🤩 A game-winning behind-the-back flick

Hey reader,

Welcome back to the Pickleheads Newsletter!

In this issue:

🤩 A game-winning behind-the-back flick
😕 After a $30M reno, Palm Beach County center's courts are empty
🌟 The pickleball world has a new star… and she’s 13
🌍 GPF and UWPF announce joint Initiative to form single International governing body

🤩 A game-winning behind-the-back flick

This week’s epic point is submitted by one of our subscribers Kevin and features one of the most audacious shots ever… a behind-the-back flick that actually wins the point.

It’s an absolute showstopper.

Have a filthy point caught on cam? 📸

Reply to this email or submit yours to [email protected]. The most epic one will feature in next week’s newsletter!

And if we pick your submission, we’ll send you a free Pickleheads t-shirt 🙌

😕 After a $30M reno, Palm Beach County center's courts are empty

You’d think a $30 million renovation would turn a rec center into a pickleball hotspot. Instead, the opposite happened in Palm Beach Gardens.

The freshly upgraded Burns Road Community Center reopened with beautiful new courts and a surprising new price tag. Play sessions that once cost $3 now cost $15, a 500 percent increase, and regulars are walking away.

Players told the Palm Beach Post they feel priced out, especially those who used to play several times a week. What was once a packed, energetic indoor scene has thinned out so much that the shiny new courts are often sitting empty.

Many locals are now driving to Jupiter or North Palm Beach where the cost is lower and the community feels more welcoming. The frustration is real, with residents questioning how a huge upgrade resulted in fewer people playing.

It’s a good reminder that pickleball grows best when the game stays accessible.

🌟 The pickleball world has a new star… and she’s 13

13-year-old Kelly Goodnow may be on track to turn pro, making her one of the youngest professional pickleball athletes in the country.

🌍 GPF and UWPF announce joint Initiative to form single international governing body

In a landmark decision set to reshape the future of the sport, the Board of Directors of the Global Pickleball Federation (GPF) and the United World Pickleball Federation (UWPF) jointly announce a formal commitment to collaborate to establish a single governing entity dedicated to the governance and global expansion of pickleball.

👀 Inside Ballers, Philly’s exclusive pickleball and social club

Ballers, Philly’s new exclusive social club has it all: courts for pickleball, padel, and squash, golf simulators, a full-service restaurant and bar, a gym, a recovery lounge, and events.

Fresh takes, spicy debates, and the latest hot paddles & gear: catch up on our latest Court Talk highlights:

• 😍 Six Zero releases a new contender for paddle of the year

• 👟SQAIRZ has truly nailed it

• 🤑 Our best budget paddle of 2025

• 🦸‍♂️ A carbon paddle from a legendary pickleball brand for just $70

Skipped a scroll or two? No worries — here are the last few editions we sent your way:

• 🤾 Master the speed up (off the bounce)

• 🔥 Chaos at the Kitchen

• 🤾 3 mistakes killing your serve (and how to fix them forever)

• ♟️ Strategy over technology, every time!

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