Call it “pickleball with a purpose” — a group of Texas players called The Pickle Breakers played for 36 hours straight to raise over $18,000 for grief support through the Taylor’s Gift Foundation.

Their record-breaking rally wasn’t just about endurance, it was a powerful show of how pickleball can help heal, connect, and give back…

…Unfortunately, not all pickleball enterprises have as much heart.

One of the largest pickleball complexes in the country, home to past PPA Tour, Major League Pickleball, & USA Pickleball events, is now at the center of a massive federal fraud case.

More on that below.

The $284M Pickleball Fraud

Bell Bank Park in Mesa, AZ was once home to 40+ pickleball courts, 24 soccer fields, and more. It was marketed as a “crown jewel” of American sports development.

But according to the FBI, the $300 million facility was allegedly used to defraud investors out of $284 million.

A federal indictment claims the developers forged documents, faked interest from major sports groups, & inflated attendance projections to secure two municipal bond offerings. In reality, the complex underperformed, and less than $2.5 million was repaid to investors—despite $366 million owed.

The men behind the project allegedly used investor money to buy luxury vehicles, pay themselves inflated salaries, and drop $400K on a personal home.

The facility filed for bankruptcy in 2023 and now operates under new ownership as Arizona Athletic Grounds.

A dramatic fall for what was once hailed as a pickleball success story; and a reminder that when the stakes get high, the spotlight follows.

4 Dink Placement Strategies That Win Points

BRING THIS TO THE COURT: A smart dink disrupts, disorients, and sets you up for the win.

Here are four high-IQ dink strategies to dominate the NVZ:

🔁 1. Mix It Up

Cross-court dinks are popular for a reason. But when you do it every time, your opponents get comfy. Vary your placement to keep them guessing and open the door for speed-ups.

→ Drill it: Pick six target zones and never hit the same one twice in a row.

🎯 2. Go for the Middle

Targeting the middle can create hesitation and confusion, even in seasoned duos. It also neutralizes angle-heavy counters.

→ Pro tip: Use this early in a match to gauge communication—and keep going if you sense a weak link.

🌪️ 3. Divide and Conquer

Force your opponents wide with a sideline dink, then follow with a sneaky one down the center. You’re not just moving the ball—you’re moving minds.

→ This opens the court for aggressive finishes or awkward returns.

🧠 4. Pressure the Weak Link

If one opponent is shaky or inconsistent, feed them dinks to pile on pressure. But don’t overdo it—keep your patterns unpredictable so they can’t adjust (or call in reinforcements).

🚫 Bonus: Don’t Serve Up Dead Dinks

A dead dink floats too high or short, practically begging for a speed-up. Aim for low, net-hugging shots that force your opponent to hit defensively.

→ The best dinking isn’t passive—it’s surgical. Every shot should have a purpose. Want to win more points without breaking a sweat? Start here.

Win a Medal, Get a Passport: APP’s New Championship Qualifier

The Association of Pickleball Players (APP) just rolled out a new incentive for amateurs: the APP Passport, your golden ticket to the 2025 APP Tour Championships, happening Dec. 10–14 at The Fort in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Here’s how it works: 

→ Win any medal (gold, silver, or bronze) at an APP event in 2025, & you’re automatically qualified to register for the Tour Championships.
→ This includes all amateur brackets in all divisions except pros and AARP.
→ Already earned a medal this season? You’re retroactively eligible.

The end-of-season event is shaping up to be a blockbuster. The Fort in Fort Lauderdale will feature 43 courts, including 14 weatherproof ones, the world’s first pickleball stadium, plus a new restaurant, bar, cabanas, and a beach zone.

The first event where you can earn an APP Passport is the 2025 APP Vlasic Classic in Cincinnati, May 7–11. That tournament also grants Golden Tickets for the USA Pickleball National Championships, so medalists could double up on major event access.

🔗 Learn more here.

Around the Picklesphere

🎥 Video review: Titan Pickleball
🎒 What each type of player should carry in their bag
🛠️ Hitting that wiffleball fixes more than it should
☀️ Pickleball in the sun: Antigua edition

A Drilling Tool That Actually Helps

We’ve all tried gadgets that promise to improve your game, but the Pickleball Driller actually delivered.

It’s lightweight, portable, and gives you a clear visual target to train around—something I didn’t realize I was missing until I started using it. After running a few sessions with it, I noticed real improvements in control, consistency, and placement. Here are five drills that actually made a difference:

🎯 Dinking
Aim just under the Driller’s strap for low, controlled dinks. Keeping it below that line helped me hit deeper, safer shots into my opponent’s feet—without popping it up.

🎯 Third Shot Drops
Using the strap as a height marker helped me dial in soft, topspin drops that gently land in the kitchen. My drop game went from tentative to intentional.

🎯 Serve Drills
I practiced driving serves just above the net and below the strap. The result? Fewer loopy serves and more pace and precision right from the start.

🎯 Return of Serve
By focusing on deep, topspin returns that cleared the strap and landed near the baseline, I set up stronger third shots and started dictating points earlier.

🎯 Third Shot Drives
Drilling aggressive, low third shot drives was easy with the strap as a visual guide. If it clipped the strap, I knew I was close to perfect height.

If you’re looking to sharpen your mechanics without overcomplicating your routine, the Pickleball Driller might be worth a look. It’s the kind of tool that makes practice feel productive—and actually is.

🔗 Check it out here.

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