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- šŖ Transition zone aggression
šŖ Transition zone aggression
Plus, how pickleballās Olympic dream nearly slipped away, pickleball at S.F. County Jail prepares inmates for life after release, and much more...
Brandon at Pickleheads
January 06, 2026
Hey reader,
Welcome back to the Pickleheads Newsletter!
In this issue:
šŖ Transition zone aggression
š How pickleballās Olympic dream nearly slipped away
š¤ T. Swiftās viral pickleball moment
š Pickleball at S.F. County Jail prepares inmates for life after release
šŖ Transition zone aggression
This weekās epic point flips the textbook on its head. Most coaches will tell you to reset in the transition zoneā¦ this guy had other ideas! He chooses aggression, stepping in and going all out when most would back off.
Risky? Absolutely. Effective? Definitely.
Have a filthy point caught on cam? šø
Reply to this email or submit yours to [email protected]. The most epic one will feature in next weekās newsletter!
And if we pick your submission, weāll send you a free Pickleheads t-shirt š
š How pickleballās Olympic dream almost fell apart, and why itās back on track
Pickleballās Olympic ambitions didnāt stall because the sport wasnāt popular enough. They stalled because it couldnāt get out of its own way.
For more than a decade, pickleballās international growth was split between rival governing bodies, each claiming authority over the sport. Different federations, overlapping leadership, and competing visions. It made global coordination messy and Olympic recognition basically impossible.
Behind the scenes, countries walked away, organizations collapsed and rebranded, and new federations formed in response. The Global Pickleball Federation emerged in 2023 with a more international focus, while other groups eventually merged after years of disagreement. Itās been less smooth expansion and more hard reset.
Why does this matter now? Because the Olympics require a single, credible international federation. No unity, no seat at the table.
Thatās why the current push toward unification matters. Not because it guarantees Olympic inclusion, but because it finally addresses the one thing thatās held pickleball back at the global level.
For rec players, tomorrowās game stays the same. But long term, this is the groundwork for pickleball being taken seriously on the world stage.
Do you think weāll see pickleball at the Brisbane 2032 Olympics? |
Yes, thatās Taylor Swift on a pickleball court.
As part of the rollout for her upcoming single Fortnight (feat. Post Malone), Swift popped up on a pickleball court while spotlighting her viral TikTok Fortnight challenge.
The trend invites fans to share 14 everyday moments, and Taylor leaned in with a few of her own.
š Pickleball at S.F. County Jail prepares inmates for life after release
Jails and prisons across the U.S. have adopted pickleball as a rehabilitation tool, and San Francisco County Jail No. 3 in San Bruno is no exception. Pickleball has become especially popular among those housed in the facility's Road to Recovery dorm.
š² UPA hands Parris Todd suspension & $50,000 fine
Todd joins James Ignatowich, Ryan Fu, and Vivian Glozman, whose UPA contracts were terminated as a result of their participation in multiple pickleball-related events sponsored by the Pickleball Japan Federation in early December.
š Introducing Pickleheads Plus
ICYMI: A few weeks ago, we rolled out something bigā¦ Pickleheads Plus! A simple $1/month upgrade that unlocks the stuff players have been asking for.
With Plus, you can now:
š“ Find & join games while traveling
š See players, games, and groups at every court in the world
š¬ DM players directly to set up your next matchup
If you love getting games in (anytime, anywhere), this oneās for you. š
The server calls the wrong score, serves, and wins the rally. The receiver then points out the score was incorrect. Whatās the ruling? |
During a fast exchange, the ball hits your paddle twice in one continuous, unintentional motion and goes over the net. Whatās the call? |
Why do experienced players often dink cross-court instead of straight ahead? |
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 ā 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. |
