Why Do Advanced Players Slow the Ball Down?

Plus: 10 snacks for long court days, That Pickleball Guy talks chess, and a community helping women find their people

Author

Empower Pickleball
August 13, 2026

Is anyone watching Married at First Sight? Some couples are much better than others, but this one guy… my gosh.

Adam Dehmlow is addicted to pickleball and a huge adrenaline junkie. Great, Adam. We all are. But Adam is serious serious. He plays 3-5 hours a day, five days per week, and even has a 10-week training plan for his future wife. Oof. Sorry, Marissa. 😅

Even better? Adam says he’ll bet anyone $1,000 that he can beat them in pickleball.

Well, naturally, I did some research on Mr. Adam… and jokes on you, sir. Adam doesn’t even have a DUPR. 😂

I think someone needs to take him up on that bet. Maybe ALW? That should provide a quick reality check.

Anyway… rant over. Now onto the good stuff.

TIPS & TRICKS

Why Advanced Players Don’t Always Hit Hard Back

When someone fires a hard ball at you, the natural reaction is to send it right back. But according to Senior Pro Gina Cilento, advanced players recognize when another hard shot will only keep their opponent in control.

Instead, they’ll soften their grip, absorb the pace, and reset the ball into the kitchen when the situation calls for it. Knowing when to slow things down—and when you have the right ball to counter—can help you regain control of the rally instead of getting pulled into a speed battle.

💡 Why It Matters: Automatically countering pace can lead to pop-ups, balls sailing long, and rushed errors. A well-timed reset gives you time to recover and forces your opponent to attack a much tougher ball.

👉 See when Gina recommends resetting instead of firing back.

NUTRITION

What Should You Eat During a Long Day of Pickleball?

Three games somehow turn into three hours, and suddenly the granola bar buried at the bottom of your bag is looking pretty good. What you eat between games can help keep your energy up without leaving you feeling too full when it’s time to get back on the court.

A few options worth packing:

  • Bananas for quick, easy-to-digest carbs

  • Watermelon or grapes for carbs plus a little extra hydration

  • Trail mix when you have more time between games and want something more filling

And yes, gummy bears made the list. There’s actually a reason some tournament players reach for them.

💡 Why It Matters: Long playing sessions require more than grabbing whatever snack happens to be nearby. Having a mix of quick carbs, protein, and more substantial options can help you stay fueled based on how much time you have before your next game.

👉 See all 10 snacks worth packing in your pickleball bag.

COMMUNITY

She Built a Pickleball Community Where Women Can Show Up Alone

When Meagan Allers started playing pickleball in San Diego, she was looking for something many adults struggle to find: a place outside of work and home where real friendships happen naturally.

Now, through the San Diego Pickleball Collective, she’s creating that place for hundreds of women. From name tags and beginner-friendly events to personally introducing women who arrive alone, every detail is designed to make it easier to show up, meet someone, and feel like you belong.

💡 Why It Matters: Meagan believes community isn’t created through one big event. It’s built through hundreds of small interactions—and pickleball gives people a reason to keep showing up.

👉 Meet the woman helping hundreds find their people through pickleball.

The Paddle Anna Leigh Waters Trusts

If you’ve been considering a paddle upgrade, Franklin’s C45 Carbon Fiber paddle has become one of the most talked-about paddles on the market for a reason.

Designed with a double-thermoformed construction and a textured carbon fiber surface, the C45 is built to deliver the combination most players are looking for: power, spin, and control.

It’s also the paddle series used by Anna Leigh Waters, and it comes in multiple shapes and thicknesses depending on your playing style.

👉 Shop the Franklin C45 series and use code EMPOWER10 to save 10% on your order.

  • UPA-A Is Becoming an Independent Nonprofit 🏓 UPA-A is separating from the UPA and becoming an independent nonprofit, with plans to expand its oversight beyond pros to amateur, junior, collegiate, and senior pickleball.

  • Pickleball Takes Over a Berkeley Rooftop 🌇 A new pickleball club is serving up games six stories above downtown Berkeley. The three-court rooftop facility has nearly 200 people on its membership waitlist and opens to the public twice a week.

  • America Is Still Short 25K Pickleball Courts 📍 Even if pickleball stopped growing today, the U.S. would still need an estimated 25,000 additional courts to meet current demand.

Kyle Koszuta: The Mind Behind That Pickleball Guy

This week on 99% Pickleball, Kyle Koszuta, better known as That Pickleball Guy, joins Mari Humberg and Nikki Maldonado to explain why he thinks about pickleball more like chess. Instead of treating every shot as an isolated decision, Kyle looks for patterns, sequences, and the decisions that can set up what happens three, five, or even more shots later.

That way of thinking has shaped more than his own game. Kyle shares how he went from college basketball to pursuing professional pickleball, built an audience of hundreds of thousands of players, and turned his approach to learning the game into That Pickleball School.

They also get into balancing pro training with content and business, why looking good in practice doesn't always translate to wins, pickleball's growth in Asia, and the wild story of how one brand partnership eventually led to an engagement.

📺 Watch it on YouTube
🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

The Little Reminder Your Pickleball Bag Might Need

We love supporting the players in our Empower Circle, so when Pickleball Mama shared her latest Dinkii creation, I had to check it out.

BANG! is Dinkii’s newest collectible plush charm, inspired by those moments when you need to stop second-guessing and just commit to the shot. Is a tiny plush character going to fix your third-shot drop? Probably not. But as a cute reminder to trust yourself and go for it? I’m into it.

And it’s pretty darn cute hanging from a pickleball bag.

👉 Meet BANG! and use code EMPOWER for free shipping.

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

Have something happening at your courts?

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