🤾 A few tips to help you beat bangers

Hey reader,

Welcome back to the Pickleheads Newsletter!

In this issue:

😍 Selkirk is serious about the future
🤾 A few tips to help you beat bangers
💥 A 3-step formula for a powerful forehand drive
😍 How to hit a backhand 3rd shot drop

😍 Selkirk is serious about the future

Hey Pickleheads readers! 👋 Stephen here…

I’ve always respected Selkirk as one of the OG paddle brands. But I’ll be honest, their recent launches left me a little underwhelmed. The SLK ERA felt like a step in the right direction, but I wasn’t sold on the bigger picture.

Then I got invited to Idaho, the home of Selkirk.

What I found behind the scenes completely shifted my perspective: in-house R&D labs, custom-built testing equipment, and a hands-on team that’s seriously obsessed with pushing the sport forward.

I even got to test-drive an unreleased paddle – the Project Boomstik – and ended up winning the on-site tournament with it.

👉 Read my full Selkirk tour recap

 🤾 A few tips to help you beat bangers

I’m pumped to welcome back Kyle from That Pickleball School for this week’s Level Up.

Hey Pickleheads readers,

We’ve all faced bangers. Y’know, the players who love to hit everything hard.

It can be overwhelming if you’re not ready… but here’s the mindset shift that changes everything:

👉 Expect pace.

If your opponent starts the match swinging big, assume the next one’s coming even hotter. Don’t get caught off guard. That’s when you make mistakes.

Instead:

1. Stay planted (even if you’re a few steps off the line)

2. Keep your weight forward

3. Attack the next ball instead of popping it up

You’ll stop getting pushed around, and start punishing sloppy speedups.

Hope this helps.

Watch Kyle demo the mindset and movement shift that shuts down bangers 👇

Serious tools for serious players

Precision, power, and spin. Shop adidas’ RX CARBON now – $149

Precision, spin, and control…without the pro price tag.

If you’ve moved beyond the basics and want a paddle that can actually keep up, take a look at the adidas RX CARBON.

You get a raw carbon fiber face, which gives you longer dwell time, sharper spin, and way more touch in the soft game.

The 14mm core keeps things stable for resets and blocks, and the overall build just feels solid.

The ATTK shape gives you more reach and power on drives and counters.

The CTRL is quicker in the hand and deadly for placement.

These paddles are for players who are starting to play competitively, or thinking about it, and want gear that can go the distance. A serious paddle built for serious improvement.

Carneros Resort & Spa, Napa Valley

Champagne and pickleball? Don’t mind if we do.

Tucked in the heart of Napa Valley, Carneros Resort & Spa serves up luxury both on and off the court.

Guests can drop in for a clinic, book a private lesson, or jump into open play—all with a glass of Veuve waiting nearby.

Their “Rally, Relax & Repeat” package pairs court time with access to the on-site Veuve Clicquot Champagne Lounge, just steps from the baseline. It’s the kind of place where a casual game turns into a sun-soaked afternoon of leisure.

It’s not on Pickleheads (yet), but it’s very much Dream Court material.

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