If you’ve played pickleball for long, or if you’ve ever taken a lesson, odds are you’re familiar with the split step. It’s arguably the most important move in pickleball, but it’s an easy fundamental to forget about and let bad habits creep in.

So we’ve got a refresher course for you today, breaking down why the split step matters and how to execute it properly. If you follow these tips, we guarantee you’ll be more consistent through the transition zone, which will help you win more points.

And who doesn’t want that? Learn more below.

Also in this issue:

• You don’t see an ATP off an ATP every day 😮

• Maroon 5 guitarist James Valentine joins Pickleballers 🎙️

• This Little Leaguer’s favorite athlete is Ben Johns 🤩

• The PPA Tour is back! 🥳

• NPL coming to Austin this weekend 📍

• We ranked the best pickleball shoes for men 👟

Let’s get cookin’. 🧑‍🍳

AMATEUR HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

She ATP’d his ATP 👀

In most rec games, an ATP is a highlight winner. They typically don’t come back unless it’s a more advanced group.

But not only did this ATP come back — the woman in this point charged forward and hit an ATP off of the ATP for a clean winner.

You just don’t see that every day.

🔗 This is one you have to watch to believe

PICKLEBALLERS PODCAST

Maroon 5’s James Valentine: Building the world’s biggest band & his love for pickleball

James Valentine, lead guitarist of Maroon 5 and passionate pickleball player, joins the Pickleballers crew this week for an unmissable episode.

He shares his journey from Nebraska to the global stage of music, the grind behind Maroon 5’s rise, and how his love for tennis led him to discover his newest addiction, pickleball.

🔗 Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on Spotify

Every week The Kitchen & Pickleballers will be doing a 24-hour paddle giveaway to celebrate the latest episode. This week, we are giving away any JOOLA Pro IV paddle of someone’s choice! Enter here!

FEATURED STORY

Little League World Series player lists Ben Johns as his favorite athlete

The Little League World Series is underway in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, which means you're about to see a ton of fun and heartwarming stories and social media clips about the young ballplayers.

But there was one Little Leaguer who caught our eye earlier this week when he stepped to the plate. The broadcast usually has a fun fact about each player, whether that be their favorite movie, favorite song, favorite baseball player, etc.

Michael Frankie, a 12-year-old who plays for Texas East, listed Ben Johns as his favorite athlete. Yeah, THAT Ben Johns.

Apparently Michael is a big pickleball player and fan, which means we are big Michael Frankie fans.

🔗 If ever there was proof of pickleball’s potential as a pro sport, this is it

THE PROS

The PPA Tour is back with Bristol Open

After almost two months off, the PPA Tour is back this week with the Bristol Open in Bristol, Tennessee.

As an Open, the tournament offers 1,000 ranking points to the winners and will be played as a modified traditional draw. That means singles (Wednesday), mixed doubles (Thursday) and gender doubles (Friday) are played through the quarterfinal rounds on their designated days, then the semifinal matches for all divisions will be Saturday, followed by Championship Sunday.

Already on Wednesday there were several big upsets, especially on the men’s side — a trend that has continued throughout the season in men’s singles. Here were a few of the most surprising results ⬇️

• Max Freeman over Ben Johns in the Round of 32.

• David Bieger over Tyson McGuffin in the Round of 64.

• Adam Harvey over Jack Sock in the Round of 32.

On the women’s side, No. 40 seed Anna Bright, who rarely plays singles on tour, also made a deep run with wins over Lea Jansen and Jorja Johnson.

🔗 We take a look at interesting doubles partnerships and storylines for Bristol here

TRENDING

The National Pickleball League is holding its fourth event of the season this weekend in Austin. There’s a full slate of matches scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at two different Austin locations — Pickleball Kingdom Pflugerville and Pickleland Pflugerville.

If you don’t already know, the NPL is a team-based league for Champions Pro (age 50+) players. The 2025 NPL season includes 12 teams representing cities across the country. Each team has a roster of at least 14 players, and more than 200 Champions Pros total will compete in the league this season.

🔗 Learn more and find link to livestream on NPL website

PICKLEBALL TRIPS

Explore Japan through pickleball

Visitors are often surprised to learn that mountains occupy over 70% of Japan’s total landmass. Nagano in particular, which is the focal point of this Pickleball Trips tour, is world famous for its rugged terrain. Set foot where few travelers outside Japan venture to take in stunning landscapes, visit age-old shrines, witness hot-spring-loving monkeys and sample regional cuisine.

Pickleball Trips was born in Japan out of a threefold passion for travel, relationships and pickleball. This true, insider experience perfectly balances hours of quality pickleball instruction with local play.

Follow Pickleball Trips on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

🔗 Learn more about Pickleball Trips here

INSTRUCTIONAL

Use the split step to stay balanced and ready for anything

We’ve all done it — moving forward while hitting a shot. It’s a common mistake that leads to shots sailing long, popping up too high or losing control. If you’re in motion, you’re often off-balance, making it harder to place your shot accurately or recover for the next one.

There’s one subtle move that can alleviate these errors: The split step.

WHAT IS THE SPLIT STEP?

The split step is a small hop you take just before or as your opponent hits the ball. It helps you land in a balanced, athletic stance -- ready to react in any direction. If you’ve watched tennis, you’ve probably seen players make this quick hop just as the serve is struck. They’re stabilizing themselves and preparing to move. The same principle applies in pickleball. It keeps you quick, balanced and in control as you transition toward the net.

APPLYING THE SPLIT STEP IN PICKLEBALL

Picture yourself advancing after hitting a return or drop shot. Just as your opponent is about to hit the ball, you take a small hop, landing with your feet shoulder-width apart, weight on the balls of your feet and paddle ready. This quick pause helps you stay balanced and react faster, avoiding the mistake of overrunning the ball or hitting while still in motion.

With this simple move, you gain more control. Instead of rushing forward and getting caught off balance, you reset and stay ready for whatever shot comes your way.

🔗 More tips on how to execute a good split step

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK

The best pickleball shoes for men

Earlier this week we shared our recent list of the best pickleball shoes for women.

Now it’s time to talk about men’s shoes — you can find our full list here. There’s no shortage of good options these days, but there’s one shoe that hits all of the right notes for us.

OUR TOP PICK

DAPS Desi Low men’s pickleball shoe: These shoes were built for serious performance, with four key elements that combine to enhance comfort and speed.

Traction-tuned rubber sole: The high-durability rubber outsole hits the sweet spot — tough enough to last, soft enough to grip for quick stops, hard pushes and fast footwork.

Carbon fiber shank stabilizer: The carbon shank is made from the top material in the game for stability and energy transfer — lightweight, strong and trusted by elite athletes.

Top performance midsole foam: The ETPU midsole (high-quality foam) delivers great energy return, serious durability and comfort.

Blumaka NonSlip insole: Blumaka's NonSlip insoles are a game-changer for athletes seeking maximum control, speed and support.

🔗 Find our in-depth review of the DAPS here or buy them here

QUICK HITS

• LOL: It’s not the wind, it’s me

• Throwback: This is the wildest point in pickleball history

• No pickleball? Just put me out of my misery

• Unexpected: We didn’t know the Amish played pickleball

• Perfection: Now that’s how you hit a drop volley