Pickleball Magazine 2-6 | Page 97

PICKLEBALL EQUIPMENT AND ACCESSORIES Cool products from America’s fasting growing sport THE JOLT PHYSICAL THERAPY TOOL KEEPS YOU IN THE GAME. A new therapy tool called the “Jolt” has made its debut in the pickleball world. It was created by a northern Utah physical therapist in 2014 who determined that his clients could benefit from having a tool to use for themselves. The creators maintain that the Jolt enhances and accelerates the healing process. Many well-known pros are using the Jolt before, between and after their games to help them loosen tight muscles, reduce cramping and avoid physical injuries. Several pros have introduced it to the staff at Pickleball Magazine and we like it, too. The sound of the Jolt can often be heard courtside as players use it to keep their muscles loose and limber while waiting for their next match. The Jolt is battery operated, lightweight and easily portable, making it the perfect tool to use prior to and during any athletic competition. Listen for the Jolt Therapy Tool in action at future pickleball tournaments. For more information, visit jolttherapytool.com or call 208.481.0312 or 425.890.8144. CONVERT-A-NET According to the USTA’s latest statistics, the U.S. has an estimated 250,000 tennis courts. Many of those courts are located in parks, rec centers, community centers, or country clubs. As pickleball becomes more popular, those places are faced with a challenge. How do we accommodate the increasing demand of pickleball without spending a lot of capital? Ernie Ortiz developed a system to “convert” a tennis net to the proper height for pickleball. The Convert-A-Net brings the center of the net to 34” and 10 feet on each side of center to 36”. It takes one person 2-3 minutes to assemble the system. Then you’re ready for taping or chalking the court lines. Removing the net system takes under 2 minutes. The two major benefits of using this system: (1) a club or park district can “test” the popularity of pickleball, without investing the capital to install a dedicated court; (2) the system is highly portable and easy to assemble. The downside of the Convert-A-Net is that you can only put one pickleball court on a tennis court, and the tennis net still extends well past the width of a typical pickleball net. Overall, the Convert-A-Net system could be an easy, affordable method for many communities to showcase the sport, and eventually get funding for dedicated pickleball courts. Go to convertanet.com for more information. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017 | MAGAZINE 95