Good News Pickleball

Today I'm starting a new series on 1 Corinthians 13 (the love chapter) and it starts with patience. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:4, "Love is patient and kind…" Paul pairs these two attributes of love together because the complement one another. Patience isn't "just sticking it out" or begrudgingly tolerating someone or a situation. That's stubbornness. It's an intentional action paired with kindness. It's not enough to grit your teeth and get through a bad situation. That's not love. Being kind and not getting angry are just as important in a trying situation as accepting the situation you're in. How Can We Apply This to Pickleball? Patience is key when playing pickleball. Kindness is equally as important. Pickleball News If you haven't heard already, Andre Agassi is making his pickleball pro debut at the Minto US Open Pickleball Championships and will will partner up with Anna Leigh Waters. When asked about partnering with ALW he said, "[T]he idea of challenging myself to not screw things up for her is daunting." Pickleball Tip Jordan Briones from Briones pickleball provides this week's tip. In this video where he talks about coaching Augie Ge, Jordan says being aware that something needs to change is important for improving at pickleball. Closing Remarks Next week we'll cover the how love and kindness go together so make sure you're following the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don't miss the episode. If you liked this podcast share it with a friend and don't forget to stay out of the kitchen! Music: "Electrodoodle" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Looking for a new paddle? I use and recommend Vatic Pro paddles. Use code GENXDINKS to get $10 off a new Vatic Pro paddle.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

Today I'm covering the eighth and final Beatitude which reads, "Blessed are the those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:10 (NRSVUE) I'm going to be honest here and say that I was not looking forward to doing this particular Beatitude. Persecution is a touchy subject. I honestly think that most western Christians have not suffered persecution. When we look at persecution in the Bible, we think of the Apostles who were stoned; people tried to kill them and they were even run out of town. We see people dying for their faith. I don't know anyone who has died for their faith, but Jesus promises a reward for them. So if you're in a part of the world where Christians are persecuted and you're listening to this, I just want to say to you while I cannot relate to what you're going through, there is hope in Jesus. How Can We Apply This to Pickleball? So how do we relate this to pickleball? There's not really a direct analogy, but what came to mind was targeting in a doubles match. If you're the person being targeted, it's usually because you're the weaker player in a doubles team. So what do you do? How do you overcome that feeling of pressure and how do you deal with that situation of having nearly every single ball come to you until you make a mistake? Well, I think once you're aware it's happening you need to accept it. Take a time out, talk with your partner and see if there are ways that you two can be creative to get more balls to your partner. Ask your partner for advice. Ask what you can do to switch things up for your opponent so they hit the ball to your partner. And hopefully you and your partner can workshop a solution to get more points, and maybe even win the game. Pickleball News This week's news is about this podcast. This is the last episode in this series on the Beatitudes. The next series will be on 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. We'll look at the attributes of love and see how they can be applied to pickleball. Pickleball Tip This week's tip comes from Kieren Ricci and he suggests using a progressive approach to practicing your serve. Closing Remarks Next week we'll cover the seventh Beatitude that deals with being a peacemaker so make sure you're following the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you liked this podcast share it with a friend and don't forget to stay out of the kitchen! Music: "Electrodoodle" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Looking for a new paddle? I use and recommend Vatic Pro paddles. Use code GENXDINKS to get $10 off a new Vatic Pro paddle.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

Today I'm covering the seventh Beatitude which reads, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." Matthew 5:9 (NRSVUE) Jesus is the Prince of Peace. His life, death, resurrection, and return will usher in a new age of peace between God and man. While there may not be peace now (because people like you and me are flawed and don't always choose the path of peace) we will inherit a kingdom of peace that will last forever. Our goal now is to be peacemakers and confront conflict with the intention of a peaceful outcome. How Can We Apply This to Pickleball? Pickleball is a pretty chill sport. People from all ages and backgrounds play the sport recreationally and when I'm playing with my regular crew it's fun and relaxing. Sometimes things don't go your way in a game. It could be a bad line call or someone you're playing against might be agressive or mouth off a little too much. Being a peacemaker means being respectful when you question someone's judgment and accepting the call they make. It might even mean contradicting your partner when they make a bad line call. It doesn't mean not pointing out the bad call or attitude but you should be respectful and be willing to let things go for the sake of peace. Remember: It's just one game and (hopefully) you don't have money riding on it. Pickleball News Last week's Carvana Mesa Cup produced some interesting results on Championship Sunday. Noteably, Ben Johns & Anna Leigh Waters earned a Bronze in Mixed Doubles. There were exciting match-ups throughout the tournament and this year's Carvanna PPA Tour looks like it will produce some interesting rivalries. Pickleball Tip Today's tip is from me! Don't spend time and money modifying your paddle to get it to feel right in your hand. Find a paddle that feels good without modification. Gabe Tardio, a top-10 PPA player, doesn't modify his paddle. Closing Remarks Next week I'll cover the eighth and final Beatitude that deals with being persecuted so make sure you're following the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you liked this podcast share it with a friend and don't forget to stay out of the kitchen! Music: "Electrodoodle" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Looking for a new paddle? I use and recommend Vatic Pro paddles. Use code GENXDINKS to get $10 off a new Vatic Pro paddle.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

