Life Lessons from Pickleball™

How can pickleball become a tool for healing, community, faith, and hope in countries all around the world? In this episode, Aaron Trost, founder of Pickleball Planter, shares how a sport he once resisted became a life-changing calling. Aaron talks about first getting pulled onto the court by a friend, how pickleball helped him lose weight and find joy, and why he eventually stepped away from chas...

How can pickleball create connection across ages, backgrounds, beliefs, and life experiences, and even become part of mental health healing? In this episode, Sean McCoy shares his thoughtful and deeply human pickleball journey, from discovering the sport by accident in Houston to becoming passionate about the way pickleball brings people together like almost nothing else. Sean talks about his back...

How can pickleball teach us not only how to play better, but how to age well, find joy, and live more intentionally? In this episode, bestselling author Mike Brannon shares his remarkable journey from business executive to nonprofit leader, teacher, massage therapist, and finally pickleball writer and coach. Mike talks about how a chance stop during an oil change led him to discover pickleball, an...

How can pickleball and travel come together to create deeper connection, purpose, joy, and meaningful impact around the world? In this episode, Melinda Alcosser shares her unique journey from educator and co-founder of the Connecticut Experiential Learning Center to certified IPTPA coach, USA Pickleball ambassador, and travel expert creating intentional pickleball experiences through Carpe Dinkum...

How can pickleball become a doorway to mindfulness, creativity, and deeper connection with others? In this episode, writer, storyteller, and pickleball creative Rick Cipes shares how he found pickleball during the upheaval of 2020 and discovered that the game offered far more than competition. What began as a substitute for basketball quickly became a path toward self-awareness, community, and per...

How can pickleball open the door to joy, healing, and purpose at every age and ability level? In this episode, Dr. Jerry Brenniger shares his remarkable pickleball journey, from discovering the sport as a racquetball player with a vision challenge to becoming a USA Pickleball ambassador, senior competitor, and passionate advocate for adaptive athletes and older players. Dr. Jay talks about how one...

How can two brothers use pickleball to strengthen family, grow their faith community, and inspire the next generation of players? In this episode, brothers Ezekiel and Matthias Wagner share how a simple vacation discovery at a park in Southern California turned into a full family passion for pickleball. What started with borrowed paddles and casual games became something much bigger, leading to to...

How does a casual invitation to try pickleball turn into a life of international travel, officiating, and helping grow the sport around the world? In this episode, Ron Ponder shares how he first discovered pickleball in 2017 after a biking friend invited him to play, and how that simple introduction quickly led to a new calling. Ron talks about becoming a referee, serving as a USA Pickleball ambas...

How can a simple paddle and wiffle ball become a source of healing, resilience, and hope in the middle of war? In this deeply moving episode, Anna Glotova shares how pickleball entered her life while she was displaced from Ukraine and living in Poland, and how the game became a powerful source of community, support, and emotional recovery during one of the darkest periods of her life. Anna now div...

How can pickleball help heal heartbreak, spark new love, and even inspire a floating court in the middle of the water? In this episode, Riley Palmer, better known as Smiley Riley, shares her incredible pickleball journey from rebuilding her life after divorce to becoming a coach, mentor, USA Pickleball ambassador, and entrepreneur with a passion for growing the game. Riley opens up about how pickl...

How do you keep moving forward when Parkinson’s tries to rewrite your life? In this episode, Bob Gress shares his powerful journey from a lifetime of physical work and sports to facing the life-changing challenges of Parkinson’s disease. Bob opens up about the long road to diagnosis, the emotional toll of losing strength and mobility, and the turning point that came when his wife encouraged him to...

How can pickleball become a pathway to emotional healing, deeper connection, and greater peace of mind? In this episode, Dr. Lynn Yanni, a seasoned psychotherapist with more than 35 years of clinical experience, shares how pickleball opened the door to a whole new level of joy, connection, and personal growth after her knee replacements. What began as a new activity in her neighborhood quickly bec...

