Learn from the most creative player in pickleball: @thejackmunro joins the pod. We dive into his origin story of being the youngest ever 5.0 player (before ALW), how he got dubbed “Junior Mint” (just don’t call him that anymore), how his hands got so fast, how he likes to train, where his content strategy comes from and how to fix a backhand. Jill and KW break down the dollars and “sense” of signing a PPA contract for a player like Grayson Goldin. We do a deep dive on why a pro player who isn’t ...
Jun 10, 2025•1 hr 25 min
The #1 Female Player on the APP, recent record-breaking 70 medal winner, mother of two (plus a pup), and Jill's doubles partner, Megan Fudge joins the pod! Finally!! Megan weighs in on winning, training, traveling the world and parenthood in an RV?!? Find out the secret to her endless energy. Also, Jill and KW break down the US Open experience. The highs and the lows and the McGyver job K-Dubby had to do in the middle of the event! Also, APP Cincy where Megan broke her record in style with a GOL...
May 17, 2025•1 hr 22 min
The #1 Player on the APP, recent TRIPLE CROWN winner, Will Howells joins the pod to discuss how he got into pickleball, how he got so good so fast, and what he learned from his MLP Finals loss to build on this year. Hear what he's learned from some of his past partners, which has included: Anna Leigh Waters, JW Johnson, Jack Munro...and Jilly B, of course! Find out how he's risen to the top spot (and stayed there). Also, Jill and KW break down the upcoming US Open. Take a look at the brackets an...
Apr 26, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Did Anna Bright make a huge mistake?! Jill and K-Dubs break down what happened, what it means for the field and which partnerships we might be seeing in the future. Find out which host got hospitalized last week. APP Fort Recap. Is dinking dead? Learn how The Fort is setting a Guiness Book of World Records. *ALW/CP Losses Since 2024: 1. "Girlies" Austin - March 2024 2. "Girlies" Atlanta - Sept 2024 3. "Girlies" Worlds - Nov 2024 4. Callie/Etta Texas - March 2025 5. Jorja/Tyra North Carolina - Ap...
Apr 14, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 60
Is PWR the biggest scam ever in pickleball? Here are the facts: you be the judge. Are we going to see a 20mm prize money purse in 2026?! We think so! Register for The Fort - April 2: https://book.playthefort.com/programs/master-class-with-app-pro-jill-braverman-co-ed-2sessionRegister for Montclair, NJ May 20-21: https://www.montclairpickleballbc.com/jill-braverman-pro-campsSEGMENTS:00:00 Intro1:10 Is this pickleball’s hottest new paddle? 4:13 Fort Lauderdale & NJ clinics added! 6:07 Dr. Cynt...
Mar 17, 2025•54 min•Season 1Ep. 59
Power Play LA Fire Fundraiser: https://lapbunited.com Giveaways, Camps, Toxic Masculinity and who's the bottom of the barrel when it comes to Revenue share to the players of any pro sport? (Spoiler alert: it's not Pickleball). We share our favorite comments from last pod (shout out to D-Jones). Whos the latest to get signed by the UPA and who's next? Plus, it's Gold and Silver in Daytona Beach and who's on the court with Jilly B in Sacramento? Tune in to find out. It's Pod 58, and pickleball is ...
Feb 28, 2025•1 hr 36 min
One of the leading minds in the pickleball business (Sean Bollettieri) joins the pod today to discuss building facilities, the pro leagues, the future of equipment, and his thoughts on how tennis and pickleball need each other. Join the debate: Is pickleball a real SPORT? Plus, a breakdown of Jill's double gold weekend in Fort Lauderdale. It's Pod 57, and pickleball is still heaven.MLP new rules breakdown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzfjWuaiyzk https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8115613769?pwd=bWgdN...
