The #1 source for pickleball news in New York's Greater Capital Region. Written by a journalist and pickleball player.
518: New pickleball tournaments, new deals & new sports
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#081 August 13, 2026 | Read on the web FREE* signups for the "Thanksgiving at Emma" tournamentTournament registration has become a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem. Players wait to see who else signs up before committing. But when everyone waits, divisions look empty, players get nervous about registering — and sometimes events that could have filled never get off the ground. So for this year’s Thanksgiving at Emma Pickleball Tournament, Nov. 21-23, I’m trying something different. For the next few weeks, you can sign up for the events you’re interested in for free. No payment. No commitment. Just put yourself on the waitlist. Think of it as casting a vote for the divisions you’d like to see. Want a 50+ 3.5 division? Put your name down. Interested in singles? Tell me. Want to play in a four-person team event? Get on the list. The goal is to turn the usual registration process around: show where the players are first, then build the tournament around them. Running a good tournament takes a lot of planning, and it works best when players and tournament directors meet each other halfway. This is an experiment in doing exactly that. The opportunity is there to help shape the tournament you want to play. So don’t wait to see who else signs up. Put your name down and let everyone else see that you’re interested. Let’s see what we can build.
Dink for Pink registration is openRegistration has opened for Deb Rainville's 3rd Annual Dink for Pink Pickleball Tournament, set for Saturday, Sept. 26, at Clifton Park Pickleball Club/Hockey Hut. Proceeds go to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. Low Intermediate | 9:00–11:30 AM Vermont tournament needs a few more playersThe afternoon session of the Manchester VT pickleball tournament benefiting The Busyhead Project is already full, but the morning session still needs six or more men or women. Organizers are also looking for a couple of players who would be willing to serve as reserves for the afternoon. The tournament is Saturday, Oct. 3, at Manchester Rec. The morning session begins at 9 a.m. and is geared toward 3.0-3.25 players. Entry is $40, and lunch is included. Proceeds benefit The Busyhead Project, the nonprofit mental health foundation founded by Vermont musician Noah Kahan.
Switch paddles for a night! Pickleball518 invited to play ping pongLove the fast-paced kitchen play? Ready to test your quick reflexes on a different kind of table? All+ Table Tennis is inviting the entire Pickleball518 community to a special crossover event. Come trade the pickleball paddle for a ping pong paddle and see how your kitchen skills translate to the table!
Why You Should Come
All+ will have tables reserved specifically for pickleball players, coaching tips for beginners, and plenty of friendly competition. Free Registration Spaces are limited. Click the button below to reserve a spot or reply to this email to let me know you want to attend.
Dinks & Drinks at Hockey HutClifton Park Pickleball Club has a new Friday happy hour: Dinks & Drinks, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Fridays at the Hockey Hut, 1535 Crescent Road in Clifton Park. It's a $10 drop-in with pickleball, pizza, music and a bonfire. It's BYOB and 21+.
Intensive clinic at FryeGuysFryeGuys Pickleball Club is hosting a two-week Intensive Pickleball Clinic with Santa Cruz Spark Pickleball for intermediate players. Sessions are Aug. 20 and 27 from 6-8 p.m. at FryeGuys in Clifton Park. The cost is $120 for both sessions. Fix your overheadLocal pickleball instructor Gina Family passed along a video featuring Kyle Koszuta with three different options for improving your overhead technique. If your overhead could use some work, Gina says it's definitely worth a watch.
Couples pickleball in WiltonWant to play with your spouse or significant other — and maybe become a better team in the process? The Wilton Pickleball Club Couples League meets most Sundays at 1:30 p.m. at McGregor Links Country Club in Wilton. It's intentionally flexible: Come when your schedule allows, with no need to commit to playing every week. To be added to the weekly invitation email, contact WiltonPBClub@gmail.com. Advanced players needed for True fall leagueTrue Pickleball Club still has spots available is the High Intermediate-Advanced League, which plays Tuesdays from 8-10 p.m. beginning Sept. 15. The league runs eight consecutive weeks and costs $199 per player. Matches are tracked and reported to DUPR.
