Have You Seen This Pickleball Rooster? 🐓

Faster hands at the kitchen, finding balance off the court, and the community behind one of pickleball's biggest events.

Author

Empower Pickleball
July 09, 2026

One thing about me is that I’ll always point out when I see pickleball on TV, and I feel like y’all probably know that by now.

One of my favorite binge-worthy Netflix shows, Sweet Magnolias, is back for another season.

Am I already halfway through it? Absolutely. But one scene immediately caught my attention. Maddie Townsend heads to the pickleball court with her son Kyle, quickly realizes it’s a lot more of a workout than she expected
 and suddenly doesn’t want to leave.

Honestly, welcome to the club, Maddie.

Speaking of people who don’t want to leave the court, all 20 Major League Pickleball teams are in Grand Rapids this week for the Mid-Season Tournament. The St. Louis Shock and New Jersey 5s have been nearly unstoppable lately, but I’m curious if the revamped Dallas Flash or Columbus Sliders can make some noise—and whether one of the invite teams can pull off an upset.

While they’re battling it out in Michigan, we’ve got a few other stories this week that you’ll enjoy.

TIPS & TRICKS

Is Your Ready Position Slowing You Down?

Advanced players always seem to react faster at the kitchen. More often than not, it’s because they’re already in the right position before the ball is hit.

According to Senior Pro Gina Cilento, many recreational players lose valuable reaction time by dropping their paddle after every shot or standing flat-footed instead of staying active. The best players quickly return to a balanced ready position with their paddle up, knees bent, and eyes on their opponent’s paddle.

💡 Why It Matters: Your ready position affects every point. Building better habits before the ball is hit can lead to quicker reactions, stronger defense, and more confidence during fast exchanges.

👉 Learn how to build a ready position that helps you react faster.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

When Loving Pickleball Starts Feeling Like Work

Pickleball has a funny way of taking over your life. One game becomes three. Three days a week become five. Before long, your weekends revolve around tournaments, your YouTube feed is all pickleball, and you’re wondering what to do when it rains.

Some signs it may be time to take a step back:

  • Feeling guilty for taking a rest day

  • Playing through pain because everyone else is

  • Letting your mood depend on whether you got to play

  • Feeling anxious about missing a game or an event

💡 Why It Matters: Pickleball should make your life better—not become your entire life. Finding the right balance can help you enjoy the sport for years to come.

👉 Read why more players are talking about pickleball burnout.

COMMUNITY

How Beer City Open Became More Than a Tournament

Beer City Open has become one of pickleball’s biggest events, bringing together 1,200 amateur players and every Major League Pickleball team. But behind the competition is a community that has spent nearly a decade building something much bigger.

Powered by 600 volunteers, the tournament has helped contribute more than $1 million toward improvements at Belknap Park while creating an event players return to year after year.

💡 Why It Matters: Beer City Open shows what’s possible when a tournament invest in its hometown. The court, the community, and the event have all grown together.

👉 See how Beer City Open became one of pickleball’s signature events.

Meet the Brand Bringing Collectible Culture to Pickleball

You probably know Audrey better as Pickleballmama. After years of traveling the tournament circuit with her family, she wanted to create something that captured the fun side of pickleball again.

The result is Dinkii—a line of collectible plush bag charms inspired by the personalities and culture that make the sport so unique. The first character, Switch, is a purple sloth inspired by the patient, strategic player. It’s the first in what Audrey hopes will become a growing lineup of collectible pickleball personalities.

Like any good collectible, Dinkii releases happen in small batches. Switch is available during the current launch window, and once it’s gone, it’s gone. All orders ship July 23.

👉 Use code EMPOWER for free shipping and start your Dinkii collection.

  • Paddletek Makes a Major Move đŸ‘€ Paddletek has acquired paddle brand PIKKL and added JW Johnson, Jorja Johnson, and Hurricane Tyra Black to its pro roster.

  • Pickleball Is Invading Reality TV đŸ“ș One of the newest houseguests on Big Brother 28 is Delray Beach pickleball coach Rome Seymoure, who’ll compete for the show’s $750,000 grand prize when the new season premieres tonight.

  • There's a Pickleball Rooster on the Loose đŸ“ A rooster named Pickles has gone missing from Hollywood, Florida’s pickleball community, and players are offering a cash reward to anyone who helps bring their unofficial mascot home.

Darrin Klinger: Raising Great Players—and Better People

What if developing great athletes starts with developing great people?

This week on 99% Pickleball, Darrin Klinger—father and coach of pro pickleball player CJ Klinger—joins Mari Humberg and Nikki Maldonado for one of the most thoughtful conversations we’ve had yet. They talk about parenting, coaching, sportsmanship, and how to help young athletes grow without losing the joy that brought them to the game.

đŸ“ș Watch it on YouTube
đŸŽ™ïž Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

My House Is Basically Sponsored by HOKA

My partner should honestly be a HOKA ambassador at this point. He owns three pairs of running shoes, two pairs of boots, two pairs of sandals
 and somehow still finds reasons to buy another pair.

I can’t make fun of him too much, though. I’m on my third pair myself, and I don’t think I’ll ever buy another off-court shoe. (On the court? Please don’t. That’s what court shoes are for. 😅)

Lately, I’ve been living in the ORA Recovery Slide 3. They’re ridiculously comfortable after a long day of pickleball.

What really sold me is that they earned the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) Seal of Acceptance, meaning they’ve been reviewed by podiatrists and recognized for promoting good foot health. After spending hours on hard courts, that’s exactly what I’m looking for in a recovery shoe.

👉 If your feet need a little love after pickleball, check out the ORA Recovery Slide 3.

Interested in having your event listed? Reach out to us and let’s chat!

Have something happening at your courts?

The wins, the drama, or the moments that stick with you—we’d love to hear it.

If people are talking about it, it’s probably worth sharing.