Contents
VOLUME 10 / ISSUE 5 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2025
30
features
30 Pickleball Hot Zones: Top Cities and States Fueling the Craze
Here are the top cities and states for pickleball, ranked by number of facilities and courts. Did your city or state make the cut? By Matthew Schwartz
36 Paddle Powerhouses
How three small paddle companies broke through the 900 + brands— and won! By Matthew Schwartz
DEPARTMENTS
8 Publisher’ s Playbook 10 Editor’ s Letter 18 Dinks 20 Rules Guru Answers Your Questions by Bob Unetich 22 Sweet Spot: The Hottest Finds in Pickleball by Kate Mohns 26 Destination Pickleball: CordeValle in
San Martin, CA 44 In the Club: Hot Shots Pickleball Club in Canton,
OH, by Drew Wathey 66 Paddle Reviews by Jack Bandel 68 Ask the Pickleball Doctor: What is the Most Common Injury in Pickleball and How Can I Avoid It? by Dr. Noe Sariban
74 In the Kitchen: Autumn Eats— Comfort Foods That Are Good for You by Brandi Givens, RD, CPT 80 PRO-file: Behind the Scenes with Jillian Braverman by Alice Tym
FROM USA PICKLEBALL
12 Message from USA Pickleball Chairman
Robert Quicksilver 50 Drop Shots 52 Feature: USA Pickleball Launches Updates to Membership Tiers, Making the Sport More Accessible Than Ever 54 The Scoop: USA Pickleball News & Notes 56 Feature: Competitive Drive Keeps Couple Thriving on Court
58 Officiating: USA Pickleball and European Pickleball Federation Announce Strategic Officiating Partnership 60 Recently Approved Equipment 62 Calendar: Upcoming Sanctioned Events
INSTRUCTION
24 7 Core Shots Every 4.0 + Player Must Master by Kyle McMakin
42 Why Sportsmanship Matters: The Obvious and Not‐So-Obvious Reasons by Alice Tym 64 Singles Styles and How to Play Against Them by Alice Tym 70 Why Beginners Should Take Lessons by Rick Cipes
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