Welcome back to The Pickleball Clinic Newsletter!

Can you say naked pickleball? Today, we’ll explore playing in the nude, find out about an engagement ring inspired by pickleball, discover a pickleball movie, and a whole lot more!

Let’s do this! 👇

Ever been to a nude beach? Or wanted to?

Well, since you're a pickler, you can skip the beach part and do the whole nude thing on a pickleball court.

Yes, it's true, nude pickleball is actually a thing! And it's gaining popularity, especially at nudist resorts.

But hold up, before you rip off all your clothes and head out to your local pickleball courts, let's look at a few benefits (and drawbacks) of playing in your birthday suit...

Freeing/Liberating/Empowering: Yup, that makes perfect sense. Maybe a little uncomfortable at first, but you can get used to it.

No Tan Lines: Wow! That didn't occur to us. Now THAT is a really good reason to play naked. (Although until they solve the sunglasses tan issue, we'll still all look like raccoons.)

Less Laundry: Hmm, didn't know the extra laundry associated with pickleball was holding people back from playing. Interesting thought, but not as compelling as the first two.

Builds Stronger Community: The argument here is that since everyone is more vulnerable in the nude, they are more likely to form even stronger bonds. Again, interesting thought, although we haven't seen our parents naked in a while, and we still feel pretty close to them.

And now for the drawbacks…

Focus. It might be a little distracting when your opponent's privates are shaking around while you're trying to dink.

Pain. Taking a hard volley to your naked genitals doesn't exactly sound like a good time. 😫

Arousal. What if your genitalia that starts with a "p" is turned on while playing? That's not just uncomfortable, it's terrifying!

Getting Stuck. What if the ball hits the net and you have to get super close to it to dink it back? And then what if that same "p" genitalia from above somehow gets caught in the net? 😲

Granted, most of the drawbacks above are based in fear, which isn't exactly the healthiest of emotions to make life decisions around.

Well, whatever your thoughts are on naked pickleball, you might as well give it a try at least once. Just know that it takes balls to do it — and by that we mean fully exposed testicles or breasts. 😄

Originally from Northern California, 25-year-old pro pickleball player Alex Neumann was a practice tennis player at Northwestern University and then moved to New York City, where he currently resides. Today, he shares his thoughts on keeping pickleball fun.

“Hey ya’ll, Alex Neumann here - I’m sure you’ve seen lots of pro tips about how to master certain shots, work on your fitness, or improve your strategy. That stuff is all important, but I wanna talk to you about something that will help your game whether you’re just starting to play pickleball or you’re an aspiring pro.

A lot of people ask me why I wear a visor on court whenever I’m playing a tournament. I’ll admit, it does look pretty funny sometimes. But as silly as it sounds, wearing the visor actually helps me play my best pickleball.

I learned quickly during my first year competing on the pro tour that it’s impossible to play my best if I’m not having fun. After all, having fun is the reason that every one of us started playing pickleball in the first place. For me, wearing a visor is the thing that keeps me grounded and reminds me to have fun out there.

Think about the reasons you started playing and what about the sport makes it fun. Maybe it’s the community you’ve met, the time spent with friends and family, or the exercise. Whatever it is, find a way to channel it every time you go out on the court and remind yourself that pickleball should always be fun!

Follow me on Instagram at @alexneum_pb for more tips and to follow my journey on tour!”

3 fundamental tips for hitting good dinks.

1. Keep your backswing short. You should only bring your paddle back so that it’s in line with your front foot and stays in your peripheral vision.

2. Keep your wrist still. One of the most common mistakes on dinks is that players move their wrist too much. Either they flick it or move it through the shot. This will add too much power and inhibit control.

3. Relax your arm! On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being a death grip and 1 having the paddle about to fall out of your hand, you should be gripping the paddle at level 3.

Tyson for the Knockout!

Welcome Tyson McGuffin to the Joola Team! Joola is not only the paddle used by the sport’s greatest player (undisputed G.O.A.T. Ben Johns), but it’s now used by the sport’s most electrifying player — Tyson McGuffin.

If you’re a pickleballer and you don’t know about Tyson McGuffin, then you may have been living under a rock. No offense, it could’ve been a perfectly nice rock that provides shade and warmth 😄 — the bottom line is that Tyson McGuffin is one of the biggest names in all of pickleball, and well-known for his intense and exciting on-court personality.

So if Tyson McGuffin and Ben Johns both use a Joola paddle, then chances are it might be a good paddle for you. 😃👍 Check them out here and get 10% off by using “clinic10” at checkout!

Patience is a virtue — especially in pickleball. 💪

Love and Marriage (and Pickleball)

When you think of an engagement ring, you think of silver, gold, diamonds, and... pickleball?!

Oh yes, at least when the love of your life loves pickleball!

And that's precisely the place Hunter Fieri (Guy Fieri's son) found himself in before proposing to his now fiancée, pro pickleball player, Tara Bernstein.  

"My goal in life is you do this once," said Fieri. "And when you do it once, it's got to be perfect." So with that in mind, Hunter set out to make the ring "pickleball proof."

Hunter asked his longtime friend and ring designer to make it a bit thicker so that if a ball or paddle were to hit it, the diamond wouldn't come off. And that's exactly what he did.

Tara and Hunter both say that it could have been a candy ring he proposed with, but the thought is still very sweet and practical.

The two met by complete chance at a tailgate party at last year's Super Bowl. Not only did Tara not know that Hunter was Guy Fieri's son, she didn't even know who Guy Fieri was.

"I grew up in a sports house playing sports my whole life," Bernstein said. "So for me, I never turned on the Food Network."

Tara is now well aware of who Guy is, and he is happy for her to join the family. We're not sure exactly when the wedding will be, but it's definitely in the works!

Come on now, it’s 2024 — what could you possibly be waiting for?!

The Best Things in Life Are FREE! (well almost)

Breaking news! Franklin’s 'Buck a Ball' frenzy is officially live. It launched today and is only live until the balls are gone (which will likely be today). Balls are currently flying off the shelves faster than Dekel Bar’s serve (many say Dekel has the fastest serve in pro pickleball). At just $1 each, it's the deal of the century - no 'backhanded' tricks here. Get yours now!

Want to add a topspin serve to your repertoire?

Then check out these three things you need to do.👇

Key takeaways:

• Move paddle up from low to high

• Swing hard

• Follow through over your shoulder

The first-ever full-length feature film about pickleball has been announced by Dink Productions. Called “In a Pickle: A Comedy. With Balls,” it is the brainchild of former tennis player turned pickleball enthusiast, Dan Brooks, and Jason Reid, one of the leading builders of tennis and pickleball courts across Florida.

The film is a comedy that will demonstrate the joy and camaraderie of pickleball along with the sport’s competition with tennis. It is currently in the pre-production stage and is set to begin production in the spring of 2024. 👍

Thanks for the read. See you soon!

- Your Friends at The Pickleball Clinic

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