Our Empower Pickleball x Civile Apparel Collection just dropped. Four limited-edition pieces designed for the players who show up for the sport and the people. Scroll down to see the collab and snag yours before they’re gone.

We’re also spotlighting something special out of Georgia: the first-ever Special Olympics Pickleball Invitatonal, led by coach Karla Blaginin and her team, The Happy Hitters. It’s a milestone moment for inclusion and the growing role pickleball plays in adaptive sport.

You’ll also find:

• The offensive lob—how to use it (and when not to)

• Small-town pickleball booms bringing new life to old courts

• Our honest TheraICE recovery gear review

• What new data says about the rise in pickleball injuries

Keep scrolling—there’s a lot to dig into (and a shirt with your name on it).

💪 Special Olympics Georgia Serves Up Its First Pickleball Invitational

Pickleball’s role in the Special Olympics keeps growing. The sport is set to debut as an official event at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, and regional programs are already running tournaments, unified leagues, and adaptive clinics. Across North America, pickleball’s accessibility and built-in community have made it a natural fit for athletes with intellectual and development disabilities (IDD).

Why it Works

• Accessible Play: Smaller courts, slower balls, and lightweight paddles make it approachable for new and adaptive athletes.

• Built for Inclusion: Unified formats pair athletes with and without disabilities, encouraging teamwork and connection.

• Whole-Body Benefits: Improves coordination, balance, focus, and confidence—all through movement and social play.

• Growing Infrastructure: States like South Carolina and Iowa have adopted formal Special Olympics pickleball programs, with national standards already in place.

Georgia Joins the Movement

On November 16, Certified Pickleball Coach and USA Pickleball Ambassador Karla Blaginin and her crew, The Happy Hitters, will host the first-ever Special Olympics Georgia Pickleball Invitational at Planet Pickle in Suwanee.

The event will welcome up to 20 Unified Teams for a full day of rallies, laughter, and connection. A featured exhibition match with Happy Hitters athletes Anthony Le and Mimi Ngo will spotlight the heart, skill, and teamwork that define inclusive play.

Beyond competition, the Invitational represents a major milestone for adaptive pickleball in Georgia—one that brings together athletes, coaches, and supporters to strengthen community through sport.

👉 Read the full story on Georgia’s first Special Olympics Pickleball Invitational.

🌎 Around the Picklesphere

🙅‍♀️ No more easy returns, promise
😅 Is pickleball your entire personality?
💰 Prediction markets hit pickleball’s pro scene

🎯 The Power of the Offensive Lob

BRING THIS TO THE COURT: When used intentionally, an offensive lob can catch your opponents completely off guard and flip a rally in your favor. Think of it as a surprise uppercut in the middle of a dink exchange—unexpected, satisfying, and devastating when executed well.

Here’s when it works best:

• During a dink battle. Opponents are leaning forward, focused on the net. Lift one cleanly over their heads, ideally to their backhand side.

• When your opponent crashes the net. Use their momentum against them. A well-timed lob sends them retreating fast and often ends with a weak return.

• When you can stay balanced. You need control to keep it high enough to clear—but low enough to stay in.

A controlled lob with the right spin and placement can be one of the smartest shots in pickleball. Keep your opponents guessing and you’ll earn yourself an easy finish at the net.

👉 Learn when (and when not) to lob offensively.

🖤 Your New Favorite Pickleball Apparel Just Dropped

It’s here! We teamed up with Civile Apparel for a limited-edition collection that celebrates what pickleball’s all about—connection, confidence, and community.

The drop features both women’s tanks and unisex tees that blend Civile’s signature style with Empower Pickleball’s message of connection and confidence. From the Social Club design that reminds you why we play, to the Everyone Plays design that shouts inclusivity loud and proud, each one brings style with purpose.

Available in Black and Sky Blue, these are made for players who show up—for the rallies and the relationships.

👉 Shop the Empower Pickleball x Civile Collection.

🏡 Pickleball’s Small-Town Boom

From Kentucky to Oregon, small towns are turning forgotten spaces into pickleball hot spots. Empty gyms, cracked tennis courts, and even parking lots are being reborn as new community hubs—and the results are electric.

What starts as a few locals with tape and paddles often grows into something much bigger: youth clinics, town-funded lights, and Friday night socials that bring everyone together. In many towns, open play has replaced the coffee shop as the new meeting place.

👉 Read how small towns are building big community through pickleball.

🧊 Soothe Post-Play Pain with TheraICE

Nagging wrist or elbow pain after long matches? The TheraICE Hot & Cold Elbow Compression Sleeve and Wrist Ice Pack deliver targeted relief you can actually feel.

Here’s what makes them stand out:

• Heat loosens tight muscles

• Cold calms inflammation

• Soft, flexible material molds comfortably to your arm

• Holds temperature longer than standard packs

• HSA/FSA eligible

They’re not for mid-match use, but for recovery at home, they’re a win. Slip one on while relaxing, reading, or scrolling—your joints will thank you.

👉 See the full TheraICE review.

🩹 The Not-So-Fun Side of Pickleball’s Boom

We all know that pickleball’s growth has been explosive—but with that, comes increasing injury rates. ER visits tied to pickleball jumped from 1,300 in 2014 to nearly 25,000 in 2023, with analysts estimating over $350 million in medical costs. The majority happen to players over 50, especially women 65+, and most result from simple falls.

Sprains, strains, fractures—most are avoidable with better habits. Warm up, wear proper court shoes, protect your eyes, and skip the “just one more game” mentality when your body’s had enough. Because right now, the only ones winning big from preventable injuries are the insurance companies.

👉 Learn more about what the data says.