Sunday, December 31, 2023

2023 Most Viewed YouTube Pickleball Videos Over 20 Minutes

 

Unveiling the Top 2023 YouTube Pickleball Videos Over 20 Minutes That Captivated Fans Worldwide

As the popularity of pickleball continues to surge, enthusiasts and casual viewers alike have flocked to YouTube to witness some of the most thrilling and entertaining matches featuring both legendary tennis pros and emerging pickleball stars. In this AI assisted article, we'll delve into the most-viewed YouTube pickleball videos of 2023 that have garnered attention for their intensity, skill, and sheer excitement, all lasting over 20 minutes.

  1. Tennis LEGENDS Play Pickleball! Agassi and Roddick vs. McEnroe and Chang! $1 Million Slam ESPN (1M views, 8 months ago)

In a groundbreaking exhibition match, tennis legends Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick faced off against John McEnroe and Michael Chang, bringing a unique blend of athleticism and finesse to the pickleball court. This $1 million slam, originally aired on ESPN, drew an astounding 1 million views in just eight months, showcasing the cross-sport appeal of pickleball.

  1. Ben Johns and ALW Take on Anna Bright and James Ignatowich for the GOLD! (426K views, 4 months ago)

Pickleball fans were treated to an intense showdown as #1-ranked Anna Leigh Waters teamed up with Ben Johns to take on the formidable #2 duo, Anna Bright and James Ignatowich, in a Mixed Doubles Gold match during the PPA Tour. The thrilling match attracted 426,000 views in just four months, highlighting the competitive spirit in professional pickleball.

  1. Tennis Pros VS Pickleball Pros - Sock/Isner VS Irvine/Waters (356K views, 11 months ago)

The crossover between tennis and pickleball continued with this PPA Tour matchup featuring top men's tennis players Jack Sock and John Isner against pickleball pros Jessie Irvine and Anna Leigh Waters. With 356,000 views in 11 months, this video showcased the dynamic clash of skills from different racquet sports.

  1. I Coached Him to Become a 4.5 in LESS Than 30 Minutes | A Private Lesson with Jordan Briones (287K views, 6 months ago)

In a unique twist, the Briones Pickleball channel provided viewers with insights into the coaching process. In this video, Jordan Briones took on the challenge of coaching Ian from @EssentialTennis, helping him reach a 4.5 skill level in less than 30 minutes. The video gained 287,000 views in just six months, emphasizing the importance of coaching in skill development.

  1. Tyson McGuffin and Ben Johns Face Off for a Spot on Championship Sunday (259K views, 6 months ago)

Pickleball enthusiasts were glued to their screens as #1-ranked Ben Johns faced off against #4-ranked Tyson McGuffin in the Semifinal Men's Singles match at the Selkirk Texas Open. With 259,000 views in six months, this intense battle showcased the fierce competition in professional pickleball.

Conclusion:

The 2023 YouTube pickleball videos over 20 minutes have not only provided fans with thrilling matches but have also showcased the sport's evolution and growing popularity. From legendary tennis pros embracing pickleball to intense professional matchups, these videos have captured the essence of the sport and contributed to its global appeal. As the pickleball community continues to grow, these videos serve as a testament to the excitement and skill that define this rapidly expanding sport.