Feb 08, 2025•1 hr 31 min•Season 1Ep. 57
TOM BARNES PB STUDIO IV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-8HC0KgGek PB Breakdown Drills Link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlh2Itp3Y5wLHLJXWrVNURk0KzMlFSokB&si=uDjyOD1k6hZuusOt Two weeks after "Tweetstorm" Jill and K-Dubs address the UPA “Executive” responses calling Jill a “grudge holding liar”. We answer listener questions and recap playing with Jill's sister at the PPA Masters. Don’t miss the APP "Fort" Preview. It's Pod 56: Can Pro Pickleball be Fixed? SEGMENTS: 0:00 Intro/ Hesaco...
Jan 21, 2025•1 hr 23 min•Season 1Ep. 56
Is Pro Pickleball (at least the UPA, aka MLP & PPA) a house of cards ready to fall? They've burned through the cash from their "$75 million" blockbuster merger just 10 months ago, and a bridge loan of $10mm is needed by January 15 for the entity to meet its obligations. What does this means for team owners, investors and shareholders (like Jill) and will we see a repeat of salary wars in 1.5 years when player contracts come up? Jill & Kristin also catch you up on all things "Paddlegate 5...
Jan 02, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 55
From CEO to National Champ in 2 years, Jill breaks down every match from Nationals (Gold and Bronze!) and explains how she broke the 3 Game Curse. Plus, we interview the International King Pin Himself, Pranav Kohli, CEO of PWR (Pickleball World Rankings). Find out exactly what's in store for 2025 on the international scene and the unique obstacles to bringing the sport to the billions in Asia. Can you guess how much he's trying to charge for a pickleball paddle? Also, oracle prediction: Tour War...
Nov 29, 2024•1 hr 46 min•Season 1Ep. 54
kineon.io (code Jillypb) pbgods.com Reignstormtastetest.com Follow Val DiLuggo @yourpickleballtherapist https://www.instagram.com/yourpickleballtherapist/ jillianbraverman.com/stack Pickleball therapist Val Dillugo joins Jilly B & Kdubs to offer advice on how to play with a loved one. She also addresses how best to handle unsolicited coaching advice. Jilly B & Kdubs catch you up on their whirlwind past five weeks, including a Gold medal in Dallas & a missed MLP playoff opportunity. T...
Nov 10, 2024•1 hr 35 min•Season 1Ep. 53
Fistfights on the pickle court! Oh my! The MLP waiver wire is like a game of hot potato. Think like a pro, play like a pro. Find out Jill's secret to success in Virginia Beach (#1 in the player stats) and her gold medal in APP Columbus Women's Open. How do you right the ship in the storm and come out ahead when things are NOT going your way. jillianbraverman.com/stack SEGMENTS: 0:00 Coming Up 1:38 What is Lizard Pickleball? 6:00 What is “worldly” about Worlds?! 9:40 Why are all the serve rules d...
Oct 14, 2024•56 min•Season 1Ep. 52
Lots of laughs in this episode as Jilly B and K Dubs tackle the past 2 weeks of APP, DINKsanity and the Gamma Classic in Pittsburg. Find out the secret training aid Jill is starting to use for faster hands and less wear and tear on the body. What are the 6 questions you should ask before facing off against EVERY opponent? And can playing more Singles actually improve your doubles game? Find out all that and more in episode 51 of This Pickleball Life. Join the Joyriders. jillybpickleball.com/camp...
Sep 21, 2024•53 min•Season 1Ep. 51
Tom Barnes (Selkirk's head of R&D) RIPS into the PPA/UPA on new and old paddle testing. Here's some select phrases from the letters: "Uncouth" 2x "Unprofessional" 5x "Incompetent" 2x "Gaslighting" 2x "Conflict(s) of interest" 5x "Limited/lack/rough/No understanding" 4x Needless to say, What does it mean and why now? This coming on the heels of USAP unveiling new pbCOR testing themselves, it's going to be a wild 4th quarter to 2024 and we're here for it. Cheers to you, Joy Riders, 50 episodes...
