Austin Pickleball Update - Volume 30

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Austin Pickleball Update
December 30, 2024

Hello, and welcome to Austin Pickleball Update - Volume 30!

In this issue of APU:

  • 2024 Austin Pickleball Update Awards - Winners Announced!

  • Community News - Austin is the Nation’s Pickleball Capital

  • Tournaments, Leagues, Open Play, and Community Events

  • 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. 

Let’s dink on in!

2024 Austin Pickleball Update Awards - Winners Announced!

The Austin Pickleball Update Awards highlight and recognize the very best of pickleball in Austin, TX, including clubs, courts, coaches, communities, events, and more.

For the inaugural 2024 Austin Pickleball Update Awards, we received votes from nearly 1,000 members of the Austin pickleball community.

Without further ado, here are your winners for the 2024 Austin Pickleball Update Awards!

Pickleball Clubs

Best Club for Pickleball Beginners

Winner: Pickleland

Runner-up: Austin Pickle Ranch

Best Club for Advanced Players & High-Level Pickleball Competition

Winner: Eastside Paddle Club

Runner-up: Austin Pickle Ranch

Best Club Open Play

Winner: Austin Pickle Ranch

Runner-up: Pickleland

Best Club Pickleball Leagues

Winner: Austin Tennis Center

Runner-up: Pickleland

Best Club Membership Value

Winner: Pickleland

Runner-up: Austin Pickle Ranch

Best Overall Pickleball Events & Programs

Winner: Pickleland

Runner-up: Austin Pickle Ranch

Best Indoor Pickleball Club in Austin

Winner: Austin Pickle Ranch

Runner-up: Pickleland

Best Outdoor Pickleball Club in Austin

Winner: Other Racquet Social Club

Runner-up: Austin Tennis Center

Best Pickleball Club in Austin

Winner: Pickleland

Runner-up: Austin Pickle Ranch

Community Pickleball Courts

Best Public Court for Pickleball Beginners

Winner: Veterans Memorial Park

Runner-up: Pan Am Park

Best Public Court for Advanced Players & High-Level Pickleball Competition

Winner: Pan Am Park

Runner-up: Veterans Memorial Park

Best Public Court for Open Play

Winner: South Austin Rec Center (SARC)

Runner-up: Pan Am Park

Best Public Court to Meet New People

Winner: Rosewood Park

Runner-up: Veterans Memorial Park

Best Public Pickleball Court in Austin

Winner: Pan Am Park

Runner-up: Veterans Memorial Park

Communities, Events, Leagues, and Tournaments

Best Pickleball League in Austin

Winner: Austin Pickleball Cooperative

Runner-up: Austin Deaf Pickleball

Best Pickleball Tournament in Austin

Winner: The Kitchen Open by The Kitchen

Runner-up: Dink for Pride by Austin Deaf Pickleball

Best Pickleball Tournament Organizer

Winner: 002

Runner-up: Austin Deaf Pickleball

Best Non-Club Austin Pickleball Community

Winner: Austin Deaf Pickleball

Runner-up: Zero Zero Fun

Best Pickleball Community to Meet New People

Winner: Austin Pickle Ranch

Runner-up: Capital City Pickleball

Coaches, Pros, and Local Players in Austin

Best Coach for Pickleball Beginners

Winner: John Stennefeld

Runner-up: Amy Yarbrough

Best Coach for Advanced Pickleball Players

Winner: Brandon Nsekpong

Runner-up: Austin Bricker

Best Pickleball Coach in Austin

Winner: Brandon Nsekpong

Runner-up: Amy Yarbrough

Favorite Pickleball Professional who lives in Austin

Winner: Ben Johns & Brandon Nsekpong - Tie

Runner-up: Zane Navratil

Most Well-Known Rec Pickleball Player in Austin

Winner: Jason Ojeda

Runner-up: AJ Davis

Favorite Player from Austin's Major League Pickleball (MLP) team, The Texas Ranchers

Winner: Quang Duong

Runner-up: Christian Alshon

Pickleball Paddle Brands and Gear

Best Pickleball Paddle Brand

Winner: CRBN

Runner-up: JOOLA

Go-to Pickle Ball You Play With the Most

Winner: Franklin X-40

Runner-up: Selkirk Pro S1

Congratulations to all of the winners in the 2024 Austin Pickleball Update Awards!

To everyone who voted, and the entire Austin pickleball community, thank you for helping us recognize the best of pickleball in Austin!

Become a Dink Pro with the Dink Master Pro

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

The Dink Master Pro is the #1 training aid in pickleball, designed to help you practice your dinks, volleys, and shot accuracy. With the Dink Master Pro, you can control what types of shots you work on while getting in thousands more reps when compared to a normal game.

Use code “APU” when ordering your Dink Master Pro today for 30% off and free shipping. 

Community News

Austin is the Nation’s Pickleball Capital

TeachMe.To, an online marketplace for learning sports, has named Austin, TX as the Nation’s Pickleball Capital and the fastest growing city for pickleball in the US.

According to their report:

  • An estimated 15,000-20,000 people play pickleball at least occasionally in the greater Austin area.

  • The active, regular player base (playing at least twice monthly) is estimated at around 8,000-10,000 players.

  • Court reservation systems consistently show 70-80% utilization during peak hours.

  • Local facilities report growing waitlists for prime playing times.

Tournaments, Leagues, Open Play, Clinics, and Community Events

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Leagues

Upcoming Tournaments

January

February

March

Pickleball Communities with Regular Events

Club Open Play, Events, and Court Booking

Austin Pickleball Update Social Groups

Follow Austin Pickleball Update on Instagram for pickleball content and local news and follow our Facebook group to learn about upcoming events.

Share Austin Pickleball Update

Share this newsletter with your Austin pickleball friends so that they stay up to date 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 can be found here.

Did you enjoy this issue? Hit reply and let us know! We’re always grateful to hear from APU readers. 🙏

Austin Pickleball Update will be taking the month of January off, and we’ll see you after the break.

Happy New Year, and see you on the courts in 2025!✌️