  1. Tennis LEGENDS play pickleball! Agassi and Roddick vs. McEnroe and Chang! $1 million Slam ESPN 1M views 8 months ago House of Pickle Doubles exhibition match pickleball Slam. Originally aired on ESPN 4/2/23 #goat #pickleball #hustle #agassi #dominate #athlete ...
  2. Ben Johns and ALW take on Anna Bright and James Ignatowich for the GOLD! 426K views 4 months ago PPA Tour Watch here as #1 Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns take on #2 Anna Bright and James Ignatowich in the Mixed Doubles Gold ...
  3. Tennis Pros VS Pickleball Pros - Sock/Isner VS Irvine/Waters 356K views 11 months ago PPA Tour
  4. Watch as Jack Sock and John Isner (both top men's professional tennis players) take on Jessie Irvine and Anna Leigh Waters ...
  5. I coached him to become a 4.5 in LESS than 30 minutes | A private lesson with Jordan Briones 287K views 6 months ago Briones Pickleball I give Ian from @EssentialTennis a pickleball lesson. It's only his second time every to play , but I try to see if I can get him ready to ...
  6. Tyson McGuffin and Ben Johns face off for a spot on Championship Sunday 259K views 6 months ago PPA Tour Watch the Semifinal Men's Singles match of (1) Ben Johns facing off against (4) Tyson McGuffin at the Selkirk Texas Open ...
  7. Pickleball Basics: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide To Pickleball Rules & How To Play (Scoring & More) 249K views 6 months ago PrimeTime Pickleball Are you curious about this crazy fun game you've heard about called pickleball that's sweeping the nation? Interested in jumping ...
  8. Jack Sock and ALW's Debut on Championship Sunday 243K views 7 months ago PPA Tour Watch as new Mixed Doubles partners Jack Sock and Anna Leigh Waters attempt to take down the #4 Riley Newman and Allyce Jones ...
  9. GOLD MIXED! 2023 Minto US Open Pickleball Championships - Limited Interruptions 242K views 4 months ago Pickleball Channel This limited interruption feed of the 2023 Minto US Open Pickleball Championships is brought to you by Minto Communities.
  10. Top 100 Pickleball Shots of the Year - 2022 234K views 11 months ago Pickleball Highlights The 100 BEST shots of the year in Pickleball Let us know if we missed any? Full matches can be found at these channels: Major ...
  11. THRILLING Women's Doubles Gold Medal Match at Newport 141K views 8 months ago PPA Tour Welcome to the OGIO Newport Beach Doubles Shootout Presented by Vizzy. This video will feature the Women's Doubles ...
  12. Loong/Ignatowich vs Johns brothers in the Quarterfinals 112K views 1 month ago PPA Tour In this Quarterfinal match, (#1) Ben Johns and Collin Johns take on (#8) Tyler Loong and James Ignatowich for a spot in the mens ...
  13. Waters/Johns and Johnson/Johnson at the Hertz Gold Cup 112K views 1 month ago PPA Tour Watch this Championship Sunday match between (#1) Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns vs (#3) Jorja Johnson and JW Johnson ...
  14. BioFreeze USAP National Championships (GrandStand Court) - Round of 16. 105K views Streamed 1 month ago PPA Tour Welcome to the 2023 BioFreeze USAP National Championships powered by Invited and the PPA Tour. Today's match-ups will ...
  15. MLP 2023 San Clemente I Day 4 I Premier Semis and Finals & MLPalooza Part 1 I CC 103K views Streamed 6 months ago Major League Pickleball Welcome & thanks for watching MLP San Clemente 2023! Get information about our teams, players, live scoring and event ...

Friday, December 29, 2023

Will Moneyball Come to Pro Pickleball? Zane and Ben from Real Clear Stats

 

Using Data and Analytics to Gain a Competitive Edge in Pickleball How the Orlando Squeeze leveraged advanced stats to take down rivals DC Pickleball


Introduction Pickleball has exploded in popularity over the last decade, evolving from a casual backyard pastime to a full-fledged professional sport. With the rapid growth of major tournaments and leagues like the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) and Major League Pickleball (MLP), there is an increasing focus on using data and analytics to gain a competitive edge.


Zane Navratil, a professional MLP player for the Orlando Squeeze, interviews Ben of Real Clear Stats to discuss how advanced pickleball statistics enabled his team to defeat their arch rivals, the DC Pickleball team, in the league playoffs. They provide fascinating insights into how data is transforming strategy and scouting in elite pickleball.


Key Discussion Points:

  • Leveraging speed up attack data to adjust doubles strategy against DC (12:51)
  • Using third shot success metrics to neutralize DC's strong gender doubles teams (16:12)
  • Analyzing rally outcomes to determine optimal side switching in men's doubles (18:05)
  • Quantifying the value of pre-draft statistical analysis (25:59)
  • Evaluating draft picks based on player impact plus metrics (29:05)
  • Correlating use of advanced data with team winning percentages (39:18)
  • Identifying draft steal and bust candidates using analytics (43:53)
  • Tracking longitudinal player progression with performance benchmarks (44:55)
  • Providing individualized player insights reports (46:44)

Leveraging Speed Up Attack Data in Doubles Strategy At 12:51, Ben details how granular speed up attack data from doubles matches informed strategic adjustments against DC. The Squeeze struggled attacking out of the air against DC, with 75% of targets at Jade leading to lost rallies. However, Rachel's off-the-bounce speed ups were more successful.

