The Sunday Rundown

July 28, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

Corporate pros ditching golf for pickleball? You betcha! 🎾

Obviously an AI generated pic of a corporate gathering!

Looks like the suit-and-tie crowd is trading in their 9 irons for paddles. Makes sense - pickleball's way easier to pick up and doesn't eat up your whole day. Plus, it's a blast.

The lowdown:

  • Pickleball's blowing up in the corporate world

  • It's quick to learn and doesn't take all day like golf

  • Great for team bonding and networking

  • Promotes employee health and a relaxed work vibe

Why it matters:

This shift shows companies are getting hip to more inclusive, active ways of doing business. It's not just about closing deals anymore - it's about building relationships and keeping employees happy and healthy. Pretty cool to see the corporate world evolving with paddles in hand, right?

Padel debuting in West Palm Beach 🌴

Check it out - padel's making its debut in West Palm Beach! It's like if pickleball, squash, and tennis had a baby.

The scoop:

  • New Padel Club opening up with indoor and outdoor courts

  • Fancy clubhouse included (because WPB)

  • Plans to expand to Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, and Delray Beach

  • Easy to pick up and fits right in with the luxe Florida lifestyle

Why it matters:

This padel explosion is part of a bigger trend of bringing fitness and fun into city living. It's accessible for all kinds of people and shows there's serious cash in the wellness game.

Will padel joints pop up as much as pickleball courts? We'll see!

The Picklr franchise brings premium pickleball to Austin 🏓

Looks like Austin's getting a taste of that sweet Utah pickleball action! The Picklr's expanding (insanely fast) and bringing their A-game to Texas.

What's going down:

  • Indoor courts that'll make you drool, and not sweat

  • Memberships with perks like unlimited bookings and skills clinics

  • Local owners who get the Austin vibe

  • Sweet deals for early birds

Why it matters:

This Picklr expansion is huge for Austin's pickleball scene which has been exploding as the home to a legion of pro players. It's not just about having more courts - it's about creating a whole community around the sport. Year-round play, top-notch facilities, the works. Austin's pickleball lovers are in for a treat, especially in the summer heat!

Pickleball goes varsity in Montgomery County 🏓

Yo, check this out - Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland are making pickleball a varsity sport in all their high schools. Talk about a game-changer!

The breakdown:

  • All 25 high schools getting in on the action

  • Partnering with big names like the D.C. Pickleball team and JOOLA

  • Pushing for diversity and inclusivity in school sports

  • Focusing on teamwork and good sportsmanship

Why it matters:

This move is huge for pickleball and school sports in general. It's all about giving kids more options and creating an inclusive environment for all athletes. Could this be the start of a nationwide trend? I wouldn't bet against it!

Is college next?

Pickleball's future: AI courts and VR training? 🏓🌟

Hold onto your paddles, folks - the future of pickleball might be wilder than we thought! We're talking AI courts, VR training, the works. We have no idea if any of this is actually in the works, but it should be!

The potential game-changers:

  • AI-powered courts that track your every move

  • VR training to play pros from your living room

  • Smart paddles and adjustable cores giving you real-time feedback

  • Wearable tech to analyze your performance

Why it matters:

This tech could revolutionize how we play and improve at pickleball. But here's the million-dollar question: can we keep the soul of the game intact while embracing all this new tech? It's a balancing act, for sure. The key will be using tech to enhance the game, not replace the community vibes that make pickleball so special.

PickleRage expands to MI with competitive venues 🏓

Looks like PickleRage is taking their indoor pickleball show on the road! They're setting up shop in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, bringing year-round pickleball to the Midwest.

The scoop:

  • New venues opening up in Michigan

  • Indoor courts mean pickleball all year long

  • Bringing the sport indoors to underserved market

Why it matters:

This expansion is huge for pickleball in Michigan. It's not just about having more places to play - it's about growing the sport and building communities around it. Grand Rapids has a rabid pickleball scene at Bellknap Park, now they have an additional indoor option. That's a game-changer for winter play. PickleRage is upping the pickleball game in the Midwest.

Pickleball: Bringing people together in a world that’s drifting apart 🏓

You know, it's funny. Pickleball's got this rep for being kinda divisive, but man, I'm seeing it do some pretty cool stuff out there. It's bridging some large divides from age to gender to politics, as visionary MLP founder Steve Kuhn once shared.

Here's the deal:

  • Pickleball's bridging gaps between generations. Grandpa and the grandkids can actually hang out and have fun together.

  • It's getting people off their phones and actually talking to each other. Face-to-face. Remember that?

  • In a world where everyone's feeling lonely and isolated, pickleball's creating little communities all over the place.

  • It's not just about hitting a ball - it's teaching teamwork, inclusivity, all that good stuff.

Why this matters:

Let's be real, the world's kind of a mess right now. We're all stuck in our own little bubbles, arguing on social media. Pickleball might seem like just a game, but it's doing something pretty special - it's getting people to connect in real life. And that's huge.

94-year-old and 10-year-old team up on the pickleball court 🏓

Talk about a generation gap!

Check this out - Joyce Jones, 94 years young, and Nicolett Shand Manzano, just 10, teamed up for a pickleball match at Pickleball Kingdom in Plano. How cool is that?

The scoop:

  • Joyce isn't just any 94-year-old. She helped get pickleball into the National Senior Games. Legend.

  • Nicolett? She's already won gold and bronze at the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships. At 10. Makes me feel old.

  • They played together, showing everyone that age is just a number in pickleball.

  • It was all about having fun, staying active, and bringing people together.

Why it matters:

This is what pickleball's all about. It's not just a game - it's a way to connect people who might never hang out otherwise. Joyce and Nicolett prove that you're never too old (or too young) to pick up a paddle and have a blast. It's pretty inspiring stuff.

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