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- 5 Pickleball Resolutions for 2026 | How to Beat Bangers | Drill of the Week | 2026 PA Junior Camps & Programs Are Here
5 Pickleball Resolutions for 2026 | How to Beat Bangers | Drill of the Week | 2026 PA Junior Camps & Programs Are Here
Universal Rackets Weekly Pickleball Update: Coaching - News - Tips
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Universal Rackets Weekly Update!
Let’s Talk About Your Pickleball Game…
Takeaways
🎯 2026 Pickleball Resolutions That Actually Work
👟 Drill of the Week: Get There, Set, Hit
🛑 How To Beat Bangers (Stop Creating Them)
🎾 2026 Winter, Spring & Summer Programs Are Open
📘 Instantly Improve Your Forehand Ebook Is Live
🎥 Lesson of the Week: Pickleball Secrets That Level Up Your Game
🎯 Five 2026 Pickleball Resolutions That Will Instantly Make You a Better Player
2026 is here — and there’s no better way to start the year than with a few pickleball resolutions that actually move the needle. These aren’t vague goals or wishful thinking. They’re simple habits that, if you commit to them, will immediately improve how you play.
Focus on the habits below and you’ll play smarter pickleball, win more points, and enjoy the game more all year long.
Drill More Than You Play
A lot of players just play games — but they never drill.
The truth is, depending on who you play, you can actually win while doing the wrong things. In match play, you only hit certain shots a handful of times. For example, most players struggle in the transition zone because they might only hit one shot there per point (or every other point). Drilling changes that. When you drill, you can practice the same shot hundreds or thousands of times, building confidence, consistency, and muscle memory. As Bruce Lee said “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” Drilling lets you practice those “kicks” — and that’s how real improvement happens. (And speaking of kicks… Universal Rackets Creator & Coach Tyler Stroyek got to meet up UFC Champion Suga Sean O’Malley and got spin kicked by him😅 click here to see the video!)
Go With Your First Choice — Every Time
Should I go middle or out wide? Drive or drop? Soft or hard?
You think “drive”… then second-guess yourself… choose “drop”… and miss
Here’s the rule: the second choice is NEVER the right choice. Even if the shot selection is technically correct, once you hesitate, you’re late — and in pickleball, time is currency. An early wrong decision is better than a late right one. Trust your instincts, commit early, and swing with confidence. A lot of players just play games — but they never drill.
Warm Up Before the Actual Warm-Up
This one is huge — for both performance and injury prevention. Hitting a few dinks, volleys, and drives is not a real warm-up. The looser and more prepared your body is, the smoother you’ll move, the cleaner you’ll strike the ball, and the better you’ll play.
Yes, sometimes life gets in the way — but when you can:
• Get your body warm
• Get your joints loose
• Get your heart rate up
You’ll play better pickleball and stay healthier all year long.
Enter a Tournament or Round Robin
If you want to get better, you have to play people better than you. In recreational play, you’re usually playing people at or below your level. Competitive events — tournaments and round robins — expose you to faster balls, better decision-making, and longer rallies. And here’s the truth: The best way to get better at tournaments… is to play tournaments. Experience matters.
Practice & Play With Intention
Too many players just show up and play without a plan.
If you want to improve faster, play with intention. Pick one, two, or three things to focus on during a session:
• Hit two balls before attacking
• Drop after every drive
• Paddle tap your partner after every point
• Focus on depth instead of pace
Having a plan clears your mind and sharpens your focus.
Bonus tip: Write your 2–3 focus points on a notecard and check it during breaks or side changes.
Bonus Resolution: Upgrade Your Gear
If you’ve read this far, you clearly care about improving your game.
Good equipment won’t replace good technique — but it can enhance performance and help prevent injury.
For 2026, Universal Rackets is proud to partner with:
• CRBN Pickleball — elite paddles trusted by top players
Click here to purchase your next paddle
• Cypher Pickleball — performance footwear designed for the court
Click here to purchase your next pair of shoes
Use code UNIVERSAL at checkout on both sites for 10% off.
2026 PA Winter, Spring & Summer Adult and Junior Clinics and Summer Camps Are Here!
Universal Rackets is excited to roll out our Spring & Summer Pickleball programming, offering Adult Clinics, Junior Clinics, and Summer Camps designed for all ages and skill levels and built around fun, structure, and real improvement.
✅ Adult Pickleball Clinics
✅ Junior Pickleball Clinics
✅ Pickleball Summer Camps
✅ Multiple Locations
✅ Indoor & Outdoor Options
✅ Multiple Skill Levels
✅ Weekday & Weekend Offerings
Whether you’re just getting started or looking to sharpen your skills, our programs are built to help you play smarter, improve faster, and enjoy every session.
