The Future of Pickleball

What does it really take for pickleball to go global — and make the Olympics? In Episode 87 of Future of Pickleball, host Paul Olson sits down with investigative pickleball journalist Erik Tice ( ‪@TheDinkPickleball‬ ) to break down the urgent need for a unified international governing body. 🚨 They discuss: The battle between the GPF, WPF, and IPF Why the 2032 Brisbane Olympics might be picklebal...

In this episode of Future of Pickleball, we dive into a game-changing conversation about the fast-growing world of senior professional pickleball—and why it’s becoming the heartbeat of the sport’s expansion.

In Episode 85 of The Future of Pickleball, host Paul Olson sits down with NFL quarterback-turned-pickleball-champion-for-change Jake “The Snake” Plummer for a powerful and wide-ranging conversation. Jake opens up about: 🏈 His journey from NFL stardom to discovering pickleball in his 40s 🎾 Why pickleball is the perfect sport for retired athletes and aging bodies 🧠 How paddle sports can help comb...

Welcome to Episode 84 of the Future of Pickleball podcast! In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Jen Ramamurthy, secretary general and Oceania continental director of the Global Pickleball Federation (GPF) and Justin Maloof, chief competition officer at USA Pickleball and USA representative for GPF. Jen and Justin discuss the origins of the GPF, the role of Australia and Oceania in its development,...

Welcome to Episode 83 of the Future of Pickleball podcast! In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Max Ade, the co-founder and CEO of Pickleheads, a technology platform designed to connect pickleball players and help organize games. They discuss the evolution of pickleball, the importance of technology in the sport, and how Pickleheads is addressing many challenges, including skill level matching, co...

Welcome to Episode 82 of The Future of Pickleball show! In this episode, Paul Olson talks all about the first meeting of the International Association of Pickleball Facilities (IAPF), which highlights the significance for pickleball facility operators. During this event, figures in the pickleball industry will discuss the benefits of the association, including best practices, insurance, and the gr...

Welcome to Episode 81 of The Future of Pickleball Show. In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Carl Foster, founder and event director for Foster Events Group, to discuss the upcoming World Pickleball Convention & Conference. Carl also discusses his pickleball journey, the importance of networking and media coverage in growing the sport, and the future of pickleball, including global governance,...

Welcome to Episode 80 of The Future of Pickleball podcast. In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Will Richards, founder and CEO of Dill Dinkers Pickleball. Will and Paul talk about the growth and development of Dill Dinkers, pickleball franchise models, market changes, the importance of programming, and customer base growth. Will also shares the growth of Dill Dinkers in China, Canada, Australia, a...

Welcome to Episode 79 of the Future of Pickleball show. In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Ron Ponder, pickleball referee, member of the USA Pickleball rules committee, and the chair of the Officiating Committee for the Global Pickleball Federation (GPF). Ron discusses his pickleball journey, how refereeing the sport has evolved over the years, rule changes, and the impact of paddle testing on g...

Welcome to Episode 78 of the Future of Pickleball Show! In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Scott Winters, co-founder of the Pickleball Management Group. Paul and Scott discuss the atmosphere at the US Open, the rollout courts, and how important player experience in pickleball events can be. Scott also shares his experience in racquetball and how it has formed his approach to pickleball, includin...

Welcome to Episode 77 of the Future of Pickleball podcast! In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes a panel of pickleball coaches: Mark Rennesion with Pickleball Coaching International (PCI), Dan Santorum with racketpro (RPO), Sarah Ansbury with the Professional Pickleball Registry (PPR), and Robert Elliott with the International Foundation of Players Academy (IFPA). The panel discusses their backgrou...

Welcome to Episode 76 of the Future of Pickleball show! In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Mark Renneson, founder of Pickleball Coaching International (PCI) and a key figure in pickleball coaching and education. Marks shares his journey from tennis coaching to pickleball, the importance of video in coaching, innovative approaches to teaching beginners, and the complexities of player ratings. The...

