No regular newsletters this week. Instead, we’re closing out the year with our first Best of Pickleball special edition.

As the year winds down, we’ve been reflecting on why we started Empower Pickleball in the first place. We know your inbox is already full of emails telling you which pro won again, which paddle will literally change your game (it won’t, only you will), and the one shot you “have” to master next.

We built Empower Pickleball to cover the sport differently. To share news, tips, and perspective while spotlighting the people who actually shape pickleball at every level. No fluff. No gatekeeping. Coverage that reflects real players, real communities, and real progress across ages, abilities, and backgrounds.

This special edition pulls together the moments that stood out most in 2025. Some worth celebrating. Some worth questioning. Not everything was perfect, but all of it mattered.

Thanks for being here this year. And here’s to more court time, better rallies, and a whole lot of pickleball in 2026.

OPINIONS & INSIGHTS

The Year Pickleball Stopped Playing Small

2025 wasn’t just a bigger year for pickleball. It was a defining one. The sport got more structured, more investable, more covered, and more global. It stopped sounding like a trend and started behaving like something built to last.

Systems Finally Showed Up

The USA Pickleball and DUPR alignment was a real “okay, we’re doing this” moment. Ratings moved closer to shared infrastructure instead of constant confusion, changing how the sport actually operated day to day.

What this shift will unlock:

• Clearer tournament entry

• More consistent play groupings

• Facilities able to structure programming with confidence

In a sport this big now, clarity isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s the foundation.

Facilities Went From Courts to “Experience”

Indoor clubs kept accelerating, and the model got sharper: memberships, programming, year-round consistency, and community baked in. Meanwhile, outdoor access exploded in a different way. Courts popped up at apartments, HOAs, public parks, and in backyards that basically turned into permanent setups.

Big clubs + hyper-local courts changed how often people played and made pickleball easier to fold into real life.

The Money (and Media) Got Serious

In 2025, brands stopped treating pickleball like a quirky side bet. Sponsorships matured into naming rights, multi-year deals, and real storytelling. And media attention followed the same path: less novelty coverage, more sports-business framing, streaming conversations, documentaries, and even mainstream entertainment signals. That kind of attention changes who shows up next.

Pickleball Went Global (and the Friction Got Louder)

One of the most overlooked stories of 2025 happened outside the United States. Pickleball Champions League Asia showed what’s possible when the sport is packaged well.

What 2025 made clear:

• Stadium-level crowds and global viewership are possible

• International audiences respond when the sport is culturally adapted

• Growth brings real tension at home

At the same time, noise disputes, court access debates, and governance confusion intensified. These weren’t signs of failure. They were signs the sport had reached a scale where structure, regulation, and long-term planning matter.

👉 Read the full recap of the moments that reshaped pickleball in 2025.

QUICK HITS

The Wildest Things That Happened in Pickleball This Year

Pickleball had a year. Some of it impressive. Some of it confusing. Some of it very “how did we get here?” These were the moments that made players stop scrolling, text the group chat, or say, “Wait… what?”

• Pickleball Pops Up at a Retail Trade Show 🛍️ A full pickleball court showed up on the expo floor at Shoptalk Europe 2025 in Barcelona, with hundreds of retailers and executives swapping business shoes for court shoes between panels.

• Monopoly Made It Onto the Pickleball Court 🎲 Diadem Sports dropped a Monopoly-themed paddle set where each paddle features part of the game board, turning a four-paddle kit into a playable Monopoly board on and off the court.

• The First Pickleball Stadium Opens 🏟️ Florida debuted the world’s first dedicated pickleball stadium with The Fort in Fort Lauderdale, a 9-acre complex featuring 40+ courts, spectator seating, and pro-level amenities that pushed pickleball fully into “this is a real sport venue” territory.

• A Noise Complaint Turned Into Vandalism ⚖️ A pickleball noise dispute in Los Gatos escalated into vandalism and threats when oil was poured on local courts, forcing the town to step in with sound barriers, security cameras, and a six-figure mitigation plan.

