My Journey to 4.5+

The 3.5 to 4.0 “Valley of Death” in Pickleball (And How to Survive It)

If you’ve been playing pickleball long enough to reach the 3.5 level, you’ve probably felt it… That frustrating, awkward phase where: Welcome to what I call the 3.5 to 4.0 Valley of Death.

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Repeat Sprint Ability: A Game-Changer for Pickleball (Especially Singles)

One thing that became obvious to me after playing more pickleball singles is that pickleball isn’t just about skill — it’s about repeat sprint ability.

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DUPR Rating Reset Explained (2026): How It Works, What It Costs, and Whether It’s Worth It

If you’ve seen players talking about the DUPR Rating Reset, you might be wondering: Let’s break down exactly how the DUPR Reset works, based on DUPR’s official explanation, and then talk strategy — because that’s what really matters.

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Learning the 3rd Shot Drive / 5th Shot Drop Rhythm (And Fighting My Tennis Instincts)

One of the biggest adjustments in my journey from 3.5 to 4.5+ pickleball has been learning to trust the 3rd shot drive → 5th shot drop rhythm.

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Takeaways from My First Pickleball Tournament

Keystone Pickleball Tournament – Dill Dinkers, Newport, DE (1/31–2/1/2026) I played my first official pickleball tournament this past weekend at the Keystone Pickleball Tournament hosted at Dill Dinkers in Newport, Delaware.

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