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"I'm coming for Anna Leigh's crown. She knows that."
Danni-Elle Townsend joins Pickleballers
"I'm coming for Anna Leigh's crown. She knows that."
That's what Danni-Elle Townsend told Roscoe and Jared on this week's episode of The Pickleballers. Fresh off a run to the MLP Austin Finals, the Australian star discusses her rapid rise through the pro ranks, why she's betting on herself to become one of the best players in the world, and why she isn't afraid to say it out loud.
Looking to build your pickleball community? Registration for Honcho's Fall League opens on Monday, June 29th. Honcho is the nation's largest and most social amateur pickleball league, with weekly matches, social events, and plenty of opportunities to meet your new pickleball best friends - or maybe even the love of your life. 😉
Join the Honcho fall league waitlist here.
Also in this issue:
Jessie Irvine with one of the grittiest performances of the year
Life as a junior pickleball mom 💁♀️
How to roll it like a pro 💪
MLP making its debut in St. Petersburg, Florida 🌴
You’re going to love the new 11six24 Ultré Power 2 shape 👀
Let’s cook! 👨🏻🍳
GIVEAWAY
Win ANY JOOLA Pro V paddle of your choice! 5 Winners!
We’re excited to partner with Honcho and JOOLA to give away any 5 Pro V paddles of your choice! Honcho runs the most fun amateur pickleball leagues in the country, located in over 85 cities!
HOW TO ENTER:
Enter your information HERE & receive up to 500 additional bonus entries. 👊
Like this post & COMMENT “HONCHO” once you’ve completed step 1. 🙌
*** You MUST complete steps 1 & 2 to be eligible. ***
BONUS MULTIPLIER: JOIN & INVITE 5 friends to our Facebook community and ALL of your entries are DOUBLED! ✅
We will choose 5 random winners on 6/22! 🥳
HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK
Jessie Irvine is playing on her death bed and still winning Dreambreakers 💀
Atlanta Bouncers star Jessie Irvine put together one of the grittiest performances of the season at MLP Austin last weekend.
Visibly ill, coughing throughout the match, and at times barely able to make it back to the bench between points, Irvine somehow found another gear in the Dreambreaker. She delivered several incredible clutch points to help Atlanta knock off the hometown Texas Ranchers. At a time when some big names aren't even showing up to events, Irvine showed up sick and helped her team win.
PICKLEBALLERS
Australia's Newest Pickleball Superstar Is Coming For The Top
In this week's episode of Pickleballers, Danni-Elle Townsend makes headlines by boldly declaring she's coming for Anna Leigh Waters' crown - and that Anna Leigh already knows it. The Australian star joins Roscoe and Jared fresh off a run to the MLP Austin Finals to explain why she's betting on herself to become one of the best players in the world.
Beyond the headline-grabbing quote, Danni-Elle shares her journey from representing Australia in table tennis to discovering pickleball almost by accident, the sponsors who told her she "wasn't the look" they were seeking, and why she believes the next wave of elite talent is coming from the Asia-Pacific region. Whether she's right or wrong, one thing is certain: Danni-Elle isn't lacking confidence.
🔗 Check out the full episode on YouTube, Spotify or Apple Podcasts
PICKLEBALLERS GIVEAWAY: Each week we’re doing a giveaway to celebrate the latest episode of Pickleballers. This week we’re giving away ANY PROTON PADDLE OF YOUR CHOICE! ENTER HERE!
FEATURED STORY
Pickleball mom shares tips for families navigating the world of junior pickleball
A few years ago, Mandy Holmes’ son picked up a pickleball paddle, stepped onto a court and somehow transformed from a regular kid into a tiny traveling athlete with a tournament schedule that rivals most Fortune 500 executives.
One minute she was dropping him off for practice. The next, she was booking flights, reserving hotel rooms, buying tournament shirts, replacing worn-out shoes, and learning that pickleballs apparently disappear at roughly the same rate as socks in a dryer.
As a sports mom, she quickly discovered something nobody tells you when your child starts succeeding in a sport: The better they get, the more expensive they become.
Every tournament required another registration fee.
Every trip needed another flight.
