BIBD and Baiduri Bank brought 32 participants to a pickleball friendly at PGGMB in Bandar Seri Begawan, with 16 representatives from each bank. The gathering gave staff from competing institutions a chance to build relationships away from work through friendly competition.
Organisers highlighted teamwork and sportsmanship, while the report cited pickleball’s accessibility and social appeal as reasons for choosing it. BIBD described the event as part of its commitment to employee well-being, stakeholder engagement and a positive workplace culture.
Coachino Insight
For clubs and workplace organisers, this gathering illustrates pickleball’s role as a setting for employee activity and relationship-building across competing businesses.
Support for pickleball courts far outweighs opposition among speakers taking a position at U.S. local government meetings, according to Hamlet. The public-meeting analysis firm counted 1,152 supporters and 89 opponents in meetings across 468 cities and towns since Oct. 19, 2024, with support leading in 436.
Fresno, Riverside and Maricopa were among places with many supportive speakers, while Port St. Lucie and Tampa had more opponents. The findings offer a wider view than coverage centered on noise complaints and neighborhood disputes.
Coachino Insight
For clubs pursuing courts, the findings document strong support among meeting speakers, not a survey of residents. Local differences remain important when discussing facilities with councils.
Hunter Johnson beat Tama Shimabukuro in the PPA Tour Asia Hong Kong Slam men’s singles final, after defeating Federico Staksrud in the semifinals. Crowds packed Kai Tak Arena for an event offering $1.1 million in prize money and 1,500 World Pickleball Ranking points.
Staksrud’s quarterfinal comeback against Hong Kit Wong drew controversy: an extended equipment timeout and a 1-point penalty for inappropriate language preceded his 12-10 deciding-game win. Anna Leigh Waters won women’s doubles with Anna Bright and mixed doubles with Ben Johns.
Coachino Insight
For athletes and coaches, the Staksrud-Wong match puts equipment readiness and on-court conduct in focus: both became central issues during a closely contested deciding game.
Our analysis of today's trends: opinion, not reporting, drawn only from the verified stories above.
The U.S. court findings show strong backing among public-meeting speakers, not residents overall. For clubs seeking facilities, that distinction and local differences matter alongside the headline support.
Hong Kong Slam paired packed crowds and major prize money with a contentious quarterfinal. Equipment readiness and on-court conduct became central issues alongside competitive performance.
The Brunei bank friendly and Vientiane community tournament show pickleball serving social purposes beyond competition, connecting workplace peers and Vietnamese expatriates through exercise and shared activity.
Tournament Radar
Upcoming and in-progress events, checked against each organiser's official page.
At 19, Elliott Schupp has a first PPA Tour title, won in Virginia Beach with Jaume Martinez Vich, and Pickleball.com has traced how he got there. Burnt out after a decade of baseball, he first picked up a paddle at 12, playing with his grandfather in Arkansas, and spent two to three years reaching a 4.0 level before aiming for the pro game.
His grandfather capped him at two sessions a week early on to protect his enthusiasm and still coaches him, reviewing matches to find the patterns that win or lose points. Schupp now trains in Phoenix.
Coachino Insight
Schupp's path is a strong case for patient development. Coaches of young players can copy the formula: limited volume early, regular video review and goals tied to skill rather than results.
Veteran coach Tony Roig has expanded his educational work through Tony Roig Pickleball, offering online courses, weekly videos, podcasts, books and in-person camps. His curriculum prioritizes foundational skills such as returns, fourth shots and serves over advanced techniques, serving players from beginners through the PPA Tour and focusing much of its instruction on the 3.0-4.0 level.
Coachino Insight
Roig’s approach gives coaches a structured model for emphasizing match-relevant fundamentals, while athletes can access consistent instruction across digital content and in-person camps.