Welcome to Episode 75 of the Future of Pickleball Show! In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Dr. Rommie Maxey, co-owner of the Houston Hammers, a National Pickleball League (NPL) pro team. Dr. Maxey and Paul discuss the future of pickleball, including the effort to establish a global governing body to unify the sport internationally. He also shares his pickleball experience, including owning clubs...

Welcome to Episode 74 of the Future of Pickleball Show! In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Will Terry, professional illustrator and educator. He shares his experiences in pickleball, self-publishing, and how he came up with the idea of children's books centered around pickleball. Will's book series, Pickleball Paul, is a new way for children to learn about the sport of pickleball and encourages...

Welcome to Episode 73 of the Future of Pickleball show! In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes a panel of pickleball media leaders: The Dink Pickleball content writer Erik Tice, Forbes pickleball contributing writer Todd Boss, and The Pickleball Studio host Chris Olson. Together, they discuss the important role of media in maintaining integrity and transparency within the sport of pickleball, the im...

Welcome to Episode 72 of The Future of Pickleball show. In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Yui See Lau, Canada and China director of The Dink Minor League Pickleball and China director for DUPR, to talk about the growth of pickleball in China and Canada, exploring the cultural significance of the sport, the challenges faced in expanding its reach worldwide, and the role of organizations like the...

Welcome to Episode 71 of The Future of Pickleball show. In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes David Johnson, a pioneer in pickleball. David founded Pickleball Central and is a tournament director, former board member of USA Pickleball, and has launched a number of other pickleball-related businesses. They discuss current trends in pickleball equipment, global expansion, and investment opportunities...

Welcome to Episode 70 of the Future of Pickleball Show. In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Carl Schmitz, chief technology officer of USA Pickleball, to discuss the evolving landscape of pickleball paddle testing and standards in the sport of pickleball. Mr. Schmitz also shares his journey in pickleball, the importance of ASTM standards, the rapid technological advancements in pickleball equipmen...

Welcome to Episode 69 of The Future of Pickleball podcast! In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Byron Freso, director of international referee training & officiating at the Association of Pickleball Players (APP). Paul and Byron discuss Byron's sports background, when and why he transitioned to pickleball, and his role in refereeing and organizational sides of pickleball. Byron also shares his...

Welcome to Episode 68 of The Future of Pickleball Show! In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Dotti Berry and Jody Belsher, authors of "EmPOWER: Pickleball Stories that Inspire: A collection of stories of women of all ages, levels, beliefs and backgrounds who play pickleball," about the transformative power of pickleball for women. Pickleball's community aspect helps players of all kinds be empower...

Welcome to Episode 67 of The Future of Pickleball Show! In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Peter and Christine Burrows, founders of Pickleball Corporate Team Building (PB-CB). They share their journey from tennis to pickleball, how they started their business, and how pickleball can create a great team building environment. They also discuss how pickleball is a great fit to improve corporate com...

Welcome to Episode 66 of the Future of Pickleball Show! In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Selkirk co-owner and director of research & development (R&D) Tom Barnes about the company's advancements in pickleball technology and product development. Tom discusses traditional testing methods and how the standard has changed to a more quantitative approach. Plus, the importance of balancing p...

Welcome to Episode 65 of The Future of Pickleball Show. In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Frank Arico, co-founder of Pickleball England and one of the key figures developing pickleball across Europe. Frank made the transition from table tennis to pickleball before establishing Pickleball England, and he shares his journey and challenges in creating a unified European federation. Paul and Frank...

Welcome to Episode 64 of the Future of Pickleball Show. In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes AJ Jain, the founder of Pickleball Minds, a community for pickleball business owners. They discuss the global expansion of pickleball, upcoming pickleball events, and the importance of collaboration within the pickleball community. AJ also shares the efforts Pickleball Minds is making to help pickleball be...

Welcome to Episode 63 of the Future of Pickleball podcast! In this episode, Paul Olson talks with Dr. Kwabena Akufo, who has been working to grow pickleball in Africa. Dr. Akufo shares his journey: from discovering pickleball in the United States, to establishing the sport in Ghana during the COVID pandemic, and eventually forming the Confederation of African Pickleball. He talks about the success...