Today I'm covering the sixth Beatitude which reads, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." Matthew 5:8 (NRSVUE) I asked Grok (X's AI) what it means to be "pure in heart" and this is the response I received: "To be 'pure in heart' is a phrase that often comes up in religious, philosophical, or moral contexts, most famously in the Bible's Beatitudes: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8). At its core, it refers to having a sincere, untainted, and honest inner character—free from malice, deceit, or selfish motives. Think of it as someone whose intentions align with their actions, without hidden agendas or hypocrisy." That's not too bad. I didn't expect it to come up with a decent answer. It's possible to do good things with impure motivations so we have to check our desires and intention when doing good. How Can We Apply This to Pickleball? I forgot to put stuff here. Pickleball News The UPA-A implement a new rule this week to address "intentional or reckless targeting of an opponent above the shoulders." Players can be subject to a $2,500 fine and a point will be awarded to their opponent if a referee determines a player targeted their opponent above the shoulders. Pickleball Tip This week's pickleball tip comes from Zane Navratil and provides some great advice on when and how to approach the kitchen. Zane reminds players to watch their partner and assess the type and quality of their 3rd shot while approaching the kitchen so you don't get caught out of position. Closing Remarks Next week we'll cover the seventh Beatitude that deals with being a peacemaker so make sure you're following the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You can support the podcast by leaving a review, sharing this episode or buying me a coffee. Thanks for listening and don't forget to stay out of the kitchen! Music: "Electrodoodle" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Looking for a new paddle? I use and recommend Vatic Pro paddles. Use code GENXDINKS to get $10 off a new Vatic Pro paddle.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

Today I'm covering the fifth Beatitude which reads, "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy." Matthew 5:7 (NRSVUE) Mercy is intertwined with sin, judgment, and forgiveness. Without sin, there would be no need for mercy. Being merciful is showing forgiveness and compassion towards someone who has wronged us. We're all recipients of God's mercy and that means we should show mercy to those who rightfully deserve punishment. Mercy doesn't mean we deny that a wrong or sin has been committed but it's extended to someone instead of judgment. How Can We Apply This to Pickleball? Every time I see the word mercy in the Bible I think of Cobra Kai and their motto: "Strike Hard, Strike First, No Mercy!" This is often the attitude a lot of athletes take when playing a sport. They want to dominate their opponent by being the first to score, score often, and have total victory. When I started playing pickleball there were a lot of people who were much better than I was. They could have crushed me but instead, they showed mercy and continued the point so that I could get a little more experience. Instead of ending the game and moving on to a better match, they took the time to show me how to improve my game. Now, when I play with less experienced people I do the same. I smile, enjoy each point, offer advice (if they'll accept it), and even offer to play with them again. It's this welcoming and merciful attitude that keeps people coming back to the courts to play just like God's unending mercy keeps us going back to Him when we sin. Pickleball News High schools in Maryland now have competitive pickleball. In a report from WBAL, Bryan Lloyd of the Dill Dinkers sees high school pickleball as a conduit for student-athletes to play in college where pickleball is also becoming more popular. Pickleball Tip This week's pickleball tip comes from PrimeTime Pickleball and is about speed-ups. Specifically, how and when to speed up the ball. The biggest takeaway for me in this video is to the ball low so your opponent has fewer options when dealing with the pressure you're applying by speeding up the ball. Closing Remarks Next week we'll cover the sixth Beatitude that deals with purity so make sure you're following the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you liked this podcast share it with a friend and don't forget to stay out of the kitchen! Music: "Electrodoodle" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Send some Satoshis: https://getalby.com/p/jorowi Looking for a new paddle? Check out Glory Pickleball. Using the code GENX10 will get you a 10% discount on their paddles and it helps support the podcast. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy