It’s officially the new year, so my Instagram feed is covered with everyone’s In and Out List. The idea stems from the traditional resolutions, but instead of a strict New Year’s resolution, it’s a list where you can focus on what you want to bring into the new year and what you want to leave behind.

Here’s my Pickleball In and Out List for 2025:

Ins:

-       Get more powerful drives like John Cincola

-       Play in my first tournament 

-       Practice Mari Humberg’s backhand flick

-       Show up in style like Hurricane Tyra Black

-       Always wear sunscreen on the court 

-       Invest in high-quality court shoes

-       Support my mixed partner like Parris Todd and Hunter Johnson

-       Read the pros' favorite books

-       Start consistently drilling to hit a twoey like Connor Garnett

-       Find my pickleball bestie and dominate like Rachel Rohrabacher and Anna Bright

-       Try out Christian Alshon’s wall drills

-       Attend a PPA Tournament to watch my favorite pros 

-       Practice my partner’s love language on the court

Outs:

-       Getting nervous to jump into open play at the higher-level court

-       Not clearly communicating “yours” and “mine” in doubles

-       Worrying too much about my DUPR rating 

-       Apologizing when I make a bad shot

-       Being a sore loser 

-       Underestimating my opponents (sometimes the toughest competitors are the most unassuming) 

What are your pickleball ins and outs? Leave us a comment on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).