By differentiating aerial versus off-the-bounce attacks, Orlando determined that tighter spacing on aerial speed ups gave DC time to counterattack. So they became much pickier choosing when to speed up, letting balls bounce higher first. This analytics-driven strategic tweak generated the extra points needed to defeat DC.

Neutralizing DC's Strong Gender Doubles Teams At 16:12, Navratil explains how Real Clear Stats' third-shot success metrics helped them formulate an effective game plan against DC's potent Jackie and Jade. Previously targeting one player arbitrarily often enabled them to get into a rhythm. But by recognizing both as top-tier in this crucial category, Orlando simply focused on consistent, quality returns to keep them out of sync.

Optimizing Side Switching in Men's Doubles At 18:05, the decision to switch sides in men's doubles is analyzed. The data showed Navratil's crosscourt dink success could pressure Riley, forcing Christian wider. This made Christian more attackable compared to sitting everything to Andre's backhand. So side switching helped create openings to exploit.

Assessing Draft Picks via Player Impact Plus At 29:05, Ben details the player impact plus (PIP) metric used to evaluate draft prospects. It encapsulates a player's total positive impact on scoring - winners hit, opponent errors forced, unforced errors avoided. Compiling these outcomes quantifies an individual's tangible effect on rally outcomes.

By ranking players on PIP, teams can more objectively assess overall ability. The draft teams using these analytics notably outperformed the league average by a wide margin. It reduces biased, subjective evaluations that often lead to overvaluing or undervaluing players.

Quantifying the Value of Pre-Draft Statistical Analysis At 25:59, the significant edge gained by teams utilizing Real Clear Stats draft packages is quantified. Five teams used this data for season 2, which Ben did not closely advise beyond introducing the information. Simply having access to these metrics led to a 68% win percentage, compared to just 46% for non-users.

Correlating Data Use With Team Win Percentages At 39:18, Ben reveals the franchise improvement of teams using his data, with all five increasing win totals from season 1. He also projects hypothetical scenarios where more teams gain access to these numbers. In the short term, it confers a 55% bump in victory probability. Once universally adopted, it evens out as all teams become analytically sophisticated.

Identifying Draft Steals and Busts At 43:53, Navratil questions whether any players were significantly overdrafted or underdrafted based on analytics. Ben notes top performers often get overvalued for subsequent draft position due to MLP success. Meanwhile, strong player impact metrics could reveal steals despite previous team struggles. He gives the example of Danel de Roa - ranked #1 in Columbus on advanced metrics but undrafted in season 1.

Tracking Longitudinal Player Progression At 44:55, Ben praises Navratil as one of the few players at the Premier level whose player impact improved every single event during season 1. This suggests an accelerating development curve compared to peers. It's crucial because as Johns notes, simply maintaining skill level still represents regression as rivals boost performance. The ability to objectively measure individual progression is very valuable.

Providing Individualized Player Insights Reports At 46:44, Ben describes exploring personalized player insights reports to help pros interpret advanced data and metrics. While most players think strategically in terms of dinking patterns and shot placement tendencies, these analytics quantify strengths, weaknesses, and development areas relative to rivals based on match data. He hopes providing benchmarks and context around key numbers can enhance training and elevate performance.

Conclusion The sophistication of data and analytics in elite pickleball has increased tremendously as financial incentives have grown. While adoption is still in its early stages, there are already demonstrable performance advantages for players and teams leveraging these advanced metrics strategically. As the arms race of information accelerates, statistical analysis will become an essential component for competitive success in the sport at the highest levels.