• Tesla Dropped a Pickleball Paddle 🚗 Tesla teamed up with Selkirk to release a limited-edition pickleball paddle that sold out in hours, sparked memes across the internet, and somehow made wind-tunnel-tested aerodynamics part of the pickleball conversation

QUICK GUIDE

People Who Gave Back to Pickleball This Year

Pickleball didn’t grow in 2025 because it was trendy. It grew because people showed up. They organized tournaments, taught kids, expanded access, and used the sport as a vehicle for something bigger than wins and rankings.

Jim & Annie Kloss

Role: Founders, MS Charity Pickleball Tournament (Surprise, AZ)
Impact: Built a recurring charity tournament supporting the National MS Society, after Annie’s MS diagnosis, powered by volunteer leadership and strong local community involvement.
Why they matter: This tournament shows what happens when pickleball and purpose align. Community-run events, led by volunteers rather than big budgets, can raise real money, build connection, and last.

Billy Mauldin

Role: Founder, Deaf Pickler
Impact: Helped bring pickleball to Deaf and hard-of-hearing players through instruction in ASL, inclusive retreats, and accessibility advocacy across pickleball spaces.
Why they matter: Inclusion isn’t theoretical. His work removes real barriers and shows how coaching, events, and education can be designed so more people can fully participate.

Taylor Nichols

Role: Adaptive Pickleball Coordinator, Chicken N Pickle | Adaptive Athlete
Impact: Became the first adaptive athlete to win a Triple Crown at USA Pickleball Nationals, bringing national visibility to adaptive divisions and competition.
Why they matter: Visibility drives change. When adaptive athletes compete and win on big stages, organizers are pushed to plan inclusively from the start instead of treating accessibility as an afterthought.

Courtney Loughridge

Role: Founder, National Junior Pickleball
Impact: Continued building structured pathways for junior players through tournaments, education, and development opportunities designed for long-term growth rather than short-term participation.
Why they matter: If pickleball wants a future, it has to take juniors seriously. Her work focuses on sustainable development, not rushing kids or assuming they’ll figure it out on their own.

Deirdre “Dee” Morris

Role: Founder, National Pickleball Day
Impact: Created an annual, nationwide celebration on August 8 that gives clubs and communities a shared moment to promote participation and welcome new players.
Why they matter: Simple ideas can have real impact. National Pickleball Day creates momentum without gatekeeping, encouraging growth that feels open, celebratory, and community-driven.

Emerald Valley Pickleball Foundation

Role: Community Court Builders
Impact: Developed covered pickleball courts to improve year-round access and reliability for players of all ages and abilities; recognized at the USA Pickleball National Championships.
Why they matter: Courts equal access. Covered courts, in particular, make pickleball more consistent and inclusive, especially for seniors, adaptive athletes, and community programs.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

The Pickleball Venue That Turned “Giving Back” Into the Business Model

Chicken N Pickle didn’t treat community impact as a nice add-on in 2025. It treated it like infrastructure. While most venues talk about connection, this one quietly built systems that made showing up for local communities part of everyday operations.

From adaptive sports access and nonprofit partnerships to a nationwide volunteer day that shut down every location, their Our Hearts Are Local™ initiative reinvested more than $1.5 million into communities this year. Not as a campaign. Not as a headline grab. Just as part of how the doors open every day.

👉 Read how Chicken N Pickle built community into every location.

Win Pickleball Gear for the Next 5 Years

Finish off the year strong by entering to win five years’ worth of premium pickleball paddles.

We’ve teamed up with Ramsports to give players a long-term paddle setup built to last season after season. No constant upgrades. No scrambling when your paddle dies. Just reliable gear you can count on.

If you’re setting goals for how often you play in the year ahead, this one makes it easier. Today is the last day to enter, it takes seconds, and a few lucky players will walk away fully covered.

👉 Click here to enter the giveaway.

QUICK GUIDE

The Best Shots of 2025 (And Why They Worked)

Pickleball’s pro game took a noticeable leap in 2025. The shots were smarter, faster, and more intentional. These moments stood out not just because they looked cool, but because they showed where the game is headed and what everyday players can learn from it.

