Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America and pro athletes are jumping on the train. Recently major stars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Drew Brees all invested in professional teams. It’s not a shock that athletes like Tom Brady are now embracing the sport. In this latest video Tom Brady answers the important question “Who would you select as your pickleball partner”?

Tom responded with “The one person I certainly know that I would not choose is Ryan Griffin.”.

Tom Brady then went on to select Mike Evans by saying.

” Who I would choose? just based on raw talent, ability, quickness, size, speed, length, athleticism… Mike evans”

tom brady 

Tom Brady did then go on to choose Mike Evans. This is an absolute shocker to us because Gronkowski was recently videos playing Pickleball. The sheer size and athleticism of that man with experience would be a formidable pair.

The post We can’t believe who Tom Brady selected as his ideal pickleball partner appeared first on Sports Blog it.

Hitting a dink shot in Pickleball can be one of the hardest skills to learn. However, in this blog post we outline 5 tips to help you unlock your inner dinking skills.

5 Tips to perform a dink shot in pickleball

1. Use a continental grip.
2. Keep your swing on a tight path.
3. Keep your hands out in front of your body.
4. Bend your knees and get low.
5. Keep your eye on the ball at all times.

The first key to having a very successful Dink is the grip. Let’s just start with the basics. I tell most people and encourage them to use the continental grip. This is the grip. If you were just to put the paddle out like this and you’re shaking someone’s hand and you’re holding it straight out this edge guard right here, which directly faces the ground.

It’s very useful because when you’re dinking, you can hit a forehand or a backhand dink on both sides without changing your grip. That’s really important. Pick a ball to try to find a grip you could use that you’re not going to change so that you can get to each ball because it can turn from slow to fast really quickly. That’s why it’s really good to have a grip that you can use for both forehand and backhand. Yeah, the continental grip is a great one. Remember to always keep the grip because you don’t want to end up as a pickleball meme.

The importance of a compact swing path

Alright guys, so the second key to having a successful Dink is the swing path of your stroke, of the Dink stroke. Let’s get Dinking here and I’m going to talk a little bit about the swing path. Here we go. I want you guys to notice here just my jinx in general, OK? Just take a look out real quick and tell me what you guys see and then I’ll explain a little bit.

To have a successful Dink, you really want to be really consistent in your stroke. As you can see, my paddle is never going to come behind my body, okay? that’s where a lot of players get in trouble and they pop up balls when they take their paddle behind their body because it’s harder to time it because you always want to hit that ball in front of your body, that contact point when the ball hits your paddle in front. When you see me start my Dinks, it’s always in front of my body. It’s not a large backswing right here or right here.

It’s a very short backswing. Then I end with a short follow-through. It’s very compact. It’s from here to here or here to here. Let’s think a little bit more.

Start in Front of My Body Good Back Hands All

Here we go. So I start in front of my body. Good backhands. All right.

Use your legs to get low

The third key to a successful dink is using your legs. This is one of the most important parts of a dink. For a lot of people who don’t have a lot of experience in other racquet sports, I see them doing this a lot.

When the ball gets low, they’re kind of just bending at their back, right? their legs are stiff and straight. obviously, if you like, hit me a wide dink over here. It’s just hard to move like that and get to the ball.

You really want to use your legs and dinking. When I say that you really want to get low, you want to get low. Your knees are bent, and your back is straight, so you’re using your legs to get low to the ball. when I’m thinking here, I’m actually using my legs and getting into a position low with my legs.

Also moving my feet. I’m not. The main thing is I’m not standing straight up.

Let’s hit a few more dinks here. Low to the bowl. The contact point is out in front and my backswing and my follow-through are not long. It’s very short and compact.

Really staying low, using my legs. Using my legs to lift up the ball. Lifting up the ball with my legs.

Alright, guys. The fourth key to having a successful dink is clearing the net. Obviously, you don’t want to be hitting the net, respect the net. You know, you really want to make sure you give a margin of error over the net as you’re dinking. A lot of people think that you need to keep your dinks really, really close to the net so that your opponent can attack the ball, okay?

How to Dink Successfully: The Fifth Key

That it’s not high so that they could attack it and hit it down. Really, it’s not about the height, okay? It’s really about depth. That’s actually the fifth key to having a successful dink. The fourth would be you really want to give a margin of error on your dinks.

As you can see, when I’m drinking, I’m giving at least, you know, a foot and a half somewhere in between thereof margin so I’m not making errors. Then the fifth one would be making sure your dinks are not landing past this non-volley zone. Because when we’re dinking here and then if the ball comes past the non-volley zone, I could pretty much speed it up. Let’s think a little bit here and then send me a ball a little bit past a non-volley zone.

