Life Lessons from Pickleball™

What happens when pickleball enters a maximum-security prison?

In this powerful episode, John Coray shares how a simple invitation led him to bring pickleball into a Maine State Prison and how the sport has become a tool for connection, dignity, joy, and personal growth. What began as a lesson for a small group of residents has grown into an ongoing program where incarcerated men learn strategy, discipline, sportsmanship, and community through the game.

John also talks about his work teaching adaptive pickleball, his passion for creating fair tournament play for older athletes, and the life lessons he has learned through service, leadership, and competition. This is an inspiring conversation about pickleball, prison reform, second chances, adaptive sports, senior athletes, community, and the power of sport to change lives on both sides of the net.

Midcoast Maine Pickleball: Home

📘 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.

Contact us:  [email protected]

Follow and watch:
https://www.lifelessonsfrompickleballpodcast.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557275391316
https://www.instagram.com/lifelessonsfrompickleball/
https://www.youtube.com/@LifeLessonsFromPickleballPod

Music gifted to us by Ian Pedersen: @ianpedersen 

Thanks for listening and you can also watch us on Youtube.

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, empower women, support mental health, and bring communities together across Rwanda and East Africa. His vision is bold. He wants to see 500 courts across the country, and his impact is already being felt in schools, families, and everyday life.

This episode is a powerful reminder that pickleball is more than a game. It is a tool for connection, healing, and transformation.

https://pickleballrwanda.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.

Contact us:  [email protected]

Follow and watch:
https://www.lifelessonsfrompickleballpodcast.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557275391316
https://www.instagram.com/lifelessonsfrompickleball/
https://www.youtube.com/@LifeLessonsFromPickleballPod

Music gifted to us by Ian Pedersen: @ianpedersen 

Thanks for listening and you can also watch us on Youtube.

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 highest levels of senior pickleball today.

Her philosophy is simple and powerful. Stop complaining and do something. Whether she is building programs, fighting for opportunities for women and seniors in sport, or traveling the world through competition, Alice proves that age is not a limit. It is an opportunity.

This episode is about taking action, staying curious, and finding joy in every stage of life.

📘 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.

Contact us:  [email protected]

Follow and watch:
https://www.lifelessonsfrompickleballpodcast.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557275391316
https://www.instagram.com/lifelessonsfrompickleball/
https://www.youtube.com/@LifeLessonsFromPickleballPod

Music gifted to us by Ian Pedersen: @ianpedersen 

Thanks for listening and you can also watch us on Youtube.

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 playing on a helicopter pad. His son, pro pickleball player, Drake Palmer, is also making his mark on the game.

This episode is about resilience, purpose, faith, and the powerful ways pickleball connects us all.

https://samaritanaviation.org/

📘 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.

Contact us:  [email protected]

Follow and watch:
https://www.lifelessonsfrompickleballpodcast.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557275391316
https://www.instagram.com/lifelessonsfrompickleball/
https://www.youtube.com/@LifeLessonsFromPickleballPod

Music gifted to us by Ian Pedersen: @ianpedersen 

Thanks for listening and you can also watch us on Youtube.

How does a lifelong racquet sports player turn a local need into one of the Pacific Northwest’s most exciting new indoor pickleball communities?

In this episode, Randy Fuller, founding partner of Rally Pickleball Club in Auburn, Washington, shares how pickleball first came into his life, why the sport hooked him so quickly, and how four local entrepreneurs came together to create a vibrant indoor space for players of all ages and skill levels. Randy talks about his background in tennis, teaching, business ownership, and what inspired the vision for Rally Pickleball Club as a true community-based pickleball destination. 

He also gives a behind-the-scenes look at building the facility, from transforming a historic industrial building into 14 indoor cushioned courts to adding amenities like cabanas, a pro shop, physical therapy services, tournaments, intro classes, and flexible event space. Along the way, Randy reflects on family, entrepreneurship, community, and why pickleball continues to be such a welcoming, lifelong sport for everyone. 

This is a fun and inspiring conversation about indoor pickleball, Rally Pickleball Club, Auburn Washington, pickleball community, entrepreneurship, family, racquet sports, active living, and the life lessons that come from building a place where people can connect, compete, and belong. 

https://rallypickleballclub.net/

📘 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.

Contact us:  [email protected]

Follow and watch:
https://www.lifelessonsfrompickleballpodcast.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557275391316
https://www.instagram.com/lifelessonsfrompickleball/
https://www.youtube.com/@LifeLessonsFromPickleballPod

Music gifted to us by Ian Pedersen: @ianpedersen 

Thanks for listening and you can also watch us on Youtube.

How can pickleball become a force for global good, community connection, and life-changing opportunity?

In this episode, Susan “Dinker Bell” Swern shares her remarkable pickleball journey, from first discovering the game after years of tennis to founding the Pickleball for Good Fund, a nonprofit built on the belief that pickleball can create social impact far beyond the court. Susan talks about how the sport became more than a passion and turned into a calling, leading her to launch initiatives that support underserved communities, expand access to equipment, and help grow the game around the world. 

She also shares the heart behind Operation PaddleLift, her effort to bring paddles, balls, and nets to emerging pickleball communities in East Africa, including Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and beyond. Susan reflects on the joy she witnessed, the barriers these communities face, and why pickleball has the power to change lives through connection, inclusion, active aging, youth development, and community building. 

Along the way, Susan opens up about the influence of her parents, the love story she has with pickleball, the meaning behind her nickname Dinker Bell, and the life lessons she has learned about purpose, legacy, sustainability, and choosing a life that matters. This is an inspiring conversation about pickleball, nonprofit leadership, Operation Paddle Lift, global pickleball growth, active aging, community impact, youth sports, and using sport to make the world better.

https://pickleballforgood.org/

📘 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.

