Austin Pickleball Update - Volume 14

May 23, 2024

Hello, and welcome to Austin Pickleball Update - Volume 14!

In this issue of Austin Pickleball Update, we’ll be covering how to play at Rosewood Park, discussing the ideal pickleball warmup routine, checking in on the performance of our local pro team the Texas Ranchers at MLP Atlanta, and providing (as always) a massive tournament and league update.

In this issue of APU you will find:

  • Play Pickleball in Austin - Rosewood Park

  • Pickleball Strategy 101 - Warmup Drills

  • Texas Ranchers Roundup

  • Tournament, League, and Local Clinic Update

  • Austin Pickleball Update Social Groups

If you’re looking for places to play pickleball in Austin, check out our Austin Pickleball Courts and Clubs page here. 

Interested in sponsoring APU and reaching our engaged community of 1,000+ pickleball players in Austin? Reply to this email or DM us on Instagram and we’ll be in touch.

Let’s dink on in!

Tournaments of the Week - Capital City Pickle Wars Doubles Tournaments

Capital City Pickleball is hosting two separate tournaments this weekend on Sunday, May 26 at Waterloo Pickleball!

Capital City Pickle Wars Doubles Tournament features two skill brackets for beginners intermediate players, with a double elimination format and random partner assignment. Register here and use code "APU25" for $25 off.

Capital City Pickle Wars 4.0+ Moneyball Doubles Tournament tailors to advanced 4.0+ players, with random partner assignment for each game, $150 and $100 payouts for first and second place players, and a five game minimum. Register here.

Play Pickleball in Austin - Rosewood Park

Rosewood Park, an East Side pickleball hotspot.

Rosewood Neighborhood Park, or Rosewood for short, is a park in East Austin located at 2300 Rosewood Avenue that has four pickleball courts available for use. Rosewood is a less crowded pickleball destination in Austin and a great spot to go if you’re looking for courts with fewer people to play at. 

The main reason Rosewood is a more chill space is that it is located 1 mile from the courts at Pan Am Park, which is much more of a pickleball hub and social space (see our review of Pan Am on our courts page). That said, when Pan Am is overly crowded or when evening soccer or roller derby take over the court spaces, Rosewood is a fantastic secondary spot to play at. 

Rosewood has a total of four pickleball courts available for use. Two courts have permanent nets, and two court spaces require a pop-up net to play and use. That being said, the two pop-up net spaces usually have nets that are left on the courts, so you can often show up to Rosewood without a net and have access to four courts.

Permanent courts on one side, popup courts on the other.

The court surfaces are all fantastic, with great lines and markings for easy pickleball play. 

How to Play Pickleball at Rosewood Park

Playing pickleball at Rosewood is very straightforward. The four courts are all Kings/competitive style courts where the winners of the match stay on the court and face the next set of challengers while the two losing players cycle off. The Kings/competitive style court system is only active when Rosewood is busy. Otherwise there is usually a court or two open that you can show up and play on with friends, staying on the court as long as you would like until more players show up and want to rotate in. 

Unlike Pan Am, there is no physical paddle line/queue system at Rosewood. So this court operates the same way as SARC, where the etiquette is to place stacks of two paddles right by the net post to signal that you are challenging the winners of the court.

The popup nets at Rosewood are essentially permanent.

If Rosewood isn’t busy yet and there isn’t a paddle queue started, just ask the people on the court if you can play Kings style and they will usually always say yes. This system applies to all four courts, and the two permanent courts in the back tend to have higher skilled players, although this isn’t always the case. 

The pickleball courts at Rosewood are open 7 days a week and the space is completely used for pickleball, so there are no outside sports leagues that come in to use the courts. Additionally, the courts are lighted until 10pm, with lights activated via a button near the entrance gate.  

Rosewood Park Pickleball

If you’re looking for pickleball courts around East Austin that are less crowded while still providing competitive play in the 2.5-3.5 skill range, or just want a place to learn pickleball with friends, Rosewood is the court space for you.

Special shout out to APU community member Kyle Riedel aka Rizzler Riedel for helping out with information for our Rosewood feature. Thank you Kyle!

If you’re looking for other courts or clubs to play pickleball at in Austin, check out our Austin Pickleball Courts and Clubs page.