Sofia Sewing’s Passing Shot Under Pressure

November 2025 • APP Mesa Open • Sofia Sewing vs. Katerina Stewart
🔗 Watch the clip

In a high-pressure singles final, Sewing ripped a forehand pass down the line after a long baseline exchange, wrong-footing her opponent and sealing momentum. The shot reflected the rising pace and confidence the women’s singles game.

What rec players can steal: Commit when you see daylight. A decisive, well-placed pass beats hesitation every time.

Dekel Bar’s Erne Barrage

March 2025 • PPA Red Rocks Open Final • Dekel Bar & Parris Todd
🔗 Watch the match

Dekel Bar turned the kitchen line into an attack zone, recording a record number of Ernes (14) in a single final. By reading dink patterns early and committing aggressively, he consistently cut off balls before opponents could reset.

What rec players can steal: Anticipation beats reaction. When you see a floating cross-court dink, step wide and attack it out of the air. One well-timed Erne can flip momentum fast.

Christian Alshon’s Net Battle

March 2025 • PPA Red Rocks Open Quarterfinal • Christian Alshon vs. Connor Garnett
🔗 Watch the clip

A singles point turned into a lightning-fast kitchen firefight, with both players refusing to back off the line. Alshon stayed compact, paddle up, and trusted his hands until he found the angle to finish.

What rec players can steal: Fast hands win points. Keep your paddle up, shorten your swing, and don’t panic when rallies speed up at the net.

The 52-Shot Marathon Rally

May 2025 • APP Vlasic Classic • Munro/Howells vs. Diamond/Koszuta
🔗 Watch the match

This rally wasn’t about power—it was about patience. Fifty-plus shots of disciplined dinking and resets eventually forced a pop-up, which Munro and Howells capitalized on immediately.

What rec players can steal: Consistency is a weapon. Long rallies favor the team willing to wait one more shot before pulling the trigger.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

The Fitness Shifts Pickleball Players Actually Felt in 2025

Pickleball didn’t suddenly get harder in 2025. It just got louder, busier, and a lot more frequent. More leagues. More tournaments. More back-to-back play. And players quietly realized their bodies needed more support to keep up.

So strength training stopped feeling optional. Pilates crept into weekly routines. Wearables started calling the shots. What changed wasn’t the sport—it was how players trained, recovered, and planned to stay on the court without constantly nursing something.

👉 Explore the fitness trends that reshaped pickleball in 2025.

QUICK GUIDE

The Gear Scandals and Breakouts of 2025

Pickleball gear had a moment in 2025. New tech landed fast, unexpected brands entered the space, and players got a lot more opinionated about what was worth buying.

Breakout Brands Players Actually Noticed

• Adidas re-entered pickleball with a serious paddle lineup, foam-enhanced designs, and pro signings.

• 11six24 gained traction as a player-founded brand focused on performance without premium pricing.

• Lūzz Pickleball rebounded quickly after early compliance issues and earned competitive credibility.

• FLiK (BodyHelix) quietly impressed gear-focused players with power-first engineering and minimal hype.

The Tech That Defined 2025

• Foam-core and foam-enhanced paddles moved into the mainstream.

• Paddle lines expanded shape options (elongated, widebody, multiple handle lengths).

• Customization and feel tuning started influencing buying decisions.

The Gear Reality Check

• Counterfeit paddles flooded online marketplaces

• Compliance testing and delistings made legality part of the conversation

• Some launches moved too fast, exposing durability and QC issues.

How Players Bought Gear Differently

• Value matters more than brand name alone.

• Community reviews carried more weight.

• Trust and transparency became competitive advantages.

Pickleball moved fast in 2025. Faster than most people expected. Courts showed up in unexpected places. New voices shaped the conversations. The game got sharper, louder, and more complex, sometimes all at once.

What stood out most wasn’t just growth. It was how the sport grew and who helped move it forward along the way. The people building access. The players pushing the game. The moments that made everyone stop and pay attention.

If we miss something you think belongs in this conversation, hit reply. We’re always listening and always learning.

Thanks for being part of Empower Pickleball this year. We’ll see you on the court in 2026.

The Empower Pickleball Team