The Mistakes Keeping You at the 3.5 Level

Undisputed College Champs. Waters vs Agassi. $1M on the Line

Author

Empower Pickleball
April 14, 2026

What a week to be a pickleball fan.

The US Open is live right now in Naples, with 3,000 players, 53 countries, and $185k on the line. DUPR Nationals just wrapped in Atlanta, with 800 college players competing in the biggest collegiate tournament in the sport's history.

And if that's not enough, Pickleball Slam 4 is Wednesday night on ESPN. Anna Leigh Waters vs. Andre Agassi, with $1 million up for grabs.

Let’s dive in.

Inside:

  • How to become a reset machine

  • The most common mistakes plaguing your game

  • Scoring changes from doubles to singles

🏆 It’s Pickleball Season

Pickleball events come in all shapes and sizes these days. No matter your cup of tea, there’s something to match it.

Want to see gritty college players battling for school pride? Covered. How about the biggest names in racquet sports competing for a massive prize? Check. And if that’s not enough, there’s a landmark event drawing players from around the world to the nation’s largest pickleball park. That’s happening right now.

College Champions Crowned

The DUPR College Pickleball Tour Nationals just wrapped up in Peachtree Corners, Georgia. Here's what you need to know:

  • Florida Atlantic University won the title, going undefeated all weekend, led by Alec Llamachio, Jayden Broderick, Isabella Nelson, and Ava Cavataio

  • This makes FAU the first college team ever to win THREE collegiate national championships (NCPA, APP, and now DUPR)

  • Ryan Morneau (James Madison University) won men's singles and Tate Keber (Florida State University) took women's singles

  • 800 athletes and 100+ schools competed, making it the largest collegiate pickleball tournament ever

  • The $15,000 first-place scholarship prize went home to Boca Raton

Pickleball Slam 4

A million dollars is up for grabs in a battle of the sexes event. Pickleball GOAT Anna Leigh Waters and Genie Bouchard will face off against tennis legends Andre Agassi and James Blake.

Tune into the event at 7 PM ET tomorrow, April 15, on ESPN.

US Open 10th Anniversary

The US Open Pickleball Championships have been a staple on the pickleball calendar for nearly a decade, and this year’s edition marks a major milestone. The “Biggest Pickleball Party in the World™” is celebrating its 10-year anniversary in a big way.

  • 3,000+ amateur players competing for a coveted US Open gold medal

  • 55,000+ spectators expected at East Naples Community Park

  • Championship Saturday set for April 18, featuring the pro finals

It’s one of the sport’s premier events and a bucket-list experience for any serious fan. If playing in it is on your radar, plan ahead. Entry requires a lottery spot, and it fills up fast.

🌎 Around the Picklesphere

😅 He's having too much fun on the courts
💓 Pickleball Mama weighs in on the real pickleball scene 
🛑 Stop getting burned down the middle 
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Be a part of the Empower Pickleball Fam and save 30% with code EMPOWER30

📋 How to Hit Better Resets (and Take Back Control)

Photo Credit: The APP

If you’re constantly stuck on defense, your reset game is the key to flipping the script. The best players don’t just block balls back—they slow the game down and work their way forward.

Here’s the quick fix:

  • Soften your hands — stop swinging, start absorbing

  • Stay low and balanced — your legs control the shot

  • Aim for the middle — high margin, low risk

A great reset isn’t flashy. It’s what turns chaos into control and gets you back to the kitchen line. Master this, and you’ll stop reacting and start dictating points.

👉 Read the full breakdown and start hitting resets that actually stick.

Stop Sliding Inside Your Shoes

Pickleball demands quick movement. Hard stops, lateral cuts, fast push-offs.

But there’s a small problem many players overlook: your foot sliding inside your shoe.

Even with good court shoes, internal movement can lead to toe jams, blisters, slower reactions, and wasted energy during push-off. A lot of players assume it’s the shoe when the missing piece is often the sock.

Squid Socks are designed with grip zones that stabilize your foot inside the shoe so your movement stays more connected to the court.

More stability.
More control.
Less sliding around mid-rally.

👉 Play locked in and save 20% on Squid Socks with code EMPOWER20.

🧑‍🔧 The Fix for Pickleball’s Most Common Problems

Most players don’t plateau because of skill. They plateau because they repeat the same point-killing habits without realizing it. The good news is these are all fixable once you know what to look for.

Here are a few that show up everywhere:

  • Rushing the kitchen off weak shots instead of earning your way forward

  • Attacking the wrong balls instead of using a simple decision rule

  • Aiming for lines when the middle wins more points

The difference between 3.5 and 4.5 often comes down to better decisions, not better strokes. Clean up these mistakes, and you’ll win more points without changing your entire game.

👉 Read the full breakdown and start eliminating the habits holding you back.

 📖 From Beginner to Believer: The Benjamin Coleman Story

Not every pickleball journey starts with a plan. Sometimes it starts with showing up and seeing where the game takes you. That’s exactly what makes Benjamin Coleman’s story hit home.

  • Growth doesn’t happen overnight, but it compounds when you stay in it

  • Community becomes the hook, not just competition

  • The game gives back more than you expect

Stories like this are a reminder that pickleball isn’t just about results—it’s about what you build along the way.

👉 Read the full story and see why this journey resonates with so many players.

 🔢 How Pickleball Scoring Works (Without the Confusion)

Photo Credit: USA Pickleball

If scoring feels like the hardest part of pickleball, you’re not alone—but it’s actually pretty simple once you see the pattern. The key rule: only the serving side can score, and points continue until a side out (when serve changes teams). In doubles, you’ll hear three numbers like “5-3-2” (your score, their score, server number), while singles uses just two.

  • Win rally on serve → score + keep serving

  • Lose rally on serve → no point + next server or side out

  • Doubles: both players serve before a side out

  • Singles: your score determines position (even = right, odd = left)

Once you understand who’s serving, when points are awarded, and how rotation works, everything clicks—and from there, it’s just reps.

👉 Still confused? We break it down step-by-step with real examples.

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