Welcome back to the 37th edition of this newsletter — powered by Selkirk! 

If you’re one of the 83 people who joined last week and you’re like me — the “binge reading type” —  click here to see all previous editions. 

Now, let’s get to it!

Today’s edition has three parts: 

1. A Helpful TIP - Get this right and your game and life (yeah I went there😳) will improve.

    

2. An Entertaining Video - A paddle unboxing video like you’ve never seen. (**beware**, I try (way too hard) to be funny😂)

    

3. An Update on my Journey To Pro - The ups, the downs, and being consistent. 

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Now, let’s get into the tip for the week!

Do this one thing in life and you’ll have less problems. 

Do this one thing in pickleball and you’ll make less mistakes and win more games. 

Overcommunicate. 

Whether it’s competing at a tournament or playing in the park, you often get paired with someone you don’t know.

And we’ve all been there… 

You play that game and there’s even less communication between you two than when you play with a regular partner.

Which is counterintuitive because communication is even more important when playing with someone new.

Why? 

Because you have better chemistry and often know who takes what balls in different situations with the person you have previously played with.

And because of that, you often communicate less because you know each other better. 

So back to what today’s tip is —  overcommunicate. 

And let’s define what it really means.

Well, anytime the ball comes off your opponents paddle, immediately say who’s taking the ball. And do it every time. 

“Every time Kyle?😳”

I propose yes. At least at first or when playing with someone new. 

Check out an example at :40 seconds in this video. And note, this might be a good one to send to a friend who needs to work on their communication skills. **laughs**

Now, is saying something on every shot overkill? Maybe. 

But here’s why I like it.

The act of saying “yours” or “mine” removes all thinking and any confusion about who’s taking the shot. 

And yes — occasionally — you both might say, “mine,” leading to a mistake. But in my experience, that scenario happens less than the ol' “no communication, let the ball fly right down the middle scenario.”

So, next time you’re on court — eliminate confusion by implementing the one tip for this week.

Overcommunicate.

It’ll help you and your partner make less mistakes and win more games, guaranteed!

Now for the Entertaining Video…

Selkirk just came out with three new paddles — the Power Air, the 003, and the SLK Omega Max. They sent them to me and I made an “unboxing video.” 

But me being me, I couldn’t just do a typical, “let me unbox this and show you what’s inside” type of video.

So I attempted a funny one. 

And as a former “kinda” comedian, I get most of my self worth from people telling me I made them laugh. So if you end up laughing at this, please reply to this email and let me know. 

If you don’t laugh, keep it to yourself. I can’t handle that type of pain & rejection. No way! 😂

HA! I’m half kidding! Take a look below. 👇

My Journey to Pro 

Last week, I wrote about one way to overcome poor play in your pickleball game. 

For the long version, click here. The short version is, I asked the guys I play with most to give me feedback on my game. (screenshots of what they said are inside the previous link)

And they did. 

Then, I put some real thought into what they shared before going out to train those areas over the next few days.

Interestingly enough, one of those same guys texted me after a game 5 days later and said, “game is looking sharp. Best I’ve seen you play was today.”

Those words were meaningful because when you’re with yourself all day, everyday — it’s hard to see progress. 

It’s kinda like losing weight. 

The changes are more easily noticeable to others than they are to you. And when they bring it up and say something, it’s a reminder the work is paying off. 

And even though it’s not always as fast as you’d like, the truth is, you’re making progress.

In closing…

I’ve written in the past about the ups and downs of getting better in the sport. So I just want to close by offering you some encouragement to you to stay consistent in whatever it is you’re working to improve in. 

And a reminder to do what NBA player Joel Embiid always says, “trust the process.” 

Until next time, 

Kyle 

PS:  My mission here is to educate (and teach) people this awesome sport, make them laugh, and inspire as many people possible to have courage to go after what they want in life.

So if you enjoyed this edition, consider sending it to one person you know who would enjoy reading! You can forward them this email or send them this link.