Contact us:  [email protected]

Follow and watch:
https://www.lifelessonsfrompickleballpodcast.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557275391316
https://www.instagram.com/lifelessonsfrompickleball/
https://www.youtube.com/@LifeLessonsFromPickleballPod

Music gifted to us by Ian Pedersen: @ianpedersen 

Thanks for listening and you can also watch us on Youtube.

How can pickleball become a bridge to hope, healing, education, and opportunity for girls who have been left behind?

In this episode, Coach Andy from Uganda shares the powerful story behind Pickleball Kids Uganda and Growing the Game for Girls Uganda. Andy explains how pickleball first entered his life through tennis, and how he quickly realized that this simple, accessible sport could become much more than a game. In communities facing poverty, early pregnancy, abuse, and limited access to education, he saw pickleball as a tool to create belonging, confidence, safety, and a new future for disadvantaged girls. 

Coach Andy also shares how his programs combine pickleball with vocational education, mentoring, and life skills training. Through sport, girls are being connected to opportunities in tailoring, hairdressing, electrical installation, plumbing, welding, teaching, and other practical skills that can help them support themselves, their children, and their families. He tells inspiring stories of girls whose lives have been transformed through pickleball, education, and community support, and explains why his deeper mission is not only to grow the game, but to develop leaders, mentors, and hope in every community he reaches. 

This is a deeply moving conversation about pickleball, Uganda, girls’ empowerment, youth development, education, vocational training, social impact, community transformation, global pickleball, and the life lessons that remind us we are all winners. 

https://www.instagram.com/coachandypickleball?igsh=MTMwZmdicmw5c2xtZw==

📘 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.

Contact us:  [email protected]

Follow and watch:
https://www.lifelessonsfrompickleballpodcast.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557275391316
https://www.instagram.com/lifelessonsfrompickleball/
https://www.youtube.com/@LifeLessonsFromPickleballPod

Music gifted to us by Ian Pedersen: @ianpedersen 

Thanks for listening and you can also watch us on Youtube.

What happens when one of the biggest pickleball festivals in the country brings competition, connection, vendors, clinics, networking, and community all under one roof?

In this episode, Kelsea Thompson, director of PickleCon, shares how she first discovered pickleball while running an indoor sports complex and how that journey led her to help build one of the largest indoor pickleball festivals in the United States. She talks about the vision behind PickleCon, what makes the event so unique, and how it has grown into a one-of-a-kind experience for amateur players, juniors, seniors, adaptive athletes, vendors, brands, and pickleball fans of every level. 

Kelsea also opens up about recovering from a serious accident, how pickleball helped her reconnect with movement during rehab, and why she believes the sport truly is for everyone. She shares thoughtful insights on consistency, community, leadership, and what it takes to create an event where people can compete, learn, network, and feel like they belong. 

This is an inspiring conversation about PickleCon, pickleball festivals, amateur pickleball, adaptive pickleball, pickleball community, sports events, recovery, leadership, and the life lessons that come from showing up, staying consistent, and building something bigger than yourself.

📘 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.

Contact us:  [email protected]

Follow and watch:
https://www.lifelessonsfrompickleballpodcast.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557275391316
https://www.instagram.com/lifelessonsfrompickleball/
https://www.youtube.com/@LifeLessonsFromPickleballPod

Music gifted to us by Ian Pedersen: @ianpedersen 

Thanks for listening and you can also watch us on Youtube.

How can pickleball help someone rebuild their life, rediscover purpose, and become the kind of coach who changes other people’s lives too?

In this episode, Thomas Yelloweyes shares his extraordinary story of trauma, foster care, loss, survival, and reinvention. Thomas opens up about growing up in the foster care system, facing deep instability and heartbreak from an early age, and later finding himself at another rock-bottom moment as an adult, living out of his car, searching for direction, and trying to figure out what came next. Then pickleball entered the picture, and everything began to change. 

Thomas talks about the first time he wandered onto a pickleball court, the older women who welcomed and cared for him, and how the sport gave him not only community but also a path forward. He shares how his background in corrective exercise, coaching, and movement analysis led him to create Night Train Pickleball and the Night Train Method, a five-tier system designed to help recreational players build confidence, strengthen fundamentals, and become resilient, tournament-ready competitors. 

This is a deeply moving and inspiring conversation about pickleball, trauma recovery, foster care, resilience, coaching, confidence, mental toughness, pickleball instruction, Night Train Pickleball, and the life lessons that remind us life is not done with us yet. 

Night Train Drilling Guide ebook: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/form/PcKAinvIZQjW8YRUQsHl

📘 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.

Contact us:  [email protected]

Follow and watch:
https://www.lifelessonsfrompickleballpodcast.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557275391316
https://www.instagram.com/lifelessonsfrompickleball/
https://www.youtube.com/@LifeLessonsFromPickleballPod

Music gifted to us by Ian Pedersen: @ianpedersen 

Thanks for listening and you can also watch us on Youtube.

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 to build friendships at any stage of life.

If you have ever moved to a new place, walked up to open play not knowing anyone, or wished finding your pickleball people was easier, this conversation is for you.

📘 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.

Contact us:  [email protected]

Follow and watch:
https://www.lifelessonsfrompickleballpodcast.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557275391316
https://www.instagram.com/lifelessonsfrompickleball/
https://www.youtube.com/@LifeLessonsFromPickleballPod

Music gifted to us by Ian Pedersen: @ianpedersen 

Thanks for listening and you can also watch us on Youtube.