- Pickleheads
- Posts
- 🤾 If it's not working, change something
🤾 If it's not working, change something
Leaderboards are live, see where you rank at your court. Plus: they thought this point was over... until it wasn't! Paddletek did something smarter, and much more...
Brandon at Pickleheads
July 16, 2026
Hey reader,
Welcome back to the Pickleheads Newsletter!
In this issue:
🏆 Leaderboards are live in the app — see where you rank
🙌 They thought this point was over… until it wasn’t!
👀 Everyone's chasing power. Paddletek did something smarter.
🤾 If it's not working, change something
👑 Royal approval? Prince Harry just played pickleball
💥 Here’s when to crash the net
🏆 Leaderboards are here — see where you rank
Every court now has leaderboards — and there's more than one way to climb. 📊
See how you stack up against the regulars at your home court across five leaderboards: Sessions, Wins, Games, Points, and Point Differential. Filter by the last 30 days, 90 days, the year, or all time.
Have you won the most games? Logged the most sessions? Find out where you rank, and exactly who you need to beat. 👊
Just head to Stats → Leaderboards in the app and pick your home court.
Free users get a peek at the top 3. Pickleheads Plus subscribers see every leaderboard, every time period, and their own rank — even when they're not in the top 10 (yet).
🙌 They thought this point was over… until it wasn’t!
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 🙌
👀 Everyone's chasing power. Paddletek did something smarter.
Hey Pickleheads readers, Stephen here 👋
Every major paddle brand seems to be chasing foam-core technology right now, but Paddletek has taken a different approach.
Instead of building another power monster, the new Honeyfoam TKO-X focuses on something that's becoming surprisingly rare: feel.
The first thing I noticed was how connected the paddle feels. The ball sits on the face just long enough to shape drops, roll dinks, and carve slice backhands with confidence. It has the plush touch that long-time Paddletek players will recognize, but wrapped in a modern foam-core design.
It's also lightning quick through the air. Hand battles felt effortless, and because it's so light, it's a great platform for adding lead tape if you want to dial in more stability or power.
The tradeoff? Raw power. If you're looking to blast winners from the baseline, there are better options. But if touch, speed, and shot-making are your priorities, this is one of the most refined all-court paddles I've tested this year.
$249 $219 (save 12%) at Pickleball Central – auto-applied at checkout
🤾 If it's not working, change something
Kyle from That Pickleball School is back for this week’s Level Up!
Hey Pickleheads readers,
We've all been there. You're halfway through a match, nothing seems to be working, and you keep trying the same shots hoping they'll suddenly start landing. My advice? Change something.
Here's how I approach it:
1️⃣ Don't be afraid to adjust
I recently found myself stuck in a match where my normal game just wasn't clicking. Instead of forcing more drops and hoping things improved, my partner and I switched to a more aggressive style of play. Almost immediately, the momentum shifted.
2️⃣ Don't confuse stubbornness with consistency
Sticking to your strengths is important, but if your game plan clearly isn't working, you need to adapt. Sometimes a small tactical change is all it takes to disrupt your opponents and get yourself back on track.
3️⃣ Commit to the new plan
Once you've made the adjustment, trust it. Don't bounce back and forth between strategies every other point. Give the change a chance to work.
The best players aren't the ones with a perfect game plan. They're the ones who recognize when it's time to make a different one.
Watch me explain how one simple adjustment helped turn a deadlocked match into a win in this week's video 👇
👑 Royal approval? Prince Harry just played pickleball
Pickleball's celebrity guest list keeps growing.
Last week, Prince Harry took to the pickleball court at an Invictus Games event in Birmingham, UK, to help celebrate one year to go until the 2027 Games, where pickleball will feature for the first time.
⚡️ Pickleball player allegedly jolted into air by electrified fence
A recreational game at an Olympic training center in California took a frightening turn when a player says she was shocked by an electrified chain-link fence while chasing a ball.
The woman claims the jolt threw her into the air and left her with serious injuries. She's now suing the city, alleging officials knew the fence was faulty but failed to fix it.
💪 This Sopranos star lost 150 pounds… thanks in part to pickleball
The Sopranos star Joe Gannascoli, who played Vito, has shed an incredible 150 pounds, and pickleball is one of the reasons why.
The actor says he now plays almost every day as part of a healthier lifestyle that's transformed his fitness.
💥 Here’s when to crash the net
🐓 Stop getting chicken-winged like this
🧨 90% of players choose the wrong backhand volley
You step into the kitchen while volleying — a clear NVZ fault on yourself. According to the 2026 USAP Rulebook, what are you expected to do? |
A ball rolls onto your court from an adjacent game mid-rally. Who is allowed to call a hinder to stop play? |
Between rallies, your grip tape starts coming loose. When can you fix it? |
Fresh takes, spicy debates, and the latest hot paddles & gear – catch up on our latest Court Talk highlights:
Skipped a scroll or two? No worries — here are the last few editions we sent your way:
What do you think of the Pickleheads Newsletter? Let us know how we can be even better in the comments. |