Pickleball Strategy 101 - Warmup Drills

Pickleball warmups are a crucial aspect of getting ready for a pickleball match, whether recreational or competitive. However, different warmups focus on different aspects of the game, so it’s important to have a varied repertoire of warmups to ensure you’re focusing on what you need before jumping into a match.

Below we’ve highlighted an effective warmup routine that should take you no more than 5-10 minutes. This routine is designed to help you get your body and mind activated, improve your touch, and prepare you for the shots you'll encounter during a game.

Kyle Koszuta wants to help you win.

  1. Quick Hands: Start your warm-up with some quick hand drills. This not only activates your brain and body, but can also intimidate your opponents. Keep it quick and fun, but make sure you avoid hitting your partner accidentally.

  2. Down the Line Dinking: Focus on your touch by practicing down the line dinking, which is where you dink straight ahead versus cross court. This will help you get comfortable with the shots you'll most likely encounter during a game. Feel free to speed it up occasionally to challenge yourself.

  3. Mid-Court Work: Transitioning from the net to the baseline is a crucial skill in pickleball. Spend some time in the mid-court area, working on your defense, resets, and transition shots. Ask your partner to feed you higher balls to simulate game situations.

  4. Drops and Drives: Move back to the baseline and work on your third shot drops and drives. Remember, a third shot drop is different from a reset, so ask your partner to give you some flat or spin shots to practice against.

  5. Get to the Kitchen: Finally, focus on getting to the kitchen by hitting and returning balls from the baseline and then moving forward. This will help you improve your positioning and reaction time during a game, and make sure you’re locked in for proper movement. 

Remember, the key to a successful warm-up is to get touches on the shots you'll encounter most often in a game. Adapt the routine based on the time you have available, but aim to spend equal time on each section. And don't forget to communicate with your partner to ensure a smooth warm-up session.

Literal pro tips.

To summarize:

  • Quick Hands: Activate your brain and body with quick hand drills.

  • Down the Line Dinking: Improve your touch by practicing down the line dinking.

  • Mid-Court Work: Focus on your transition shots and touch in the mid-court area.

  • Drops and Drives: Work on your third shot drops and drives from the baseline.

  • Get to the Kitchen: Practice hitting and returning balls to improve your positioning.

See the above tips in the video The Pickleball Warm Up You NEED to Be Doing by ThatPickleballGuy - Kyle Koszuta. 

Good luck, and have fun with your matches!

Texas Ranchers Roundup

If you've been reading APU for awhile, then you know that Austin is home to the Texas Ranchers, our very own Major League Pickleball (MLP) team.

The MLP season kicked off May 9-12 with MLP Atlanta. With the recently completed MLP draft, MLP Atlanta was the debut opportunity for teams to showcase their rosters and get on the leaderboards early.

As we covered in APU Volume 11, the Texas Ranchers drafted the stellar squad of Christian Alshon, Etta Wright, Tina Pisnik, and Pablo Tellez, who are all signed to the team for at least three years.

Christian Alshon and Tina Pisnik doing what they do best, winning.

How did the Texas Ranchers perform at MLP Atlanta? Pretty solid, with some flashes of brilliance. The team finished 2-2, defeating both the Columbus Sliders and Orlando Squeeze 4-0 while losing 1-3 to the STL Shock and Dallas Flash Pickleball (brewing Texas rivalry, anyone?).

With the first MLP weekend on the books, the Texas Ranchers currently sit in 5th place.

Next up is MLP Washington D.C. from June 14-16 where the Texas Ranchers have a 5 match weekend, playing DC Pickleball Team, Utah Black Diamonds, Seattle Pioneers, NY Hustlers, and Dallas Flash Pickleball.

Stay tuned to Austin Pickleball Update for the latest news and scores for the Texas Ranchers!

Upcoming Leagues, Clinics, and Tournaments

Local Clinics

Local pros Zane Navratil and Jack Munro are running a 3.5-4.0 clinic at Austin Pickle Ranch on Monday, June 10 from 6-8pm. Areas covered include effective dinking, partner communication, choosing which balls to attack, and more. Great opportunity to learn locally from some of the game's best. $140 per person. Register here.

Local Austin coach Amy Yarbrough is running a number of clinics in the coming weeks, including pickleball fundamentals, level the playing field, road to 4.0, mastering spin, and a pickleball camp. Learn more and register here.

