PADDLES
Coming from the world of tennis and a long term user of Babolat tennis racquets, my first beginner paddles were Babalots. Actually good enough for me as a beginner in my first year.
In my second year, I ended up with a $100 Selkirk Halo and immediately I could tell the difference. Another six months later I got the itch again and bought the Honolulu J2K and was very disappointed. Then I quickly pivoted to the Selkirk Invikita Vanguard Power Air – smaller sweet spot but once I figured out my best hitting zone it worked out pretty good.
Per DUPR, I am now a 3.5+ player and I got the itch again. I blame my new Six-Zero bag for that. Love, love this new bag so I thought….well, maybe I should try one of their paddles, right? Makes sense? Turns out their ever popular Ruby has not really be updated and many peeps in the YouTube world declare this 11SIX24 Hurache is what the Ruby should have evolved to…
Even this morning, my 3rd day playing with this paddle, I was joking sorta how this paddle has immediately given me 20% more accuracy and control, but still delivering the power I like to dispense in my serves. So, I signed up to be an Ambassador and you can find out more here...
SHOES
I have learned over the years with an “E” width foot and moderate arch, mainstream athletic shoes can be a hit-and-miss for comfort and durability.
When I first started playing pickleball, my first pair of kix were the neon green Sketchers, and they were very comfortable. I had heard these shoes were not allowed in certified tourneys due to the neon green color and confusion between the ball and shoes… I have yet to play any tournaments, but that gave me the excuse to shop for my next pair of court shoes. I will say that although the Sketchers were very comfortable, that had very little structure, and quickly they provided very little ankle and upper foot support.
I attended the 2023 International Pickelball Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center in hopes there would be multiple shoe lines there for a real world comfort test. Acacia Sports was the only shoe line exhibiting there, and I have since fallen in love with their Royal Blue Proshot lineup. I started with their neon orange Tyler Signature series, but overshot the mark by getting a 1/2 size larger to ensure the width was adequate. Those shoes still get worn based on my outfit, but the Proshots are my go-to.
In 2025, I was so impressed with their shoes, I became an Ambassador and you can get your discount coupon code HERE:
APPAREL / SWAG / MERCH
Yes, VegasDood aka Swagman is an obsessed pickleballer and active member of USA Pickleball. We can be your inside track to high quality, creatively branded promotional products like drinkware, hats and apparel, folding chairs, bluetooth speakers and chachkies…Let talk TODAY! (702) 359-5054
Our goal is to improve your brand and profit margins by offering high quality swag that consumers aka pickleballers want! You might think you can just shop the internet, but, we are professionally vested to bring you profitable solutions for your pro shop, your event or your team!
We are an authorized distributor for the very popular Owala insulated drinkware, but inventory disappears quickly! Call us today for your quote!
LEAGUES
EXCEL PICKLEBALL LEAGUES
Excel Pickleball is owned and operated by Tony Spurlin.
Tony was introduced to pickleball in 2019 by a fellow volunteer at the Shriner’s Open golf tournament. Initially skeptical about the game, Tony quickly realized how much pickleball would impact—and even save—his life. After becoming hooked, he was recruited to help run the 2021 USA Pickleball Mountain Regional tournament at the newly built courts in Sunset Park, Las Vegas. Despite never having played in a tournament before, Tony was appointed Tournament Director for this major event.
To prepare, Tony competed in a dozen tournaments across Utah, California, and Arizona, leading him to a key realization: the player experience should be the priority in tournament management, a concept often overlooked by others. This insight gave birth to Excel Pickleball, which started by running tournaments but quickly expanded as Tony recognized the broader demand in Las Vegas for leagues, lessons, and clinics.
CITY OF LAS VEGAS LEAGUES
I have a love/hate relationship with the City of Las Vegas leagues… The City itself is soooo steeped in bureaucracy and wokeness, they cannot grasp the fact that people that sign up for their leagues are customers, not minions. Until recently, you had about a 1% chance of ever seeing your weekly round-robin scores. The communications from their pickleball department is notoriously bad.
The good news is the City has quite a few courts convenient to the Southwest and Northwest proximities and it is a pretty good value for a 7 week “season”. They also cannot get their head around their website completely sucks, and it is not user-friendly. BUT, certainly popular leagues sell out instantly, so many times you need to register at midnight on the announced opening date.
Here are the required steps to find out more about the City of Las Vegas pickleball leagues:
- Visit https://registration.lasvegasnevada.gov/NV/las-vegas-nv/catalog
- Click “LV City Sports”
- Click “Pickleball League”
Popular Pickleball Courts in Las Vegas
