Welcome back to The Pickleball Clinic Newsletter!

Hey Pickleballers. While we’re technically at about the middle of summer, the unofficial end of summer is just a few weeks away. So get as much summer pickleball in as you possibly can! Speaking of summer, this week we’ll take a look at when pickleball will be in the Summer Olympics, discuss pickleball and dating, get a sneak peak of a Guinness World Record, and a whole lot more.

Let’s go! 👇

Did you catch some of the Olympics? If not, we can tell you that the USA won the most medals and tied with China for the most gold medals.

Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky added to their already legendary careers, the USA men’s and women’s basketball teams both won gold (but barely), Snoop Dogg was everywhere and Tom Cruise made a cameo at the end.

Also, one of the coolest sports photographs of all time was taken.

But let’s cut to the chase — where was pickleball? Why wasn’t it in the Olympics? When will it get in? What needs to happen for it to qualify?

For starters, the Olympics requires one governing body to represent and regulate a sport worldwide. Pickleball currently has at least three international governing bodies, including the World Pickleball Federation, the International Pickleball Federation and the Global Pickleball Federation.

Seymour Rifkin, president of the World Pickleball Federation, is currently trying to negotiate a merger between all three organizations in order for the sport to qualify.

If that merger can happen, Rifkin is very optimistic. "I know for a fact that the IOC (International Olympic Committee) is very interested in pickleball. That is an absolute fact.”

There are also rules about a sport being practiced in a minimum number of countries throughout the world. But that shouldn’t be a problem, as there are already 60 countries where pickleball is being played, according to the World Pickleball Federation.

As for the prospects of pickleball getting into the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, "99% of the people say that it's too late, the earliest we could get it in is 2032," Rifkin said. "But I'm going to tell you this, and this has come directly from an IOC member, 'If we want you in, you're in.' Is it too late for 2028? It's never too late."

Film Yourself Playing

Film yourself playing in order to find what you need to improve on. Many players don’t realize what they look like when they play until they watch video, so this can expose a lot of areas to improve upon. For example, I was watching a video of myself recently and realized that I stand a little too upright when I play, and sometimes hinge at the back instead of bending with my knees on my backhand.

This is one reason why top players always watch film, it makes it much easier to see what they need to improve upon. Try setting up a tripod or cell phone mount next time you play, target where you’re making errors, and work on them next time you drill!

There aren’t too many other sports where you can move from offense to defense this quickly.😄 

Lasting Lyrics

You know the song, “Yellow Submarine” by the Beatles? Or what about “Mellow Yellow,” by Donovan? Let’s go even more recent (and by that, we still mean more than 20 years old 😂) with “Yellow,” by Coldplay. Notice any theme? No, we’re not talking about songs by artists from the UK. We’re talking about the color “yellow.”

Every time we hear these songs, guess what we think about. Yup, we think about the bright yellow Franklin X-40. Why? Because its 40 precise machine-drilled holes, one piece construction, and ultra-durable polyethylene material make it the most balanced, consistent, and durable ball on the market — hands down. Get some for yourself, and use code “clinic15” at checkout for 15% off.

Pickleball’s greatest player of all time, Ben Johns, did a little Q + A with us…

The Pickleball Clinic: What do you think will be most different about the style of pro pickleball play in 5 years?

Ben Johns: I think style of pro players hinges significantly on paddle technology and the ball. Just changing those two variables drastically changes optimal strategies.

Be sure to follow Ben on Instagram and YouTube.

The Singles (and Doubles) Scene

If you are single, we have a question for you. Where do you look to meet people these days? On apps? At bars? Through singles events?

Well, have you ever considered a pickleball court? Sure, you can meet someone anywhere, and if you happen to meet someone while playing pickleball, then all the merrier.

But do any of you play pickleball, at least in part, for dating reasons? Let’s take a poll…

Regardless of your answer, there is no doubt that pickleball checks a lot of boxes when it comes to meeting someone special.

It’s social by nature, it’s welcoming to people of all ages and skill levels, and it allows you to show up alone. In fact, in public parks or at leagues and clinics, you are almost forced to play with different people who you did not already know.

Combine that with tons of fun and a little competition, and you’ve got the perfect setting for some good old-fashioned (and in-person) flirting.

Liv Schreiber, founder of Hot and Social, an NYC members club for singles, is a big advocate of meeting people through pickleball.

And she’s got some great advice for when you head to the courts. “Wear a sweatshirt or a hat of a popular brand, company or university that you think is a conversation starter,' Schreiber said.

'You have to be bold in New York,” said Schreiber. “Otherwise nothing is gonna happen.” That’s not just true for New York — fortune favors the bold wherever you are.

It’s not easy covering 90% of the court, but someone’s got to do it — and that person is me. 😂 (Dink responsibly.)

Blue vs. Orange

ATPs. Ernes. People playing pickleball against themselves. 😲 Yup, it’s all in the incredible “Blue vs. Orange” video above. But what is the blue vs. orange battle? It’s a flavor battle between Jigsaw Health’s cool Blue Raspberry Pickleball Cocktail and zesty Orange Pickleball Cocktail. Who wins? You’re going to have to figure that out for yourself.

Either way, you’ll be drinking a delicious, sugar-free electrolyte powder with as much potassium as two bananas, which is great for NOT CRAMPING — and for just feeling good overall. So get some Pickleball Cocktail today and use code “clinic10” for $10 off.

Speed ups are exciting. They represent a chance for you to be aggressive and to take control of a point. But they’re also not without risk, and if you telegraph your speed up too early, your opponent may have an easy counter attack. Good thing our friend, #3 player in the world James Ignatowich, stopped by to give us some tips. 👇

Highlights:

• Establish your inside-out forehand dink out wide during the match.

• Then, when your opponent doesn’t expect it, flick your wrist to speed it up right down the middle.

• Use deception — hold the paddle with an inside-out dink face for as long as possible before speeding up at the very last second.

Identical twins Angelo and Ettore Rossetti are attempting to set a Guinness World Record on Aug. 17 at Pickleball America in Stamford, Connecticut when they will try to hit at least 10,000 consecutive volleys without a bounce. The effort is part of Pickleball Rally for Charity, which is dedicated to raising awareness and funds for the global humanitarian organization, Save the Children.

First off, good for them for raising money to help a good cause. Second, what? 10,000 consecutive volleys? That seems almost inconceivable, except that the Rossetti twins have done this sort of thing before. In 2021, they set the Guinness World Record for the longest pickleball rally, completing 16,046 shots in six hours and 11 minutes.

Remember how we talked about the Olympics above? Can we please give these twins two gold medals right now? Good luck this weekend, guys!

Hope you enjoyed the read. See you next week!

- Your Friends at The Pickleball Clinic

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