So It’s really key that you give that margin of error when you are dinking over the net here and also that your dinks are actually falling short and not beyond the non-volley line. It’s always good to work on hitting the ball in front of your opponent’s feet right around here so that they can’t hit the ball down as a volley. 

Bending at the Knees

Good. That one was a little close, so I want to give a little bit more margin. Your contact point is always out in front. My backswing is short, and my follow-through is very compact. I’m getting really low to the ball. Alright.

Keep your eye on the pickleball at all times

There are five keys to having a very successful dink. But most importantly no matter what you are doing to keep your eye on the ball at all times! 

The post 5 Tips to Unlock an Incredible Pickleball Dink Shot appeared first on Sports Blog it.

Tyson McGuffin is currently one of the top male pickleball players in the world. As of May 2022, he is the fourth-best player in the men’s singles category and the third-best player in the men’s doubles.

Like most of his fellow professional pickleball athletes, Tyson grew up playing tennis. He attended the Jon Newcombe tennis academy and went on to play tennis at his junior college.

The talented athlete later taught the game to up-and-coming players for a few years before he encountered the glorious sport of pickleball. It took him some convincing to try it, but when he finally did, guess what? He hated it!

That’s right. He found that adjusting to pickleball after years of playing tennis was very tricky. But after playing his first tournament, he realized that pickleball was winning him over.

It’s always challenging to learn something new, and even for an experienced tennis player, pickleball can still prove to be fairly difficult to learn.

This was the case with Tyson, but he never gave up. And just about six months later, he competed in the 2016 USAPA National Championships and came second in the men’s singles.

Tyson’s favorite version of the game is the singles, and he prefers playing outdoors (like most of us) instead of inside. Apart from racquet sports, Tyson also loves wrestling, which he competed in as a child and teen.

Tyson McGuffin’s Competition Performances

Let’s take a look at some of McGuffin’s major competitions and wins:

2016:

• USA (USAPA) Pickleball National Championships – 2nd in the Men’s Singles 19+ and Open events.
• SoCal Summer Classic – 1st in Men’s Singles
• International Indoor Pickleball Championship – 1st in the Men’s Singles

2017:

• USAPA National Championships – 1st in the Men’s Singles

2018:

• USA (USAPA) Pickleball National Championships – 1st in Men’s Singles Open
• Tournament of Champions – 1st place in the Men’s Doubles Open
• US Open Championships – 1st in the Men’s Singles Open

2019:

• US Open Championships – 1st in the Men’s Singles Open
• International Indoor Pickleball Championship – 1st in the Men’s Singles; 2nd in the Men’s Doubles with partner Morgan Evans
• USAPA National Championships – 2nd in Men’s Singles pro

2021:

• USAPA National Championships – 1st place in the Men’s Singles pro and Men’s Doubles pro with partner Riley Newman; 3rd place in the Mixed Doubles pro with partner Anna Leigh Waters
• US Open Championships – 2nd in the Men’s Singles; 3rd place in the Men’s Doubles pro with partner, Riley Newman

Tyson McGuffin Off the Court

The Washington native now resides in Idaho with his wife and children.

When he’s not on the pickleball court, Tyson might be coaching younger players in the sport, rocking out at a concert, hanging out with his family and friends, or having fun at the lakeside.

Tyson McGuffin’s Paddles

One of Tyson’s sponsors is Selkirk Sport, which has a range of pickleball paddles and gear. Tyson uses his signature McGuffin AMPED Invikta midweight paddle, which he co-designed with the brand.

This custom paddle features a comfortable, padded 4.25” handgrip that can be customized to the user’s liking.

The standard weight of the paddle is 8.1 oz., but this too can be tailored to suit the player. The 16mm polypropylene core provides increased control and power, and the 16 ½ “ fiberglass face makesfor a high-quality hitting surface.

Tyson McGuffin’s Net Worth

As of 2021, McGuffin has earned at least $84,075 in prize money from various pickleball tournaments.

Besides this source of income, he has several sponsors including Selkirk Sport, SaltStick, Tourna Pickleball, The VooDoo Lab, and, most recently, Skechers.

The pro athlete also has his own brand of merchandise called ‘TM’, and hosts pickleball training camps. We don’t know what his net worth is, but we know that pro pickleball players can surely make a living from the sport.

Frequently Asked Questions

What paddle does Tyson McGuffin use?

Since he signed with Selkirk Sport, we’ve seen McGuffin using his custom-made signature paddle, the McGuffin AMPED Invikta (midweight).

How old is Tyson McGuffin?

Tyson was born on the 16th of Decemebr in 1989. This year he will celebrate his 33rd birthday.

How tall is Tyson McGuffin?

The pickleball star is 5’10” tall.

The post Tyson McGuffin Pickleball News and Best Shots appeared first on Sports Blog it.