👟Drill of the Week: Get There, Set, Hit
Purpose:
To stop overrunning the ball and improve spacing, balance, clean contact, and forward momentum.
How It Works:
Move to the ball and get into position early. Pause and set your feet so you feel balanced before swinging. Hit the ball with control, then move forward immediately after contact.
How to Learn It:
Start without a ball and do shadow swings to learn the rhythm. Focus on get there → set → hit → move forward. Once it feels natural, add the ball and repeat the same steps on every rep.
Why It Works:
Most errors come from being rushed or late. This drill slows the game down, builds better spacing, and trains you to arrive early and strike the ball cleanly.
Instantly Improve Your Forehand Ebook Is HERE!
Our very own Universal Rackets coach & creator, @pickleballwithtyler, just dropped his brand-new ebook — and it’s a GAME-CHANGER for anyone looking to level up their forehand.
Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced player… this book gives you the full blueprint to hitting a cleaner, more powerful, more consistent forehand.
🚀 What’s Inside:
Fix your contact point once and for all
Master the “Turn–Bounce–Drop–Hit” timing system
Learn how to add real topspin
Build effortless power without muscling the ball
Improve accuracy, control & consistency
100+ video links included throughout the book
PLUS: exactly what to do after your 3rd shot drive
This is Tyler’s most complete forehand breakdown ever — built from 10,000+ in-person coaching hours, 10,000+ online coaching videos and millions of online views.
👉 Purchase your copy today at: www.instantlyimprovemyforehand.com
Want a sneak peak? CLICK HERE
How To Beat Bangers In Pickleball
Here’s the truth about “bangers” in pickleball:
They aren’t self-proclaimed.
They’re created by you.
Yes, some players naturally hit harder than others — but most “bangers” only exist because they’re being fed exactly what they want.
So how does a banger get created?
Simple.
A player can only truly bang the ball from one place: Above the net.
Any time you give your opponent a high ball above net level, you’re inviting them to hit down into the court — and that’s when power becomes dangerous.
If you don’t want to play against a banger, stop giving them balls they can hit down. The Key Concept: Make Them Hit UP
To neutralize a banger, your goal is simple: Force them to hit up instead of down. When the ball stays below net height, your opponent has only two real options:
Slow the ball down
Dink or hit a neutral shot
If a banger tries to swing hard from below the net, one of two things happens:
• They hit the ball into the net
• They hit the ball out
Either way — you win.
Ask Yourself This Question
Next time you feel like you’re playing a banger, pause and ask:
👉 “Where am I allowing my opponent to make contact?”
That answer will tell you everything.
How To Stop Creating Bangers
• 3rd Shot: Drop shallow into the kitchen
This forces your opponent to let the ball bounce and contact it below the net.
• Returns: Use slice
Slice keeps the ball low and makes 3rd-shot drives much harder to execute.
• At the Kitchen: Keep your dinks in the kitchen
Low dinks eliminate speed-ups and force patience.
Bonus Tip: Let Balls Go
One of the best ways to beat a banger is mental.
If a ball is shoulder-high — let it fly.
Yes, it’s hard. But once a banger realizes you won’t swing at out balls, they start pressing — and errors follow.
Bottom Line: Bangers don’t magically appear.
They’re created by high balls, poor decisions, and rushed shots.
Keep the ball low. Force them to hit up.
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Program Spotlight: Shoreview South Florida Clinic
Universal Rackets was excited to bring an unforgettable Super Clinic to the Shore View community, led by top Universal Rackets coaches David Kempster and Tyler Stroyek. It was an epic day of pickleball filled with high-energy instruction, great competition, and tons of fun on court. To top it off, we gave away a brand-new CRBN TruFoam™ Wave paddle to one lucky participant! 🎉
Want Universal Rackets to come to your neighborhood for a pickleball clinic, special event, or ongoing program? Click here fill out the form and a Universal Rackets representative will reach out to you today!
Program Spotlight: Kasierman JCC Staff Clinic
Universal Rackets was excited to host an unforgettable Staff PicklePalooza for the team at the Kaiserman JCC. It was a fantastic day of pickleball led by our lead Pennsylvania instructors, Justin Cioschi and Dylan Russo, featuring high-energy play, team bonding, and plenty of fun on court.
Looking to bring a unique, engaging experience to your organization?
Want Universal Rackets to host your next team-building or corporate event? Click here to fill out our interest form, and a Universal Rackets representative will reach out to you today!
Lesson of the Week: Pickleball Secrets From 2025 That Will Take Your Game To The Next Level
Thank you for reading and we can’t wait to see you on court!
-Universal Rackets