Austin Pickleball Leagues

  • Location - The Millbrook Estate, Austin, TX

  • Overview - Millbrook Pickleball Club is hosting its 2nd annual summer league that is available for the general public to register. The league will run for 6 consecutive weeks every Wednesday at a designated scheduled time from 6-10p.m. They will be accepting the first 30 teams that have a DUPR rating of 3.5+ only on a first come first serve basis.

  • Price - $500 per team

Stonewall Sports LGBTQIA+ Summer League - June 16-August 18, 2024

  • Location - Austin Pickle Ranch - Braker Lane

  • Overview - 8 week LGBTQIA+ summer league hosted by Stonewall Sports, one of the largest LGBTQ+ sports non-profits. People of color, women, transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, persons with disabilities, and folks that are underrepresented in sports and adult recreation are encouraged to register, to captain teams, and to serve on our leadership board.

  • Price - $55 per person for a 4 person team and $65 per person for a 2 person team

  • Location - Austin Tennis Center, Austin, TX

  • Overview - One of the longest running pickleball leagues in Austin that is 100% volunteer run. Three different Ladder League include Sunday Co-Ed Green League (3.0-4.0), Monday Women’s Purple League (3.0-4.0), and Tuesday Co-Ed Gold League (4.0+). Waitlist for multiple leagues. 

  • Price - $45/month

Austin Area Pickleball Tournaments

  • TOURNAMENT OF THE WEEK!

  • Location - Waterloo Pickleball, Austin, TX

  • Overview - Theme tournament featuring two skill brackets: Padawan Bracket for beginners and Jedi Bracket for intermediate players. Double elimination format with random partner assignment. Two game minimum.

  • Price - $60, use code APU25 for $25 off

  • TOURNAMENT OF THE WEEK!

  • Location - Waterloo Pickleball, Austin, TX

  • Overview - Round Robin moneyball tournament for advanced players 4.0+ players, with random partner assignment for each game. $150 to 1st place player and $100 to 2nd place player. Rally scoring to 15, five game minimum.

  • Price - $50

  • Location - Texas School for the Deaf, Austin, TX

  • Overview - Co-ed doubles scramble with 3.0-4.5+ skill brackets and age brackets. Results not submitted for DUPR. 3 game minimum.

  • Price - $50

Moneyball ATX - June 4, 2024

  • Location - Lost Pines Pickleball, Bastrop, TX

  • Overview - Mid-week Moneyball event with Men’s 4.0-4.5 and 4.5-5.0 brackets, and women’s 4.0-5.0 bracket. Parties need to bring their own partners, and combined DUPR scores cannot be higher than 10 and no player can be above 5.2. Guaranteed 3 rally games to 21, and games aren’t DUPR tracked. Winning team takes home $1,000 + sponsored merch.

  • Price - $50 per person

  • Location - Austin Tennis Center, Austin, TX

  • Overview - Round robin tourney with singles, mixed doubles, and gender/nonbinary doubles events. 2.5-5.0+ skill brackets. 4 game minimum.

  • Price - $40 per player

  • Location - Dreamland, Dripping Springs, TX

  • Overview - Round robin tourney with singles, mixed doubles, and gender doubles events. 2.5-5.0 skill brackets with age brackets. 5 game minimum.

  • Price - $75 for first event, $45 for second event

  • Location - Austin Pickle Ranch - West 6th, Austin, TX

  • Overview - Charity fundraiser tournament with round robin, single elimination format. All proceeds will go towards helping children with cancer diagnosis or a blood disorders. 

  • Price - $100 per team

Pickleball Power Play - June 13-15, 2024

  • Location - Lost Pines Pickleball, Bastrop, TX

  • Overview - Round robin tournament with mixed and gender doubles. Skill brackets run 2.5-4.5 with age divisions for over/under 50 y/o. 10 game minimum.

  • Price - $45

Dink Minor Leagues - June 22-23, 2024

  • Location - Austin Pickle Ranch - Braker Lane, Austin, TX

  • Overview - The Dink & OluKai are teaming up to bring you "Aloha Pickleball", an exclusive round-robin tournament and party with numerous contests, raffles, and giveaways. Beginner, intermediate, and advanced brackets with men’s, women’s, and gender doubles events. 2 pools of 4 teams per division, 3 game minimum.

