Today is Veterans Day, and pickleball’s role in helping veterans reconnect with community is more powerful than ever. Across the country, veteran-led programs are turning open courts into places of purpose, recovery, and teamwork.

Meanwhile, the pros were busy in Mesa, Arizona, where the APP Tour wrapped up another major stop. Ronan Camron earned his first career gold, Sofia Sewing added to her medal haul, and Jennifer Dawson pulled off a triple crown in the AARP Champions division.

Between the veterans who inspire us and the pros who keep pushing the game forward, there’s a lot to dig into.

Inside:

• How veterans are finding purpose and connection through pickleball

• Simple leg exercises that make your game faster and safer

• The surprising science behind the pickleball itself

• The quirky backyard story that started it all

🇺🇸 Veterans and Pickleball: Healing, Connection, and Purpose

Pickleball is proving to be more than a pastime for America’s veterans—it’s become a powerful tool for recovery, camaraderie, and community. Across the country, veteran-led groups are using the sport to help service members heal through movement and connection.

Building Community Through Play

From the Veterans Pickleball Association to Military Adaptive Court Sports, programs nationwide are offering clinics, tournaments, and open-play days for veterans of all abilities. These sessions—often free—create space for veterans and their families to rebuild confidence, mobility, and friendship through competition and laughter.

Rallying for Recovery

The Wounded Warrior Project’s annual Pickleball & Racquetball Shootouts in Texas have raised more than $50,000 since 2015, drawing hundreds of veterans, civilians, and supporters each year. It’s one of many events showing how the sport unites communities while directly funding veteran rehabilitation and outreach.

From Court Time to Connection

Programs like Veterans Play Pickleball and Veterans In Pickleball keep the mission going year-round—bringing together service members facing PTSD, TBIs, or physical injuries. On the court, they rediscover the structure, teamwork, and trust that defined their service.

👉 See how veterans are turning pickleball into a path for purpose and recovery.

🌎 Around the Picklesphere

💡 The third-shot drop, fixed
💚 Meet the mind behind Triple Black Pickleball
😂 That one shot that barely clips the line

💪 Stronger Legs, Stronger Game

BRING THIS TO THE COURT: Your legs are the foundation of every shot, sprint, and rally. Weak legs? Slower reactions, wobbly balance, and a higher chance of injury. Strong ones? More power, endurance, and stability on every move.

Try adding these to your routine:

• Squats on a balance ball — build control and joint stability.

• Calf raises — boost first-step quickness.

• Leg presses — improve total lower-body power.

• Lunges — train for those kitchen-line dashes.

• Agility drills — sharpen speed and coordination.

👉 Try these workouts and feel the difference on the court.

🎽 Gear Built for Real Pickleball Players

Performance starts before the first serve. Centerline designs apparel that keeps up—lightweight, breathable, and built with GripTek® details that help you stay locked in through fast hands and tough points.

No cling, no restriction, no distractions. Just gear that moves like you do—whether you’re dinking, diving, or just living life.

👉 Take 20% off your next order with code EMPOWER20 and feel what better gear can do for your game.

🏡 A Fun, Friendly History of Pickleball

Before it was a global obsession, pickleball was just a backyard fix for bored kids in Bainbridge Island, Washington. Three dads, one wiffle-style ball, and a lowered badminton net later… a movement was born.

From “pickle boat” debates to the first official court in 1967, the sport’s roots are as charming as they are chaotic—and explain why pickleball’s community-first spirit runs so deep today.

👉 Discover the story behind pickleball’s one-of-a-kind origin.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

1978 Pickleball in The Villages, FL

Contributed by Jennifer Lucore, Pickleball Hall of Famer and historian — author of History of Pickleball — More Than 50 Years of Fun! • Visit allpickleball.com 

🧩 Pickleball Balls 101: The Gear Everyone’s Overlooking

Paddles get all the love—but the real innovation is happening with the ball.

Between new polymers, 3D-printed models, and eco-friendly blends made from wheat straw (seriously), today’s pickleballs are faster, tougher, and quieter than ever. Even USA Pickleball is tightening its specs to keep play more consistent across brands and tournaments.

If you’ve ever wondered why some balls crack after a few games while others last all season, or why your elbow only hurts with certain brands—this one’s for you.

👉 Learn what’s changing inside the pickleball—and why it matters.

• November 15-23: 2025 USA Pickleball National Championships - San Diego, CA

• November 18-23: PPA Lakeland Open - Lakeland, FL

• December 10-14: APP Tour Championships - Fort Lauderdale, FL

• December 16-21: PPA Daytona Beach Open - Holly Hill, FL

• January 1-4: National Junior Pickleball Las Vegas Regional - Henderson, NV

• January 25-30: VibeGetaways Turks & Caicos with Neil Friedenberg - Providenciales, Turks & Caicos

• February 13-16: National Junior Pickleball South Central Regional - Houston, TX

• February 18-22: APP Daytona Beach Open - Holly Hill, FL

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