Wednesday, December 27, 2023

2024 Schedule

 


2024 Schedule

  1. January: PPA The Masters PALM SPRINGS, CA 
  2. January: PPA Desert Ridge Open PHOENIX, AZ
  3. February: PPA Mesa Open MESA, AZ 
  4. March: PPA Indoor National Championships LAKEVILLE, MN 
  5. March: PPA AUSTIN OPEN, TX
  6. April: PPA NORTH CAROLINA Cup, NC 
  7. April: PPA Houston Open HOUSTON, TX 
  8. April: US Open Naples, FL
  9. April: PPA LA Open LOS ANGELES, CA 
  10. April: PPA Red Rock Open ST. GEORGE, UT 
  11. May: MLP Atlanta, GA
  12. May: PPA ATLANTA, GA 
  13. May: APP New York Open, NYC
  14. May: PPA Texas Open, Dallas, TX
  15. June: PPA SACRAMENTO Open, CA  
  16. June: APP New York Open
  17. June: MLP Washington DC
  18. June: PPA Orange County Cup, SAN CLEMENTE, CA 
  19. July: MLP Mid-Season Tournament Grand Rapids
  20. July: APP Newport Beach, CA
  21. July: MLP Kansas City
  22. July: MLP Salt Lake City
  23. August: APP Newport Beach, CA
  24. August: APP English Open
  25. August: PPA KANSAS CITY OPEN, KS 
  26. August: PPA BRISTOL Open, TN 
  27. August: PPA Utah Open
  28. August: PPA Las Vegas Pickleball Cup
  29. September: MLP Australia Gold Coast
  30. September: APP Chicago Open
  31. September: PPA Atlanta Slam
  32. September: MLP New York
  33. September: MLP Virginia Beach
  34. October: PPA Virginia Beach Cup
  35. October 10-13, 2024 LAS VEGAS, NV 
  36. October 24-27, 2024 DAYTONA BEACH, FL 
  37. November 5-10, 2024 DALLAS, TX 
  38. November 14-17, 2024 MILWAUKEE, WI 
  39. December 5-8, 2024 SAN CLEMENTE, CA 
1st Quarter
2nd Quarter 
3rd Quarter
4th Quarter

2023 PPA Atlanta Open: Connor Garnett Post-Match Interview

  


This is your first championship Sunday. Congratulations!

Connor Garnett: Thank you.I am still stoked, my legs—if you can see below the table, they're still bouncing up and down. I'm just so stoked to be in Sunday.

Did you do anything different to get here today?

Yeah, I've been really focusing on playing my game, keeping it within myself. A lot of that has been in those big matches. I think sometimes I try and do too much, so that was the big focus coming into this tournament—just enjoying it. During that match, I kept trying to tell myself, "This is a first-round match, just trying to get to the second round," to really put myself out of that element of this being a semi-final, going to my first Sunday.

What's your favorite venue?

I mean, the Newport venue has got to be one of the nicest. I'm also biased because I'm from there. This is an amazing venue here in Atlanta, and I just love going around—traveling to all the different cities. It's pretty cool. In Red Rock, I got to go, I think it's Zion there, and so I had a bad day one day, and I just went there. I mean, it's pretty cool. You get to travel around, sightsee, and play Pickleball.

You mentioned that you used to do too much playing with the top guys and had to adjust to playing normally. Can you elaborate on that?

Player: Yeah, I think in some of those first rounds, being able to handle different speeds of balls was challenging. One of the things I found difficult in some of my matches in past tournaments was a slower serve. So playing against someone like Tyson [McGuffin], you're just used to having to be on the backs of your feet to return that. Being able to handle those kinds of slower shots and stuff like that has been a big focus. Just getting reps of that was key.

Perfect, thank you.


PPA Atlanta Open Men's Doubles Singles Final 

Saturday, December 23, 2023

BEST PRODUCTION IN PICKLEBALL - The Orchard Cup - Tuesday Night Pickleball

 

0:00 Ben and Collin Johns Commentary 4:24 Pythons vs Gladiators 10:50 The Orchard Cup Recap 11:24 First Set Game 1 13:36 Rubber Chicken Challenge 14:31 Game 2 15:46 Halftime Show 16:37 Second Set Game 1 19:04 Game 2 22:00 Set Breaker 27:08 Interviews 28:20 Trophy Presentation

2024 PPA Daytona Beach Open WD Gold Medal Match, Article and Interview

  Family Triumph: Leigh and Anna Leigh Waters Capture Gold at the PPA Daytona Beach Open Mother-Daughter Duo's Incredible Comeback Ends ...