What happens when a Sopranos star discovers pickleball and starts a whole new wellness journey? In this episode, Joseph R. Gannascoli, best known for playing Vito Spatafore on HBO’s The Sopranos , shares his fascinating path from New York kitchens to television fame, and from celebrity life to food, health, and pickleball. Joe talks about working as a chef, landing his role on The Sopranos , creat...

How can pickleball help us stay active, prevent injuries, and keep doing what we love for years to come? In this episode, Dr. John Gallucci Jr., president and CEO of JAG Physical Therapy, shares how his lifelong passion for helping people heal and move better led him to bring his expertise to the pickleball world. With more than 30 years of experience as a physical therapist and athletic trainer,...

How can pickleball help us move from simply surviving to truly thriving? In this episode, Dr. Lee Baucom, self-described “Thrivologist,” shares what it means to thrive in life and how many of those same lessons show up on the pickleball court. With a background in therapy, coaching, relationships, and personal development, Lee explains why thriving is rooted in meaning, purpose, strong relationshi...

In this encore episode, professional pickleball player Megan Fudge shares the remarkable journey that took her from working in insurance during COVID to becoming one of the top-ranked women in professional pickleball. Megan talks about how she and her husband Ryler DeHeart first discovered pickleball, instantly fell in love with the sport, and built an entirely new life around competition, coachin...

How can pickleball and Costa Rica come together to create the ultimate wellness vacation for body, mind, and soul? In this episode, Mani Barajas Alexander of Pura Vida House in Costa Rica shares how he went from Division I tennis player and tennis entrepreneur to building one of the most unique pickleball vacation experiences in the world. Mani talks about buying the original Pura Vida House prope...

How can healing old patterns, shifting your energy, and becoming more aware of your thoughts help you step into your highest timeline on and off the pickleball court? In this episode, Cheryl Rempis, also known as Samara Rayne, shares her remarkable journey from mother-baby nursing into transformational mentoring, energy healing, and the creation of Timeline Catalyst. With more than 20 years of exp...

How can pickleball help adults over 50 play better, stay injury-free, and build more confidence both on and off the court? In this episode, CJ Johnson of Better Pickleball shares how a simple invitation from a friend in 2013 led her into a sport that would become both a passion and a mission. With nearly 40 years of coaching experience across skiing, golf, personal training, and multiple sports, C...

How can pickleball help heal trauma, bridge racial and economic divides, and bring hope to communities with almost no resources? In this episode, Sherry, also known as Eseosa Rain, shares one of the most powerful stories we’ve heard on Life Lessons from Pickleball. A military veteran, missionary, artist, and community builder, Sherry opens up about her service in the Air Force, the trauma and PTSD...

How can pickleball strengthen a relationship, carry you through cancer, and remind you that love, patience, and community matter more than winning? In this episode, Annemarie Riese and Terry Kisner share their heartfelt story of partnership on and off the pickleball court. Introduced to the game during COVID by Terry’s family in Hays, Kansas, they quickly fell in love with pickleball as a way to s...

How can pickleball become more than a sport and turn into a path for confidence, connection, gratitude, and personal transformation? In this episode, Jemuel “Jem” Morris shares the remarkable story of how a dead car battery in a parking lot led to a life-changing introduction to pickleball. What began as a simple request for a jump turned into an invitation to play with four of the best players on...

How did a comedian, actress, and author with “no eye-hand coordination” end up writing two pickleball romantic comedies and falling in love with the game? In this episode, Ilana Long shares her funny, fearless, and deeply relatable journey into comedy, storytelling, and pickleball. From writing humor pieces as a student to performing improv at Second City, doing stand-up, sketch comedy, and acting...

How can competitive tennis, mental toughness, and pickleball come together to teach you about courage, confidence, and defining success on your own terms? In this episode, Raj Chikkalingaiah shares his journey from picking up a racket as a young child in Corvallis, Oregon, to competing in tennis at a national level, playing collegiate tennis at Whitman College, and eventually finding his way into...

How can strength training, sports psychology, and pickleball help women in midlife and beyond build more confidence, mobility, and independence? In this episode, Linda Goos shares her remarkable journey from elite gymnast and Pac-10 all-decade honoree at Oregon State University to coach at the University of Washington, sports psychology professional, Microsoft marketing leader, and now founder of...