds like a party we'd like to attend!

Trash Talk Gone to Far?

Who here remembers the show, COPS? Remember their theme song, "Bad boys, bad boys, what you gonna do? What you gonna do when they come for you?"

Well, in Rocky River, Ohio, people thought it was some bad boys and girls making trouble that resulted in the town canceling all pickleball activities at the local rec center.

But no, it was some bad adults! “We’ve had some folks arguing about the rules,” Director of Recreation Bob Holub told cleveland.com. “Just disagreements on points.”

Uh-oh, we hope people weren't arguing over whether the kitchen line is in on a serve. 😄 (It's not.) There wasn't too much information released, other than the fact that the disputes came during “multi-generational, drop-in games."

OK, so that means there must have been some generational trash talk. We're guessing something like this: "When I was your age, people didn't whine about line calls." "OK, boomer, maybe you should get your eyes checked." 😂

Whatever the arguments were exactly, it was enough for the town to put a stop to pickleball until at least the beginning of 2026.

But many residents feel like they are being punished for the actions of others. “It’s difficult to understand why the entire program would be canceled instead of simply banning the bad actors from the civic center,” said one resident.

That's a good point, but maybe that whole pickleball group needs a collective timeout to let the temperature come down a little bit.

Just remember three things everyone: 1) Pickleball is supposed to be fun. 2) Don't hit nasty nelsons at people unless you're friends. 😄 3) Never do this on or off a pickleball court.

It’s pretty much a life or death situation. 😂👇

The Vorzani Effect

Here at The Pickleball Clinic, we like to work with the highest-quality brands and products in pickleball. That's why we're excited to announce our new partnership with Vorzani, which makes mindfully designed performance apparel for pickleball — both on and off the court.

From polos, shorts, and hoodies to women's skorts and men's boxer briefs, when you wear Vorzani, you’re not only feeling incredible, but you're looking amazing as well. Plus, Vorzani is a company that is all about health and wellness, both for its customers and for the planet. That's why for every product purchased, they plant one tree in the Amazon Rainforest and collect 50 ocean-bound plastic bottles. To celebrate our partnership, we're giving our readers 30% off their first order with code PBC30.

The serve is an extremely important shot in pickleball. First, it starts every single point, and second, you have 100% control over it. Well, today, Matt is speaking with pro pickleball player, Dekel Bar, who may just have the best serve in the world. So you probably want to take some notes. 👇 And if you can’t get enough of Dekel’s videos with us, then check this out!

Key takeaways:

• Prioritize depth as the most important part of your serve. After that comes power and spin.

• During your serve, make sure that your body is moving forward into the court and that you are striking the ball out in front of your body. This will allow you to get your legs, hips and body weight into your serve.

• On the left side, Dekel feels like he has more room to hit if he goes wide to his opponent’s backhand (if they are a righty) or at their body.

• But ultimately, assess your opponent and hit to their weaker side.

Vince Vaughn is no stranger to acting in sports movies. His most memorable one was probably Dodgeball, but he also played football in Wedding Crashers, and he even had a part in the classic college football movie, Rudy.

But Vaughn is also involved with sports in real life. Try taking a guess at which one? 😉 You guessed it, pickleball! Vaughn is the majority owner of the Coachella Valley Scorpions, a National Pickleball League (NPL) team that just won the 2025 NPL championship with a 7–2 victory over the Seattle Tsunami.

“Congratulations to the Coachella Valley Scorpions on winning the 2025 NPL Pickleball Championship! Well played!" Vaughn said. “Big congrats to the entire league on an exciting and entertaining season. Onward.”

Hope you enjoyed the read. See you next week!

- Your Friends at The Pickleball Clinic

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