If you’ve been following pickleball for a while, then you know who Ben Johns is. But in case you don’t, Ben Johns is currently the world’s top-ranked men’s pro player in the doubles and mixed categories, and the third-best player in men’s singles pickleball.

At only 23 years old, this talented athlete already has fifty Pro Pickleball Association (PPA) titles! Now that’s impressive! So far, he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down and is expected to continue his winning ways in the future.

Like several other pickleball players, including his brother, Collin Johns, Ben has a background in tennis. He also has quite a lot of experience playing table tennis.

Johns got into pickleball in his late teens and quickly fell in love with the sport. With some practice and coaching, he became pretty good at the sport and competed in the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships only a few months later. He came fifth in that competition but didn’t give up.

The following year, Ben entered the U.S Open tournament again and captured the men’s singles title.

Ben Johns’ Competition Wins

Six years later, he is regarded as the best men’s pickleball player in the world. His achievements by year include:

2017:

• U.S Open Championships – 1st place in the Men’s Singles pro; 3rd place in the Men’s Doubles pro with partner Joey Farias.

• Canadian National Championships – 1st place in Men’s Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles pros.

• USA Pickleball (USAPA) National Championships – 1st place in Men’s Singles 19+; 2nd place in Men’s Doubles pro; 3rd place in Men’s Singles pro.

2018:

• U.S Open Championships – 3rd place in the Men’s Singles pro and the Mixed Doubles pro with partner Irina Tereschenko.

• USAPA Tournament of Champions – 1st place in the Men’s Singles; 2nd pace in the Mixed Doubles with his partner, Tereschenko.

• SoCal Summer Classic – 1st in Men’s Doubles pro and Mixed Doubles pro.

• USAPA National Championships – 1st place in Men’s Doubles with partner Kyle Yates; 3rd place in Men’s Singles.

2019:

• U.S Open Championships – 1st place in the Men’s Singles pro and Doubles pro.

• USAPA National Championships – 1st place in Men’s Singles pro and Doubles pro, again with Kyle Yates.

2021:

• U.S Open Championships – 1st place in the Men’s Singles and Doubles with his brother, Collin Johns; 1st in Mixed Doubles pro with partner Simone Jardin.

• Jigsaw Health Tournament of Champions – 1st in Men’s Doubles pro and Mixed Doubles pro with Simone Jardim.

Ben Johns, the Entrepreneur

Besides being a pro athlete, Ben is also an entrepreneur. He launched his virtual pickleball tutoring service, Pickleball 360 in 2021, a few years after starting a pickleball coaching and travel business with fellow pro player Dekel Bar.

Since he turned pro, Ben Johns has attracted several sponsors like clothing brand Fila, sports gear brands Franklin, and JOOLA Pickleball, and nutrition company Jigsaw Health.

When he’s not out on the court, Ben is most likely playing another sport, traveling the world, or doing something fun with his loved ones.

Ben Johns’ Paddles

The pickleball star has a signature paddle, the ‘Ben Johns Signature Pickleball Paddle’, with the Franklin sports brand. This professional paddle features a polypropylene core with a fiberglass face, for great performance.

Ben also has a line of signature paddles with the JOOLA Pickleball brand, which became his sponsor in 2022. The Ben Johns Hyperion series paddles come in two offerings; the Carbon Abrasion Surface for amateur players, and the higher-end Carbon Friction Surface for professionals.

Ben Johns’ Net Worth

As of 2022, Johns has won at least $146,325 in prize money. He also has several sponsors like JOOLA Pickleball, Fila, Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR), and Jigsaw Health. In addition to these sources of income, Ben also has a few businesses which are expected to become more successful as pickleball becomes more popular.

Frequently Asked Questions

What paddle does Ben Johns use?

The talented athlete has used his signature paddle from Franklin for the past few years, but now that he has switched over to JOOLA Pickleball, he uses his signature paddle, the JOOLA Hyperion CFS.

How old is Ben Johns?

Ben was born in 1999 on the 18th of March and is 23 years old this year.

How tall is Ben Johns?

Ben is 6 feet tall.

The post Ben Johns Pickleball News and Best Shots appeared first on Sports Blog it.

You’re probably not a pickleball fan if you’ve never heard of Catherine Parenteau.

This impressive, young athlete is currently ranked as one of the top three female pickleball players in the world, despite the fact that she only picked up the sport six years ago. She has her natural athletic ability and tennis background to thank for that!

Born and raised in Canada, Catherine started playing lawn tennis when she was just four years old. With years of practice, she became so good that she ranked among the top five U-16 tennis players in Canada.

Catherine’s Pickleball Career

After graduating high school, she accepted an offer to play NCAA Division 1 tennis at the University of Arkansas in the United States. However, in her second year of school, she transferred to Michigan State University. There she met her new tennis coach, Simone Jardine (also a professional pickleball player) who introduced her to the sport.

