Home Turf

inpickleballme on July 19, 2023

Even without a dedicated court to call its own, Lakewood Ranch Pickleball Club is spreading its wings.

“SOMETIMES A NOISY flyover happens,” says Bob Haskin, president of the Lakewood Ranch Pickleball Club. The notoriously vociferous sandhill crane graces the club’s logo and is the namesake of its popular Sandhill Classic tournament. But the bird and the club share another distinction: They’re not tied to any one part of Lakewood Ranch, a sprawling, 51-square-mile planned community on Florida’s Gulf Coast, 45 miles south of Tampa and 20 minutes from downtown Sarasota.

The Pickleball Club That’s Helping Veterans On And Off The Court

inpickleballme on July 19, 2023

When the Southern Nevada Pickleball Club launched an adaptive program for former service members, their numbers—and their purpose—grew.

AT FIRST GLANCE, the regular Tuesday/Thursday pickleball sessions at Las Vegas’s Dula Community Center look like any other. But dig a little deeper and you’ll learn that many of the players on the court were in the military and are there to not only play pickleball but also build community with fellow veterans. Those twice-weekly sessions are a driving element of the Southern Nevada Pickleball Club’s (SNPC’s) multipronged mission: to increase participation in the sport, address the needs of seniors, build a youth pickleball presence, and provide programs for veterans in need of adaptive services.

Pro Player AJ Koller Reveals The Secrets To His Pickleball Success.

inpickleballme on July 19, 2023

Pickleball’s a family affair for this pro, who learned from his aunt and often plays doubles with his cousin, pro Thomas Wilson. The former hockey player’s unconventional style helped him nab the doubles gold against the top-ranked Johns brothers at last year’s PPA Las Vegas Open, and now he’s spilling the secrets to his success. 

Switching Sides, Opponents, And Kitchen Line Advice

inpickleballme on July 19, 2023

Our celebrity coach answers your toughest questions, from on court strategy to diplomacy

ON A WINDY DAY, WHEN IT’S OBVIOUS THAT ONE SIDE HAS A CLEAR ADVANTAGE, IS IT OK TO SWITCH SIDES MIDMATCH TO MAKE THINGS MORE EVEN?

Absolutely. In tournament play, we play two out of three games to 11, switching sides after each game, and if we get to a third game, we switch sides once one person or one team gets to 6 points. This way, everyone gets the same amount of time on each side and experiences the same wind, sun, and other elements. Otherwise, it’s unfair. There are advantages and disadvantages to being with the wind or against the wind, and you don’t want to have that for an entire match. I always tell my students to practice like you play, so it would be a disservice to your game not to get used to a tournament format that also helps your game.

How Would Rally Scoring Change Pickleball?

inpickleballme on July 19, 2023

Leigh Waters, Scott Crandell, and more weigh in on the hot-button issue

A: Pickleball is growing so quickly, it can be difficult to know all the rule changes, from the removal of service lets to the addition of the drop serve. None, however, are taken lightly. Rather, they are debated widely within the sport before USA Pickleball adopts them. That has certainly been the case with any potential change involving rally scoring.

For those unfamiliar with the term, rally scoring is a more conventional scoring method in which points are earned by whichever team wins the rally. Currently, pickleball is played with side-out scoring, in which points are scored only by the serving team. While USA Pickleball did not adopt rally scoring as a rule change for 2022, discussion continues as to whether the change should be made and what the consequences might be for the sport if it ever happened.

Pro Athletes Of All Kinds Are Getting In On The Pickleball Action

inpickleballme on July 19, 2023

For many pros in other sports—from basketball to golf to mixed martial arts—pickleball has become both a way to relax and a new passion. Sound familiar?

READ NEXT
InPickleball Issue 2 | On the Bounce | Dill With It | Sideline Coaching
When Is Coaching Allowed, And Is Unsolicited Advice Helpful Coaching?

Eight-time LPGA Tour winner Sherri Steinhauer left golf behind when she was sidelined by hip injuries. After fellow golf pro Lisa DePaulo introduced her to pickleball, Steinhauer went all-in on the sport, immersing herself in the growing scene in her new home, Phoenix.
In recent years she’s also become a Selkirk brand ambassador and started playing
in tournaments. The sport also counts other golf pros, including Phil Mickelson, Matt Kuchar, and Ricky Barnes, as fans.

3 Fresh New Facilities Every Pickleball Player Should Know

inpickleballme on July 19, 2023

Here’s the low-down on the latest crop of exciting new places to play, practice, and party!

THE SANDBOX AT DERBY

DERBY, KANSAS

This winter there’s a new wonderland for Wichita’s pickleball players: The Sandbox at Derby, in the city’s largest suburb, plans a soft opening in January, offering four indoor pickleball courts and six outdoor (plus sand volleyball, cornhole, and other yard games). Thanks to some clever engineering, the outdoor courts will be in use year-round: A 65,000-square-foot removable dome is being constructed to cover the outdoor playing area in winter. Guests will be able to reserve courts or just walk in and while away any wait time at the venue’s two-story restaurant and bar, complete with a 5,000-square-foot deck overlooking the sports. Tournaments and leagues are planned, though the owner intends to reserve time and courts for fundraisers and clinics. (Costs for play were not available at press time.) Keep track of the progress at derbysportszone.com.

PKLR Founder: Brooks Proctor

inpickleballme on July 19, 2023

Entrepreneur Brooks Proctor was motivated to design clothing that shows players’ affinity for the sport

BROOKS PROCTOR, 39, always knew he wanted to combine his love of sport and fashion. He just didn’t know how to do it. Today, he is the founder of PKLR, a pickleball apparel brand based in Los Angeles that he started in late 2018 after seeing a void in the market and wondering, “Why can’t you look dope while you play?” 

We caught up with Proctor just before the holiday season to learn how he discovered the sport and what his hopes are for his clothing line and new collection.

PROCTOR ARRIVED IN LOS ANGELES in 2006 from his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri, where he did a stint as an art teacher. At the time, he was teaching robotics and coaching basketball at private high schools. “My students all think I could have been in the NBA,” he says adding, “but I’m five-foot-eleven and 165 pounds soaking wet.” Still, the kids he continues to teach weren’t entirely wrong: He has an all-star lineup of friends and is a private basketball coach, with such notable clients as former and current NBA stars Earl Watson, Baron Davis, Matt Barnes, Ryan Hollins, and Chris Paul, as well as J. Cole, Marlon Wayans, and Drake.

Pickle Party

inpickleballme on December 28, 2022

Add homemade pickles to your party menu to pay homage to the sport—and because they’re a tangy, tasty treat for all