  • Price - $70

002 Pickleland Indoor Open - July 27-27, 2024

  • Location - Pickleland, Pflugerville, TX

  • Overview - Round robin tourney with mixed doubles and gender doubles events. 3.0-4.5+ skill brackets depending on event. 3 game minimum.

  • Price - $65

The Austin Amateur Open - September 21-22, 2024

  • Location - Dreamland, Dripping Springs, TX

  • Overview - Round robin tournament with singles, mixed doubles, and gender doubles. 2.5-5.0 skill brackets with age breakdowns. 5 game minimum.

  • Price - $75

The Kitchen Open - September 26-29, 2024

  • Location - Polo Tennis And Fitness Club, Austin, TX

  • Overview - Gender and mixed doubles only tourney with 3.0-4.5 skill brackets and under/over 40 age brackets. Also includes open division with $25,000 price for first. 12 game minimum

  • Price - TBD

002 Dink and Slam Pickleball Jam - October 18-20, 2024

  • Location - Horseshoe Bay Resort, Horseshoe Bay, TX

  • Overview - Round robin tournament with singles, mixed doubles, and gender doubles events. 3.0-5.0 skill brackets and 19+, 35+, and 50+ age brackets. Also includes 5.5 open division with cash prizes. 3 game minimum.

  • Price - $50

National Deaf PB Tournament 2024 - November 7-10, 2024

  • Location - Dreamland, Dripping Springs, TX

  • Overview - Fourth annual National Deaf Pickleball Tournament for deaf players only. Featuring singles, scramble doubles, mixed doubles and gender doubles with 3.0-4.5+ skill brackets and various age brackets. 3 game minimum.

  • Price - $80

Austin Real Estate Perfect for Pickleball

Vince Mathon, right, pickleball powerhouse and realtor extraordinaire.

Looking to buy or sell property in Austin? Look no further than Vince Mathon, Austin, TX Realtor®, Founding Partner of Revel Property Group, and pickleball player. Vince is your go-to expert for a personalized, professional, and uncomplicated real estate experience, especially if you want to know the best pickleball properties in Austin. If you're looking to buy or sell a home/land, discuss investment opportunities, or lease an apartment/house, text or call Vince at 737-267-5585. Learn more at www.vincemathonATX.com.

Master Your Dinks with The Dink Master

Did you know that 15 minutes of wall drilling is roughly equivalent to the amount of touches you would get in 2-3 hours of doubles pickleball play?

More touches = more improvement.

The Dink Master is the #1 training aid in pickleball, designed to help you practice your dinks, volleys, and shot accuracy. With the Dink Master, you can control what types of shots you work on while getting in thousands more reps when compared to a normal game. The Dink Master helps you improve your coordination, muscle memory, and overall gameplay on your own time. Use code “APU” when ordering your Dink Master today for 30% off and free shipping.

A Private Pickleball Oasis on the East Side

Nestled in a prime corner lot, East 12th Pickleball provides the perfect blend of accessibility and privacy, making it an ideal spot for anyone seeking a great pickleball game. Whether you’re new to pickleball and looking to enjoy time with friends or an advanced player wanting to improve your game with a coach, East 12th Pickleball offers the perfect setting for all of your pickleball court needs. Check out their Instagram @east12thpickleball for more information. 

Paddle Discount Codes

Use code “APU” and a 10% discount on all paddles and gear purchased from CRBN and Six Zero pickleball. This includes the CRBN 1x, 2x, and 3x paddles and the Six Zero Ruby and Double Black Diamond paddles.

Austin Pickleball Update Social Groups

Follow Austin Pickleball Update on Instagram for pickleball content and local news, follow our Facebook group to learn about upcoming demo days and events, and join and use our 330+ person WhatsApp community to find local Austin pickleball players to play with.

Share Austin Pickleball Update

Please forward and share this newsletter with your local pickleball friends so that they stay updated around everything pickleball in Austin! 

If you’re looking for places to play pickleball in Austin, check out our Austin Pickleball Courts and Clubs page here. 

Previous volumes of Austin Pickleball Update:

If you have any Austin pickleball news, tips, or topics that we should cover or may have missed, please reach out! We're always grateful to hear from our readers.

Look out for Austin Pickleball Update - Volume 15 on Thursday, June 6, 2024!

See you on the courts!✌️

Phillip & Kylee Klugman - Austin Pickleball Update

Thank you for being an APU reader!