Claim OwnershipLife Lessons from Pickleball™
Subscribed: 5Played: 91
Subscribe
© 2026 Life Lessons from Pickleball™
Description
Meet Shelley and Sher, the dynamic duo, who found more than just a sport on the Pickleball court - they discovered how Pickleball was weaving its magic, creating connections, boosting confidence, and sprinkling their lives with amazing joy. Inspired by their own personal transformation and the contagious enthusiasm of their fellow players, they knew this was more than a game. Join them on their weekly podcast as they serve up engaging conversations with people from all walks of life, and all around the world reaching across the net to uncover the valuable Life Lessons from Pickleball™.
103 Episodes
Reverse
What if pickleball could change an entire community and even a country? In this inspiring episode, we welcome Zacharie, a pioneer of pickleball in Rwanda who is transforming lives through the power of sport. What began as a chance discovery during COVID quickly became a mission that led Zacharie to build one of the first pickleball courts in Rwanda and grow the game from just a handful of players to a thriving movement. Zacharie shares how pickleball is helping reduce alcohol consumption, emp...
What if the only reason you played sports was because it was fun? Alice Tym’s story is a masterclass in courage, action, and joy. From starting a women’s tennis team at the University of Florida when none existed, to competing on the international tennis circuit and reaching a world ranking of 13, Alice has spent a lifetime creating opportunities where there were none. A Hall of Fame collegiate coach and founding member of U.S. Senior Pickleball, Alice continues to compete and win at the high...
What if pickleball became the one thing that carried you through cancer and then helped you change lives around the world? Mark Palm, founder of Samaritan Aviation, shares his incredible journey from mission pilot to USA Pickleball National Champion. After a cancer diagnosis, pickleball became his lifeline physically, mentally, and emotionally. Today, Mark is not only saving lives in remote villages in Papua New Guinea through life-saving flights, but also introducing pickleball to kids playi...
Pickleball continues to bring people together in powerful ways. Randy Fuller is a founding partner of Rally Pickleball Club in Auburn, Washington, a new indoor facility created to give players a place to play, connect, and grow the game in the Pacific Northwest. Randy shares how a love of racquet sports and a simple invitation to play pickleball led to launching a 14-court indoor club built around community, accessibility, and fun for players of all ages and skill levels. In this conversation...
Susan “Dinkerbell” Swern joins us for a powerful conversation about pickleball, purpose, and global impact. As founder of the Pickleball for Good Fund, Susan shares the mission to accelerate access to recreational pickleball in under-resourced communities through grantmaking, partnerships, and a global volunteer network. In this episode, she talks about Operation PaddleLift and her recent journey through East Africa, where she personally delivered paddles, balls, and portable nets to help spa...
What if a simple paddle and ball could change the future of an entire community? In this powerful episode, we welcome Coach Andy from Uganda, founder of Pickleball Kids Uganda and Growing the Game for Girls Uganda. Using pickleball as a bridge, Andy is helping disadvantaged girls find safety, belonging, and new purpose through sport and vocational training. From early pregnancy and poverty to welding, tailoring, and renewed hope, these girls are learning that they are all winners. This conver...
Kelsea Thompson, Director of PickleCon, joins us to share how one of the largest pickleball festivals in the country is bringing players of all ages and levels together under one roof. From 40+ courts and glow-in-the-dark tournaments to adaptive play and national networking, PickleCon is more than an event, it is a celebration of community. Kelsea also opens up about her personal recovery after a serious accident and how pickleball helped her rebuild strength and perspective. This conve...
Thomas Yelloweyes, founder of Night Train Pickleball, shares one of the most powerful transformation stories we’ve heard. After growing up in foster care and later living out of his car during a season of searching, Thomas found something unexpected on a pickleball court: community, purpose, and a renewed sense of identity. Today, as an IPTPA and PPR certified coach who has led more than 250 clinics nationwide, he helps players build games that don’t break by focusing on confidence, resilienc...
Will Parton shares how a major life move and starting over in a new country led him to discover the true power of the pickleball community. As a lifelong racquet sport athlete, Will found connection through pickleball and turned that experience into innovation by creating Hitch, an app designed to help players find partners, games, and meaningful community. In this episode, we talk about belonging, entrepreneurship, technology that enhances human connection, and how pickleball makes it easier...