FryeGuys stretches summer into fallApparently FryeGuys isn't quite ready to let summer go. Its new Indian Summer Smash runs Sept. 16-Oct. 31, offering more than six weeks of unlimited play for $50. The deal includes both open play and private reservations. Registration opens Aug. 16. The $50 fee is paid upfront and is nonrefundable and nontransferable. Players who would rather remain in the regular pay-to-play visitor group can do that, too. Open play remains $13.50, while a two-hour private reservation is $17 per player. VAIR keeps growingVAIR continues to expand its footprint in pickleball — and beyond. The locally developed rating system was recently featured on the Senior Pickleball Tips podcast, where founder Rommie Maxey discussed VAIR’s approach to ratings, including its VAIRified rating, which uses an in-person evaluation of a player’s skills rather than relying solely on match results.
VAIR has also gone multisport. Players can now log games and track recreational ratings in padel, badminton, Skyball and table tennis. The newest addition is VAIR Pro, a certification program for pickleball coaches who already hold an active credential from organizations such as PPR, IPTPA or USPTA. VAIR Pro coaches receive a VAIRified rating based on a 41-point evaluation of their own gameplay, plus access to VAIR+ analytics. Through a partnership with Bounce, coaches also get tools for scheduling events and accepting payments, along with inclusion in a marketplace designed to help players find qualified coaches. This Capital Region startup began by tackling the pickleball-rating puzzle, and VAIR continues to find new ways to grow. Typti comes to the Capital RegionThere's another racquet sport to try. Typti — pronounced TIP-TEE — combines elements of pickleball and tennis. It's played on a pickleball court using a unique racquet and a quiet foam ball, with a bounce that's more similar to a tennis ball. Columbia Courts in East Greenbush are dabbling in Typti. True is offering weekly Typti Learn to Play sessions and Guided Plays, and an eight-week league begins Friday, Sept. 18. The league costs $120 per player. Questions about Typti or the league can be sent to manager@playtruepc.com. Take a look inside Dynamite Pickleball ClubI recently had a chance to visit Dynamite Pickleball Club in Merrimack, NH, and took Pickleball518 readers along for a Facebook Live tour. The facility was built from the ground up and has 2 floors! https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1QA69CR2CK/
Help make this Thanskgiving tournament registration experiment a success. It’s free to sign up now, so if you’re thinking about playing, don’t overthink it — grab your spot and help build the tournament you want to play in! https://pickleballtournaments.com/tournaments/2026-thanksgiving-at-emma-willard I hope to see you on the court, Cathleen
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Pickleball518: Pickleball news from Upstate New York
The #1 source for pickleball news in New York's Greater Capital Region. Written by a journalist and pickleball player.
#084 Oct. 15, 2026 | Read on the web Albany seeks volunteers to bring pickleball to more players The city of Albany is looking for pickleball enthusiasts willing to share their love of the game and help expand opportunities for residents to play. Volunteers are needed to help run open play sessions at Albany West Community Center, 520 Livingston Ave., and to introduce children to pickleball during weekday morning programs. The city also hopes to connect with other community centers (JCC, Boys...
#083 Oct. 1, 2026 | Read on the web Want to sponsor Thanksgiving at Emma tournament? Sponsorship opportunities are available for the 5th annual Thanksgiving at Emma Pickleball Tournament in Troy. A big thank you to ShinePro Window Cleaning and Worthington Flowers (owned by pickleball player Sam Swart), who have already signed on as sponsors! If you own a business— or know one that would like to support a fun local event while reaching the Capital Region pickleball community—I 'd love to hear...
#082 Sept. 17, 2026 | Read on the web Pickleball518 takes on table tennis Last night, Pickleball518 players and friends gathered at All+ Table Tennis in Menands for a free night of ping pong — and we had a blast. We also introduced the table tennis crowd to a little piece of pickleball culture: the after-match paddle tap. It’s such a familiar part of pickleball’s sportsmanship and community that we barely think about it. The table tennis players thought it was a little strange, but hopefully...