Every growth spurt demanded another pair of shoes.
“Don't get me wrong — I absolutely love watching my son compete,” she said. “Seeing him chase his dreams has been one of the greatest joys of my life. But after spending an average of $10,000 per month between training, travel and tournaments, I found myself asking a simple question: How is this sustainable long term?”
Because Holmes works in publishing and advertising, she knew businesses spend money every day to reach local families. She also knew something many sports parents overlook: Sponsors aren't looking for handouts to give away. They're looking for partnerships.
So instead of asking businesses to donate money to her son's pickleball journey, Holmes started approaching them differently — creating sponsorship packages and helping her son tell his story. They focused on what value they could provide in return.
Soon they had partnerships helping offset tournament costs, equipment expenses, lessons and travel. More importantly, her son was learning real-world skills that have nothing to do with pickleball — communication, accountability, professionalism, gratitude and how to build relationships.
ONLY A FEW BUNDLES LEFT!
THE PROS
Major League Pickleball St. Petersburg 2026: Pools, schedule and viewing guide
Major League Pickleball is making its debut in St. Petersburg, Florida, this week for Week 5 of the regular season.
The event — hosted by the Florida Smash — will be held at St. Pete Athletic, which opened in late 2025 and is regarded as one of the best indoor pickleball facilities in the country.
There are 11 teams in the field this week, and the event started Wednesday (a day earlier than usual) because there’s only one court being used for pro play:
Group A: Brooklyn Pickleball Team, Chicago Slice, Florida Smash, Los Angeles Mad Drops, Miami Pickleball Club.
Group B: Columbus Sliders, Orlando Squeeze, Palm Beach Royals, St. Louis Shock, Texas Ranchers, Utah Black Diamonds.
GEAR
11SIX24 Ultre Power 2 review: This is the brand’s best paddle yet
11SIX24 last week released a new shape in the Power 2 lineup called the Ultre. It’s a cross between a traditional hybrid and an elongated model, with a length of 16.35 inches and width of 7.65 inches.
Our reviewers have spent a lot of time with the original Vapor Power 2 and think highly of that model (it’s currently ranked in the Top 5 on our list of the best paddles on the market), but the Ultre might just be our new favorite in the Power 2 Series.
The flat top shape gives you more reach than the Vapor and more stability than the Hurache while still maintaining the fast feel, power, and long-lasting Hex Grit surface that made the Power 2 series so popular.
In this review, we break down the stats, performance, shape differences, and how the Ultre compares to the Vapor and Hurache Power 2 paddles.
WHAT WE COVER
11six24 Ultre Power 2 specs.
Ultre vs Vapor Power 2.
Ultre vs Hurache Power 2.
On court performance.
Power, pop, spin and control.
Who should consider the Ultre.
🔗 Check out our full review of the 11SIX24 Ultre Power 2 here or shop all 11SIX24 paddles here — use code “KITCHEN” at checkout for $10 off
INSTRUCTION
Pro pickleball player Paula Rives shows how to hit the third-shot drop roll
Pro pickleball player Paula Rives has one of the best topspin roll shots in the game today. In this video, Paula walks Coach Tony Roig through how to hit it — from the kitchen line, cross court, and finally from the baseline as a full third-shot drop roll.
Here’s what you will learn in this video:
✅ What the third-shot drop roll is trying to accomplish.
✅ The proper grip pressure.
✅ How to drop the paddle face and brush up through the ball.
✅ Why margin over the net is your friend, not your enemy.
✅ The footwork that makes the shot repeatable under pressure.
✅ A simple drill you can use to start building this shot today.
The third shot drop roll is a more advanced shot, so make sure you have a solid foundation before adding it to your game. Once you do, it is a powerful tool for taking control of the rally.
QUICK HITS
Goading the GOAT: Eric Oncins antagonizes Anna Leigh Waters
$250k in Payouts: Biggest amateur tourney of the year moves to Florida
Practice your dinks: ERNE comes out with new epic dink training machine
Owala enters the chat: Bottle company releases pickleball themed bottle
Head hunter: Pablo Tellez hits two people in the head
What did you think of this week's newsletter? |