We are honored to share that Mani Barajas-Alexander is featured in our new book, Life Lessons from Pickleball™ and as this episode airs, Sher and Shelley are experiencing Pura Vida at Mani’s place in Costa Rica. In this special encore conversation, Mani shares how Pura Vida House became far more than a luxury villa. It is a thoughtfully designed pickleball experience that blends movement, connection, nature, and the Pura Vida lifestyle. From morning pickleball sessions and world-class instruc...
How do you rewrite your life one step at a time when you feel stuck in a body and mindset that no longer feel like your own? In this episode, Brian Montgomery shares one of the most inspiring transformation stories we’ve heard on Life Lessons from Pickleball. After years of putting himself last, Brian found himself close to 390 pounds, struggling physically, and facing serious health concerns. But instead of waiting for the perfect moment, he started walking, setting small goals, building con...
In this uplifting episode, Audrey Phillips, a psychotherapist of more than five decades, shares how she has built joyful community through pickleball, travel, and connection. Audrey reflects on how she fell in love with the game, why pickleball creates a rare sense of equality on the court, and what she has learned about staying vibrant and positive as we age. You’ll also hear the heart behind her legendary all-inclusive pickleball adventures that bring players of all ages and skill levels to...
How can pickleball become both a high-level competitive sport and a joyful creative expression of mind, body, and spirit? In this episode, senior pro Rachael Kroog shares her extraordinary pickleball journey, from the moment her 79-year-old father introduced her to the game to winning national titles, competing around the world, and continuing to play at a 5.0 level. Rachel talks about how her background as a college tennis player and multi-sport athlete helped her fall in love with picklebal...
What happens when someone living off the grid in a yurt becomes one of the most connected voices in senior pickleball? In this episode, Mike "Sleeves" Sliwa shares his fascinating journey from leaving the traditional teaching path to building a life rooted in simplicity, intentional community, and freedom in rural New Mexico. Living in a hand-painted Mongolian yurt with his wife, Mike has chosen a life far from the usual hustle, yet he has become deeply involved in the growing world of pickle...
In this engaging episode, we sit down with Scott Manthorne, author of The Pickleball Effect, to explore how this “silly game with a silly name” is quietly changing lives around the world. Scott shares powerful stories from his book, connecting pickleball to community, relevance, and human connection across generations and backgrounds. From military veterans to touring musicians and adaptive athletes, this conversation is a reminder that pickleball is far more than a sport. It’s a place where ...
In this moving conversation, Sandy Smith shares how pickleball became a source of strength, healing, and deep connection after her cancer journey. A pickleball player, coach, referee, and community leader, Sandy reflects on resilience, belonging, and the power of community on and off the court. Her story is a heartfelt reminder that we are far more alike than we are different, and that sometimes the smallest pickleball court holds the biggest life lessons. Reach Sandy at: ...
What happens when a competitive 5.0 player realizes medals aren’t the point anymore? 🏅➡️💛Aaron Trost, founder of Pickleball Planter, has taken pickleball to 14 countries, from youth camps in Ukraine 🇺🇦 to packed courts across Southeast Asia 🌏 using the game to bridge cultures, faiths, and hardship. In this episode, he shares funny stories, powerful moments, and the life lesson that shifted him from chasing wins to serving others. 💚✨You’ll leave inspired and seeing pickleball in a whole new wa...
Sean McCoy joins us to share a heartfelt journey from military service to mental health counseling, and how pickleball helped him rediscover play, belonging, and connection. We explore how the game can be used in therapy, why “you are enough” matters, and the healing courage behind his path forward. This conversation is full of hope, honesty, and reminders that life really is a team sport. Listen now http://www.lifelessonsfrompickleballpodcast.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/4seanmccoy/ #Pick...
Mike Branon, bestselling author of Pickleball and the Art of Living and The Joy of Pickleball, joins us to share how positive dinking, mindset, and reinvention shape a meaningful life on and off the court. From discovering pickleball by chance to embracing joy and aging with curiosity, Mike brings a gentle mix of humor, warmth, and insight to this conversation. He reminds us that connection, presence, and a positive spirit can change the way we play—and the way we live. A heartfelt, uplifting...
Melinda Alcosser, educator, coach, drummer, and founder of With Heart Travel, shares how pickleball, connection, and intentional travel have shaped her life and sparked meaningful projects from Punta Cana to Uganda. Melinda shows how joy, presence, and curiosity aren’t just part of pickleball they are a way of living. This inspiring, thoughtful conversation will leave you seeing the game, and the world, in a whole new way. Listen now at http://www.lifelessonsfrompickleballpodcast.com https://...
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States