The single most important thing we do here at The Kitchen is expose more people to pickleball — to date, our most successful post has reached over 100 million people.

But it puzzles us when certain powerful people suggest that pickleball isn’t “viral” enough or successful enough yet.

So, when Reddit’s co-founder made a wildly-misinformed comment about pickleball not producing any viral content, we had to reply. More below.

Also, don’t miss our Trending section below for more info on Ben Stiller’s upcoming pickleball comedy.

What else to expect:

• We’re sad we’ll never play like this 😅 

• What GOOD poaching looks like

• Finally: a big-budget movie about pickleball!

• Violence on the pickleball courts?

Let’s cook. 🧑‍🍳

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

It’s Getting Wild at The Kitchen Headquarters

You could watch a hundred pro highlights…but the vibes will never be as great as in this amateur clip, captured at our recent HQ kickoff party.

The audience of partygoers makes this clip electric and, if you can’t already tell by the leaping putaway pictured above, the level of play is pretty epic, too. 😉 

Come for the vibes, stay for the incredible angles!

FEATURED STORY

“Pickleball isn’t Viral Enough to be a Sport”

Alexis Ohanian, Reddit co-founder & husband of Serena Williams, clearly isn't spending enough time on other social media platforms.

To which we say...WHAT?!

We would expect a social media mogul to be a little more accurate with his assessment of virality.

Our Instagram account alone hosts several highlights numbering in the tens of millions of views.

It bears repeating: the single most important thing we do here at The Kitchen is expose more people to pickleball, and we’ve done that for more people than the total population of Japan.

Remember the most viral pickleball point of all time, the one with over 100 million collective views? That was ours. But we're not even the only account that posts these clips. And that’s just one of our successful pro clips.

Ohanian’s ill-conceived skepticism comes at an interesting time, though. Read more here.

INSTRUCTION

Good Poaching DOES Exist

If you and your partner are still blindly devoted to the idea that "forehand takes the middle," say goodbye to any offensive advancement.

Look, we know there's at least one guy who takes more shots than he should at every rec court in the world. In fact, there's probably a few per court...

...Which makes this all the more difficult to hear: there IS such a thing as a "good poach."

Doubles pickleball is not a 50/50 sport, and you shouldn't treat it as such.

When to Poach

• Opponent’s Weak Return: If you spot a floater headed for your partner and you’re in a better position to attack, poach! By cutting off the ball early, you pressure your opponents into making less-than-ideal shots.

• Partner's Out of Position: When your partner is further back (like after a deep third), moving across for the poach allows you to maintain pressure at the net while buying time for your partner to re-position.

• Pressure Defense: Is your partner being targeted in a dink battle? Step in to relieve them, especially if their weaker side is being exploited (see: the V-Lock).

Here are some examples of what good poaching looks like, plus a lesson in when NOT to poach.

PADDLE OF THE WEEK

Fan Fave in Fresh New Colorway

Proton Paddles are fun. That’s just a statement of fact. But it’s because of so much more than their funky colors.

The unique tacky surface on their Series One produces the most spin we’ve tested in paddles this year. It’s really a blast to play with…and now, it comes in a fresh new colorway.

Check it out here.

TRENDING

Dodgeball: Part 2?

Pickleball is FINALLY getting it’s own major motion picture!

→ Dodgeball star, Ben Stiller’s latest endeavor will focus on a former tennis pro aiming to save his club and win his father’s approval by doing something he never wanted to do...play pickleball. The cast also includes former tennis champion and outspoken pickleball hater, Andy Roddick.

But the plot thickens! There’s an interesting connection between this news & celebrities’ endorsement of pickleball. Learn about that here.

DON’T MISS THIS

Play in Peru!

The Pickleball World Cup is back in Lima, Peru, from October 22-28, 2024, bringing together 32 countries and over 500 athletes.

This event highlights pickleball's global reach and impact on local communities, including para-athletes & children. Don’t miss out on this international celebration of pickleball!

It's not too late to register. The Kitchen’s co-founders will be there, so come party with us! More details here.

GIVE PEACE A CHANCE

Violence on the Courts

Recent bouts of violent fighting on pickleball courts have us wondering: is the sport such a "safe space" after all?

• A suspect was arrested after an alleged assault on a pickleball court in British Columbia last weekend. The cause of the altercation is unknown, but the video depicts the victim of the assault holding a paddle while the assailant only holds a bottle.

We've heard of pickleball players avoiding others due to political differences. But never before have we seen those differences result in a fistfight on the court.

Unfortunately, it seems politics was at the center of an altercation in Contra Costa County, California:

• A pickleball court at the Rossmoor retirement community was the setting of a fistfight, reportedly started over the GOP presidential candidate.

More details (and a video) of these events here.

QUICK HITS

• Whoa: That’s what we call DROPPING DIMES

• Brush Up: The complete list of pickleball terminology

• Quick Tip: Slow the ball, beat the bangers

• Impressive: This insane volleyball point can hang

• LOL: Just Ben being Ben

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