Aug 30, 2024•49 min•Season 1Ep. 50
It's been a year since the Kansas City Player Signings...is pickleball any better? Or worse? Jilly B and K Dubs answer the burning questions: -Will pickleball ever get to the Olympics? Maybe not, but it's in the Jewish Olympics! -Paddle Talk: Jill asks Carl "WHERE IS THE "delisted" LIST? -One of the most important "Dear Jilly B's" yet: Why is it so easy to lose to worse players? -And are the toes (yes, your toes) really the secret to unlocking your true potential? Plus a recap on back-to-back ML...
Aug 15, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 49
The Pro for the Pros - Scott Crandall joins the pod (via kidnapping) and educates us all on how to take your game strategy from zero to hero. "You don’t need to beat the guy, you just need to beat one player" "Develop the skills to earn the right to hit it hard" "The person getting it down is winning" "Whoever handles the conditions better is 50% of the entire match" "The less you’re going to watch your opponent the safer shot you better be hitting" "If it’s not working, do it better" SEGMENTS 0...
Aug 02, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 48
We give you the rundown on MLP Beer City including hot takes on the “worst line call in pickleball history”. And what does the UPA’s announcement about five new international events in 2025 really mean? Hint: more tour wars are coming! Don’t miss a very special guest, MLP Bay Area Breakers Team Owner Geoff Nguyen joins Jill & Kristin to discuss how he acquired an MLP team, his draft strategy, and the best player personalities he’s had on his team. All that and more on “Patio Road Pod” #47 an...
Jul 24, 2024•1 hr 27 min•Season 1Ep. 47
APP CMO Tom Webb joins Kristin and Jill to discuss all things professional pickleball. The APP is now home to the most pros anywhere and does NOT consider themselves a “feeder” tour. The APP does, however, look at “other” tours as “exhibition tours” (shots fired!). Tom breaks down the shocking truth about viewership numbers in pickleball and poses an answer to the question we all want to know: is their enough air for the multiple competing entities in pickleball to all survive 3, 5, 10 years dow...
Jul 15, 2024•1 hr 32 min•Season 1Ep. 46
Find out what USAP CEO Mike Nealy has to say about their side of the JOOLA dispute as Jill and Kristin dive deep with Nealy on all things ratings, memberships, governing bodies, the international game, and of course, the bifurcation of the sport. Become a Member of USAP: https://usapickleball.org/memberships/ SEGMENTS:0:00 Coming Up14:52 Ratings/Memberships25:20 Who Names a Governing Body Anyway?32:51 Nealy’s take on Paddle Testing48:00 Bifurcation and the Future Survival50:00 Pickleball Serves5...
Jul 08, 2024•57 min•Season 1Ep. 45
Get a peek behind the curtain from the MLP Waiver Wire mind games and madness. From being offered $50k to play, to $0, find out what went down for the five women who entered the “shuffle draft”. Plus, Jill’s sister writes pod listeners a love letter. And go behind the scenes with us at Gamma HQ in Pittsburgh. Don’t miss our newest segment, “Paddle Talk”, as we dissect all the recent drama around paddles (including fallen stickers!). All this and more on Pod 44…. pickleballsuperstore.com/jillyb G...
Jun 28, 2024•1 hr 28 min•Season 1Ep. 44
Special guest Jason Aspes, President of the UPA, joins TPL Pod to answer questions about pro player Andrei Daescu’s $50,000 fine and 60-day suspension, the future of UPA’s paddle certification process (to rival USAP’s), and the need for a strong governing body to protect pickleball. Find out what JOOLA the pros were playing at PPA Sacramento that looked like, smelled like, and sounded A LOT like the Alpha (which has been de-listed from USAP’s approved paddle list, ergo also PPA?). Is it true tha...
Jun 09, 2024•1 hr 22 min•Season 1Ep. 43
The APP unveils a new format, the “Shuffle” and Jilly takes home the silver. Paddle Quest 2.0 has come to an end: tune in to find out which wand Jill has chosen. Which players are getting fired from their UPA contracts? Is the Gen 3 in or out? And does Daescu’s paddle tampering punishment fit the crime? Plus, a biodegradable ball?! Say what? If you’re an active pod listener will you send us an email with your birthday or any special announcement so we can announce it on the pod? thispblife@gmail...
