There is another side to your game – and there’s plenty to be proud of I want you to list all the things you do not do well as a pickleball player – or that you could do better. Things that frustrate you or that you “cannot just get.” Actually, hold on for a moment before you start writing your list and hear me out. The moment you read the above words “the things I do not do well” I imagine your brain flooded with things. We are always primed to respond to everything we do wrong. Let’s take that...
Aug 16, 2024•18 min
As we move forward, we will be in a different place every time. Ask yourself, am I the same player I was an year ago? When you're working on a part of your game that you're trying to get better at, you're trying to get closer to the solution to the problem so you need to engage in iterations. It's processing it again and again and repeating it to help you improve faster and better. In this episode we talk about iteration in two contexts; 1) Your improvement 2) You as a player Then I'm going to b...
Aug 09, 2024•22 min
Game plan is super valuable because it's human nature to make errors. The better that you get at the big picture view of pickleball and your relationship with sport, the better you understand the perspective and the less likely you are to tip over into a downward spiral. Mental work will help you play better and have more fun. For instance, try and listen to a podcast when you're on the way to the courts. In this episode I share words from Lynne (thank you Lynne) about her training with us, and ...
Aug 02, 2024•19 min
Pickleball is beautiful, amazing and with loads of benefits. The biggest of them all being you'll be a happier human being, just from playing pickleball. But sometimes we get lost or lose perspective of the game. The game that you choose to play helps you frame how you deal with adversity when you're playing. Also how do you stop being a 12-year-old? I'm going to share with you a personal story that happened recently to me so you don't want to miss that in the RIFF. Find the answers to your pick...
Jul 26, 2024•23 min
Here is a link to the study press release through Saint Louis University that gives more information about the study and includes a link so you can participate in the study: https://m.slu.edu/alumni/news/detail?feed=rss_newslink&id=f818d3a4-62d3-50b5-9ac6-77ab1241d446
Jul 23, 2024•13 min
Brought to you ad free by The Better Pickleball Academy Find the answers to your pickleball questions here: BetterPickleball.com/Academy You never see a sad pickleball player when they win. But when they lose? Depends, but for many a losing day is a sad (or bad, disappointing, etc.) day. Should it be? The answer is a resounding “No!” If you are like most, you have developed your sports’ mind around “win, good – lose, bad.” The reality, however, is that our relationship with sport is more nuanced...
Jul 19, 2024•22 min
Get your FREE ticket to the 100% online Pickleball Summit here. We asked for your pet peeves. Over 300 players answered the call and shared them with us. Many of the pet peeves shared with us were rules issues: line calls, illegal serves and just generally not following the rules. On the surface, maybe it is ok to feel this way. It is just a part of who we are or how we see things and leave it at that. But scratch the surface and you find that there is, in fact, a cost to allowing your mind to b...
Jul 12, 2024•23 min
Join us for the Summit. 25+ presenters - all top players, coaches, and experts in their field. Over 15,000 players - all there to learn and enjoy this amazing sport. What else is there to say? Get your FREE ticket here . In case it does not open, copy and paste this into your browser: https://www.pickleballsummit.com/?sc=rp6M5znR&ac=4hdUUS01
Jul 09, 2024•8 min
I recently got into the Wordle craze (a bit late I know). Got me to thinking though – why do we like games like Wordle, Crosswords, Sudoku, etc.? And does this same thought process apply to pickleball? Start here: why do we play a game like Wordle? Is it because of the game’s solution? The solution, itself, is what we are after. Or is it because of the work it takes to get to the solution? The solution is relevant because we are working toward it, but the reason for the game is the steps it take...
Jul 05, 2024•22 min
We all get advice – YouTube, friendly local player, partner. What do we do with it? Step 1: Remember that you have agency over your pickleball journey. This means that you get to decide whether to take the tip or say “get that outta here” (note – you can say it in your mind). Here’s the thing: 45% of the advice you hear out there is plain wrong. And 54% of the advice may be right in the general sense of the term, but it is not right for you at this stage (wrong for a different reason). That leav...
Jun 28, 2024•19 min
To be a complete pickleball player you need a third shot drop. Seems simple enough but, as with many things in life, once you scratch at it a little you find out that it is not quite that simple. Before players start losing their mind reading the next words, let me make this one thing clear: in a hypothetical, what do you need to play a complete pickleball game, the third shot drop plays an important role. That is not the point of this article. Rather, the point is that a third shot drop alone i...
Jun 21, 2024•21 min
We are friends. Playing a pickleball game. One of us will win and one of us will lose. That is just the way of things. Imagine a world where you went into the game like this: 1. I know that no matter what, either my team or my friends opposite me on the court will be able to celebrate the win. 2. I also know that no matter what, the other one of us will walk away with something to add to their games. I was reminded of this take on the succinct, “win or learn” idea this past weekend at the conclu...
Jun 14, 2024•11 min
I was reminded of an important concept speaking to one of our team members who is a volleyball player converted to pickleball. The conversation went something like this (group setting): Me: “Hard to lob Emily as she can get up in the air.” Emily: “Yeah and I even like to jump when I do not have to.” Me: “I’ve seen it. Ball can be at Emily’s head height and she is full in the air smashing that ball.” Emily: “It makes me happy to jump like that.” Me: “Good point. Happiness is paramount (or words t...
Jun 07, 2024•18 min
Your Relationship with Pickleball Much of the information available about pickleball has to do with the details: How do I hit a certain shot? What is the latest paddle thing going on? What is the rule about [__________]? There are many fewer resources that tackle our relationship with pickleball. The term “relationship” is one we use very intentionally. If you are reading these words, then you are more than just a once in a while player of the sport called pickleball. Rather, you are someone who...
