A huge thank-you to everyone who voted in this year's 120/Life Dink Awards, the original and largest fan-choice pickleball awards. We appreciate you taking the time to weigh in, debate, and support the people and teams that make this sport what it is.
More than 10,000 people cast their ballots – and we're back to announce the next batch of winners.
Alex E. Weaver
A huge thank you as well to our title sponsor, 120/Life, for backing the awards and helping us bring this celebration to life.
If you want to hear PickPod co-hosts Zane Navratil and Nico the Lefty discuss the full list of media category winners, along with special guest Tanner Tomassi, you can do that right now:
Next week, we'll be rolling out the next batch of winners – the Organizations & Facilities category – with the week following announcing the final award: Paddle of the Year.
But we digress: here are your 2025 The 120/Life Dink Awards winners in the Media category.
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Most Influential Voice
Winner: Zane Navratil
Zane's enduring impact on the sport of pickleball is nearly limitless. He's a pro and MLP Champion, the longtime captain of the New Jersey 5s before a recent trade dealt him to Chicago.
He teaches clinics across the country and has his own online academy. Recently, he was named president of the UPA's Pro Player Committee. He's by far the most outspoken active pro player, posting videos across social media on a range of topics from how to beat a banger to Anna Leigh Waters' milestone Nike deal.
And of course, he's the co-host of our very own PicklePod podcast.
More and more, when there's a big story happening in the world of pickleball, people are turning to Zane to get filled in.
Scroll through below to see all the winners:
Best On-Air Personality
Winner: Dave Fleming
Pro pickleball has become synonymous with Dave Fleming, and is better off for it. A student and evangelist of the game, Fleming brings a deep knowledge and contagious enthusiasm to each and every broadcast, appealing to diehard loyalists and new fans alike.
He's The Voice of Pickleball for a reason.
Best Pickleball Podcast
Winner: PicklePod
The pickleball podcast space has grown crowded over the years, with dozens of great programs covering a range of topics like paddle reviews. the pro game, instructional tips, rumors, and more.
This year, we're thrilled to announce that our very own PicklePod has repeated as winner – in rather commanding fashion, for anyone counting.
This year, we've launched PicklePod 2.0 with co-hosts Zane Navratil and Nico the Lefty. It's been a hit so far, and we're just getting started. Give it a watch and see what the hype is about.
Best Pickleball Content Creator
Winner: Tanner Tomassi
Tanner Tomassi, who won this same category last year, got comfortable in front of a camera during the Pandemic, where he streamed Fortnite every morning and every evening for three years straight, amassing a following in the hundreds of thousands in the process.
As COVID waned, online gaming began to lose its luster. He was a realtor for a few months, but never fully committed. That's when he turned to pickleball – and the power of social media to build a following.
And it's safe to say, he's never looked back. Without a doubt, Tanner has become one of the most knowledgeable – and prolific – content creators for pickleball tips, strategies, and instruction across the internet.
"The recipe is consistency," he said on this week's PicklePod. "It's not that difficult."
Pickleball YouTuber of the Year
Winner: Tanner Tomassi
Yup, it's Tanner again.
Tanner has amassed a large and loyal following for his creative, insightful pickleball strategy videos, often focusing on a niche skill or tip and explained in 60 seconds or less.
There’s a pretty good reason he's become so popular: he's posted at least one pickleball-related video online for an astonishing 900 days straight, and counting.
His 2026 goal? Never miss a day.
Best Pickleball Instructor
Winner: Tanner Tomassi
Sensing a bit of a pattern here? Once again, Tanner takes the top spot here and completes an unprecedented pickleball content Triple Crown.
What can we say? The pickleball internet loves him. This one was close, with ThatPickleballGuy, Kyle Koszuta, coming in a close second.
If you want to get better at pickleball, no matter your level, there's simply no better follow than Tanner. He even wrote a book about it: "Pickleball in 60 Seconds."
Viral Moment of the Year
Winner: Guy Gets Kicked in the Face
This act was despicable, and in no way are we trying to celebrate violent actions on the pickleball court in any way. But there's simply not denying that this particular clip sent absolute shockwaves not just through the pickleball community, but the world at large.
In the heat of a loss, one player kicked an opposing player square in the face immediately following the post-match paddle-tap. (If you're in the dark here, just Google it.)
It was everywhere. And for good reason. Watch at your own discretion.
Best Pickleball Journalist
Winner: Erik Tice
We're biased of course, but ask around and you'll hear the same thing: the best pound-for-pound pickleball journalist of 2025 is Erik Tice, and it's not particularly close. He's a prolific reporter and regular guest on the PicklePod who covers the pro game for The Dink deeper and more analytically than anyone out there.
From storylines to trades, opinions to predictions, Tice is on top of it. If you're not reading him in The Dink, following him on X for insightful, real-time updates on all things pickleball.
If you want to see last week's winners from the Player categories, here you go:
Alex E. Weaver
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