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 pickleball through media, product reviews, interviews, travel, and advocacy for the 50-plus player. 

Mike talks about creating the Senior Pickleball Report, helping connect players and brands through the Pickleball Manufacturers Association, and why the senior pickleball community remains the foundation of the sport. He also reflects on the importance of warming up, staying active as we age, and the surprising ways pickleball creates belonging, purpose, and community. 

This is a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about senior pickleball, off-grid living, simplicity, community, aging well, purposeful work, and the life lessons that come from building a life that is both unplugged and deeply connected. 

VAiR: https://www.vairified.com/

NPCA: https://ncpaofficial.com/

Sleeves website: https://sleeves-spr.com

PMA: https://pmaapproved.com/

Daily Travel: https://dailey-travels.com/

📘 Our book Life Lessons from Pickleball™ is now available on Amazon

Order the book here: https://a.co/d/0bHPFYve

A collection of short, true stories from players around the world about community, resilience, and joy through the game of pickleball.

A portion of proceeds supports Operation PaddleLift, through the Global Pickleball Federation, distributing paddles, balls and nets to underserved communities around the world.

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Music gifted to us by Ian Pedersen: @ianpedersen 

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