Jun 05, 2024•14 min
Is losing 3-11 not fun for you? It might be - depending on how you look at it PLUS Too old or unskilled to play pickleball? You just got done playing 6 games, never scoring more than 3 points in a game. I try to share come encouragement by saying to you “It’s not the end of the world.” You agree but then add “But it’s less fun.” Is it less fun? Let’s talk about it. Oftentimes when we are thinking through arguably negative situations, like not scoring more than 3 points in a game for 6 games in a...
May 31, 2024•18 min
In this triple episode we address three different areas; things in the PPA that merits some conversation, hardwiring concept and, in the RIFF, we talk about putting your finger on the paddle. 1. On the PPA experience, I was watching two matches and I observed how flaws in the mental game spill over into your physical performance, shot making, execution, your thinking and ultimately decision making. There are good examples from those matches that I share with you in this episode. It's very import...
May 24, 2024•24 min
I had a chance to read this new book on the market, The Pickleball Mindset, that's written by my fellow senior professional, pickleball player, Dayne Gingrich, and his co-author, Jill Martin. One really powerful concept that Dayne and Jill address is to stop "chasing the win" and find your purpose. If you listen to this podcast you know we are big fans of defining our relationship with this sport and why we play pickleball. Thus my biggest takeaway was the idea of pre-accepting that anything can...
May 22, 2024•13 min
The journey to be a more well-rounded player can be filled with distractions that pull you in different directions, that are not as productive as others, the Erne being a good example. When you watch the Erne in action in pro matches, you'll find that it's of very limited strategic value. What's an Erne? In this episode I explain to you what that is, why it's not an effective shot, and unless you're super excited about it, I would suggest putting it on pause and really think about it, again. Bec...
May 17, 2024•23 min
Is everything fast and hard? This week we turn towards a strategy concept. It's something I've been working on recently based on a question that's frequently asked - is the soft game dead? And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do. The soft game is alive and is being used by those who know how to use it well, to win...
May 10, 2024•23 min
This week we wrap up the series on setting the right baseline for yourself. The key here is basically grounding ourselves in reality to evaluate our performance in a good and healthy way. And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do. I share with you a quick side story I was reminded of that has nothing to do with pick...
May 03, 2024•20 min
What is this Pickleball Therapy podcast all about? In one word: you. In 3 words: your pickleball improvement. In 16 words: You enjoying the fullest, healthiest, and best relationship with this awesome sport that we all love. If that sounds interesting to you, join us inside the podcast. You can watch it here or listen to it on Apple, Spotify, and all podcast platforms. See you on the inside.
May 01, 2024•3 min
We had an opportunity to sit down with Mark Lashley, the CEO of UTR Sports. They have been in the ratings game for a long time & in this episode he explains why ratings and rankings matter. And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do. A rating and a ranking creates level-based play so no matter what level you're a...
Apr 30, 2024•27 min
There's a baseline appropriate for us based on where we are right now. Why? Because the baseline is supposed to keep us in reality. It's meant to ground us in the modality of our situation. A baseline is like a snapshot of your performance. You can, ofcourse, improve in the future and move your baseline with some work, a focus on your game and growth. And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed ...
Apr 26, 2024•21 min
Are you asking the right questions when setting the baseline for yourselves? In this episode we dive deep into setting the baseline for ourselves and understanding the realities of the game. And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do. It's important that you resist the temptation to compare yourself to the other play...
Apr 19, 2024•21 min
I had the pleasure of interviewing Eric Brynes, a very passionate player & former Major League baseball player. Eric talks to us about his journey as a pickleball player, his book and more! And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do. The beauties of our pickleball is seeing many folks with different backgrounds, ...
Apr 16, 2024•41 min
This week we go deep in defining our metrics to analyze games we've played. How do we ask questions or frame ourselves in a correct and more constructive way of thinking about performance? Start working on asking yourself, did I do the best that I could in that situation from my performance standpoint? And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscri...
Apr 12, 2024•18 min
There are serious losses that we encounter that's part of being alive. If your favorite team did not win a contest, it's not an upset and does not mean that anybody suffered a loss. It just means that the contest ended with one team having more points, or other defining measurement of that sport, than the other team. That's why in this week's episode we're talking about how we reference losing sporting events. And as always, thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to ...
Apr 05, 2024•13 min
We've had great conversations with our therapists that we will share here. One of our therapist talks about the importance of the mental game as we age & the mental and physical challenges. How do we deal with those as we get older? Here's my take; - As we get older, we have to be cognizant of life, the change in our bodies and our mind because it can change our ability to, for instance, stay focused for longer. - Use the FOSS approach of understanding the game to understand what you can do ...
Apr 03, 2024•17 min
Playing a tournament but are not sure what to choose? We've got your covered in this special episode. You can confidently make your selection, knowing that there is a cogent reason you are doing so. Your opponents will likely be baffled. But you will know - and that's what matters. Join us here for our awesome tournament class: https://betterpickleball.com/tournament-play/
Apr 02, 2024•10 min
You become a fierce competitor by applying something specific to your mind. When we are playing out there, there are times when we're going to be in trouble. What do we do in that situation? Thanks for joining us on Pickleball Therapy - the podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. If you have not yet subscribed to the podcast ... wait what?? you haven't subscribed? ... you know what to do. Now I was reminded of the never say die mindset thought process in watching a PPA finals match bet...
Mar 29, 2024•21 min