At first, she only played the sport as a pastime but got so good at it that six months after her first encounter with pickleball, she competed at the U.S Open. At this tournament, she won the 5.0 mixed bracket event.

Her first US Open win as a pro player came in 2021 when she defeated her opponents in the women’s doubles with her partner, Callie Smith. Before achieving this feat, she won several events at various tournaments in different countries. These include the USA Pickleball National Championships, the Canadian Nationals, and the Chicago Open.

Catherine Parenteau Off the Court

One of the things Catherine credits for her success at the game is the repetitive drills she does in practice because these drills fine-tune her skills and develop muscle memory.

She also believes that having a healthy diet, a good support system, and a solid mental game are very important factors in being a top athlete.

The pickleball star has said that she prefers playing the game outdoors and likes competing in doubles events more than the singles games.  She also thinks that patience is key to succeeding at pickleball.

On the personal side of things, Catherine likes doing outdoor activities like hiking, running, and skiing. She’s also into meditation and loves spending time with her loved ones, including her dog. When she’s not at play, she’s hard at work, coaching younger players in the game she loves.

Catherine Parenteau’s Paddles

Serious pickleball players know that Paddletek is one of the best brands in pickleball gear on the market today, and to prove that, the brand offers a limited lifetime warranty on all its paddles.

It’s no wonder that Paddletek is Catherine’s go-to brand for pickleball equipment and more recently, her sponsor. She even has her own signature paddle, the Tempest Reign Pro Catherine Parenteau Edition, which she designed with the sports brand in 2021.

This lightweight paddle features a sleek design and even weight distribution throughout its body. It also has a graphite polymer core and a slightly longer face covered in textured graphite. These elements make for excellent performance on the court.

Catherine Parenteau’s Net Worth

Besides winning a handsome amount of prize money in almost every competition she plays in, Catherine also hosts pickleball clinics and has several sponsors. These include the shoe brand Skechers and the bicycle company Charge. 

As of 2021, she has earned around $76,475 in prize money.

Frequently Asked Questions

What paddle does Catherine Parenteau use?

Catherine seems to prefer paddles from Paddletek’s Tempest line, particularly the Paddletek Tempest Wave Pro, and her signature Tempest Reign Pro.

How old is Catherine Parenteau?

Born on the 26^th of August in 1994, Catherine celebrates her 28^th birthday in 2022.

How tall is Catherine Parenteau?

The talented pickleball champion is 5’5″ tall.

The post Catherine Parenteau Pickleball News and Best Shots appeared first on Sports Blog it.

Pickleball is America’s fastest-growing sport and one of our favorite lunchtime activities. Therefore we thought it was about time SportsBlogit covered this incredible sport. For the inaugural first pickleball article, we felt it was our duty to present the greatest pickleball memes of 2022. We have selected the ultimate memes across a variety of categories that are sure to make your day, holiday, or even life.

Best Pickleball Memes

Lion King Pickleball Meme

Weekend forecast meme about pickleball.

Pickleball Lob Meme

“That moment you lob the ball not just quite high enough…”

Pickleball Marriage Memes

“98% of married couples who play pickleball as partners end up needing marriage counseling”

“No shirt, yes shoes, yes service”

Pickleball Kitchen Memes

“You Look Like Your Really Close to the Pickleball Net… Are you sure your not in the Kitchen?”

Pickleball Addiction Memes

Tyrone Biggums Pickleball Meme (created by SportsBlogIt).

“Y’all wanna play another pickleball game?”

Pickleball is Life Meme (created by SportsBlogIt)

Danny Rojas from Ted Lasso had the quote “Football is life”. This popular saying was turned into the “Pickleball is life” meme you see.

Pickleball Injury Meme

“Just tell it to me straight Doc… Can I play Pickleball this weekend?”

Pickleball Birthday Memes

We didn’t like any of the pickleball birthday memes we found. Therefore we felt it was on us to make the first “not the worst” pickleball birthday meme. 

Pickleball Out of Bounds Meme

We love the Frozen pickleball out-of-bounds meme. I think every player has at one time yelled at their partner to move and let the ball go out.

“When you see the ball going out and your teammate goes for it…”

Sir Mix-a-lot Pickleball Meme

Baby got dinks! The Sir Mix-a-lot chorus will be playing in your heard during your pivotal tournament match-up. It will creep up on your brain and you will find yourself singing all sorts of different variations.

“baby got dinks”

“I like big serves and I cannot lie”

“I like faults and I cannot lie”

See it practically plays itself. 

This concludes the first article on the best pickleball memes of 2022. If you find or create an amazing pickleball meme send it our way as we would love to feature it here! If you want to improve your dink game check out our latest guide to improving your pickleball dink shot.

The post The Best Pickleball Memes of 2022 appeared first on Sports Blog it.