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- ☄️ An 11-shot firefight!
☄️ An 11-shot firefight!
Plus, your feet are usually the first thing to go, right? One of the hottest paddle brands just changed hands. Want a nasty forehand topspin dink? And much more...
Brandon at Pickleheads
July 09, 2026
Hey reader,
Welcome back to the Pickleheads Newsletter!
In this issue:
☄️ An 11-shot firefight!
👀 Your feet are usually the first thing to go, right?
🤾 Aggressive dinks vs dead dinks and when to use them
🤝 One of the hottest paddle brands just changed hands
😲 Want a nasty forehand topspin dink?
☄️ An 11-shot firefight!
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 🙌
👀 Your feet are usually the first thing to go, right?
One of the things I think about most with pickleball isn't how to play better next week. It's how to still be playing 20 years from now.
The knees. The shoulders. The hips. Those are the injuries everyone talks about. But it usually starts somewhere else:
Your feet.
Not with a dramatic injury. Just a soreness that creeps in around game four or five. You stop chasing quite as hard. You don't push off as confidently. Without realizing it, you start changing the way you play.
It also made me realize something. I've happily spent good money on court shoes, but never thought much about what goes inside those shoes. Most come with little more than a thin foam liner — which does almost nothing for the lateral cuts and hard stops pickleball actually demands.
That's the gap Soul Insole fills.
Their Pro-Lite Orthotic is built for the way pickleball players move, with arch support and pressure relief that does not crowd the feet or change the shoe fit. Its adjustable placement lets you tailor the support to your specific needs. If you're loading the forefoot hard at the kitchen line, there's a placement for that. Overpronating? Same idea. Your feet, your setup.
At $27.99, with a 90-day money-back guarantee, it's a simple, low-risk upgrade and they're entirely reusable. Just wash them to get the adhesive back.
We spend plenty of money chasing gear that helps us win more points. I'm starting to think the smartest investment is the gear that helps us keep playing for another 20 years.
🤾 Aggressive dinks vs dead dinks and when to use them
Stoked to welcome back Tanner from Tanner Pickleball on YouTube for this week’s Level Up.
Hey Pickleheads readers,
Not every dink should be hit the same.
One of the biggest mistakes I see is players trying to make every dink aggressive. The truth is, you need two different types of dinks, and knowing when to use each one can completely change the way you build points.
Here's how I think about it:
1️⃣ Use aggressive dinks to apply pressure
When you're in control of the rally, hit your dink deeper with a little topspin. A penetrating dink forces your opponent into a tough decision: volley it, back up, or short-hop it. That hesitation is exactly what you're trying to create.
2️⃣ Use dead dinks to reset
If your opponent has the upper hand, don't fight fire with fire. Hit a soft, shallow dink that dies in the kitchen. With less court to work with, it's much harder for them to attack.
3️⃣ Match the shot to the moment
Aggressive dinks help you create opportunities. Dead dinks help you survive until the opportunity comes. The best players know when to switch between the two.
The key isn't having one great dink. It's knowing which one the point calls for.
Watch me explain the difference in under 60 seconds in this week's video 👇
🤝 One of the hottest paddle brands just changed hands
This week Paddletek announced the acquisition of one of pickleball's fastest-growing paddle brands, PIKKL, in a move that could shake up the gear market.
The announcement came with another big reveal: JW Johnson, Jorja Johnson, and Julie Johnson have officially landed with Team Paddletek after months of testing paddles following their split from Franklin in January. They'll be joined by Tyra "Hurricane" Black, with all four continuing to compete using PIKKL paddles.
You can already shop for both Paddletek and PIKKL at Pickleball Central.
🐓 South Florida's pickleball mascot, 'Pickles,' is missing
Pickles, a rooster who randomly adopted the courts at Stanley Goldman Memorial Park in Hollywood, became a local legend after players built him a roost, fed him live worms, bought him diapers, and even arranged a storm shelter for him during bad weather.
Now he’s missing, and the regulars are desperate to bring him home.
🏟️ 1,200 pickleball players are descending on Michigan
Grand Rapids, better known as Beer City U.S.A., is becoming pickleball's hottest destination this week. The city's Grand Rapids Pickleball Club is hosting both the ninth annual Beer City Open and Major League Pickleball's Mid-Season Tournament, bringing thousands of fans and players together for one huge week of action.
It's expected to have a festival atmosphere, with over 1,200 amateur players taking to the courts alongside some of the biggest names in the sport, including Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters.
😅 The New Jersey Fives are Fibermaxxing at the Mid-Season MLP Tournament
The New Jersey 5s aren't just chasing a title in Michigan this week. They're also teaming up with Michigan's own Kellogg's and its iconic Raisin Bran cereal to help spread the word about the importance of fiber and gut health.
😲 Want a nasty forehand topspin dink?
👀 Stop making these mistakes for faster hands
🧨 Aim here on your drives, thank me later
At the moment you hit your serve, your foot is touching the ground just outside the imaginary extension of the centerline. Is this a fault? |
You stop a rally claiming the wrong player is serving — but you were wrong, the right player was serving. What's the ruling? |
In doubles, the server loses their voice mid-game and can't call the score. Can their partner step in? |
Fresh takes, spicy debates, and the latest hot paddles & gear – catch up on our latest Court Talk highlights:
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