May 30, 2024•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 42
*The Year of PEDs, Propulsion Paddles and Pine Tar Ok we’ve got an update on BANNED paddles, including WHICH paddles companies are NEXT on USAP’s hit list. Which player stands accused of putting a pine tar like substance on his paddle and how can the UPA actually leverage this? Why did certain players perform so poorly in MLP and maybe most importantly…What does TWO governing bodies mean for the sport? It’s pod 41 and Pickleball is under the gun If you’re an active pod listener will you send us ...
May 21, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 41
It’s been a YEAR since our last Recovery Podcast and we are coming at you with the BEST performance optimization and bio hacks we have found since then. These are our golden trade secrets and we are giving them up to you. Note: if you are a professional pickleball player listening to this podcast, just stop. Nothing is here for you! All of the hacks and supplements listed on Jillybpickleball.com under the “Discounts” Tab https://www.businessinsider.com/chart-american-sugar-consumption-2012-2 If ...
May 07, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Season 1Ep. 40
This is the most loaded podcast we’ve done in a LONG time—we’ll give you all the juicy drama around the JOOLA Gen 3 paddles failing at Los Cab and what those paddles, and other power paddles, mean for our sport— and how we think that the UPA-the newly formed umbrella company for MLP and PPA—is actually for sale and we reveal who the prospective buyer could be—lastly, we have an update on quite a few older and very important podcast topics, like the sexual harassment lawsuit against USAP and Donn...
Apr 26, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 39
MLP Draft Grades, APP Delray, Playing w/ the (second?) Best Player in the World and visiting the Julie Johnson Academy! Plus, how to REALLY make the most of your partner's 3rd Shot. If you want to support the pod, rate us on Apple and Spotify Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6FeLj0DGLf9pavY0o9qi5r?si=hkYQ4sIgSRmbmxg-6Kl-fw Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-pickleball-life/id1678021752 Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@jillybpickleball https://tinyur...
Apr 12, 2024•1 hr 26 min•Season 1Ep. 38
Pod Notes and Discount Codes What do high school dating and pickleball have in common? The “Buyout” Scandal? Is it a scandal? Who is the new king of pickleball? Or is he a giant? What is the number 1 determinant for longevity…in life and in pickleball. DRAFT UPDATE…dynamic bidding explained and how will contract variance affect the draft? What is the best thing to happen to the color purple since Barney? All that and more in POD 37 as well as this full theme song, back by popular demand. Mizuno ...
Mar 26, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 37
In the episode: MLP MERGER, aka the "Red Wedding" and upcoming MLP Draft, APP Sac Town and Jill's Gold and Bronze performance. Also, what does CARD COUNTING have in common with Pickleball? How to become a right side queen and also how to hit perfect Speed ups. Don't miss this one, you'll be a 5.0 by the end! ------------------------------- If you want to support the pod, rate us on Apple and Spotify Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6FeLj0DGLf9pavY0o9qi5r?si=hkYQ4sIgSRmbmxg-6Kl-fw...
Mar 13, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Season 2Ep. 36
Ruk Contest: https://www.instagram.com/p/C32rUKKC_V7/ Ruk Bundle (use code JILLYB15): https://rukpack.com/collections/bundle-save/products/ruk-pickleball-bundle Get behind the scenes of the singles day that almost didn't happen last week at PPA Mesa. Find out what it was like to return Anna Leigh’s new “side spin volleyball” serve. We reveal the ultimate secret to "winning partnerships" and which geography in the US is killing it in producing the best pro pickleball players. We also let you in o...
Feb 28, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 35
Check out our discount codes below! And don't forget to enter the giveaway by telling us your favorite lyric from the original theme song (listen to any episode from 2023), or veto the song by commenting "White girls can't rap" for a chance to win one of two PBGods.com Pickleball Is Joy Tumblers. Congrats to our big winners! Still looking for JohnEsposito6141 and JoeCouch5427. Email us at thispblife@gmail.com to claim your prize! Enhanced Games: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/jun/24/aust...
Feb 12, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 34