Life Lessons from Pickleball™

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 instruction, to chef-prepared meals, beach sunsets, wildlife, and unforgettable adventures, Pura Vida House offers a week that nourishes both body and soul.

This is not just a pickleball vacation. It is an experience rooted in relationships, community, and living life fully.

If pickleball in paradise has ever crossed your mind, this episode is for you. 🌴🏓

https://www.thepuravidahouse.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.

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 consistency, and choosing himself one decision at a time.

That journey led to more than 190 pounds of weight loss, a reversal of type 2 diabetes, and a whole new life on and off the pickleball court. Brian talks about discipline, identity, community, and how pickleball gave him joy, confidence, friendship, and a new sense of purpose. He also shares the importance of starting small, staying consistent, and not waiting for “someday” to begin.

This is a powerful and uplifting conversation about weight loss, health, mindset, pickleball, accountability, community, and the life lessons that come from finally choosing yourself.

ProDrive Pickleball (affiliate): https://prodrivepickleball.com/?ref=BRIANMONTGOMERY

 PickleStrong: https://picklestrong.com/

https://www.instagram.com/briantmontgomery?igsh=ZXJib2w2MXA0ZmY5

TikTok: @brianmontgomery01

📘 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, psychology, and travel come together to create joy, connection, and a more vibrant way of aging?

In this episode, Audrey Phillips shares her remarkable journey as a psychotherapist, educator, tournament player, pickleball ambassador, and creator of unforgettable group adventures that have brought people together for decades. Audrey talks about how her early calling to psychology, her love of people, and her lifelong passion for sports all came together in pickleball, a game she fell in love with nearly 20 years ago and has continued to champion ever since. 

She also shares the story behind her pickleball travel experiences, how those trips grew from one joyful idea into a beloved tradition, and why she believes pickleball is unlike any other sport when it comes to building community across ages, backgrounds, and skill levels. Along the way, Audrey reflects on competing into her late 70s, staying mentally and physically engaged, and the life lessons she has learned about positivity, openness, humor, fear, and choosing love over limitation. 

This is a warm and inspiring conversation about pickleball, psychology, active aging, pickleball travel, senior pickleball, community, friendship, emotional wellness, and the life lessons that come from staying curious, staying connected, and continuing to play. 

📘 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 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 pickleball’s quickness, strategy, and joy, and how the sport became a lifelong calling. 

Rachael also opens up about the deeper philosophy she brings to the game through her mind, body, spirit approach to teaching and competing. She shares her belief in patience, placement, and power, the importance of breath and relaxation, and why pickleball can be one of the most powerful tools for connection, creativity, and community. 

And yes, she tells the story of inventing a musical instrument made from a pickleball paddle, and how she now combines performance, music, comedy, travel, and pickleball to spread joy around the world. This is a delightful and inspiring conversation about pickleball, competition, creativity, family, legacy, kindness, and the life lessons that emerge when we play with heart

📘 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 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.

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.

Why does pickleball create such powerful connection so quickly, and what happens when one author sets out to capture that magic in a book?

In this episode, Scott Manthorn shares the story behind The Pickleball Effect, his bestselling book featuring 50 voices from across the pickleball world. Scott talks about his own journey from a longtime tennis player who once dismissed pickleball to someone who discovered the sport’s extraordinary power to build community, create belonging, and connect people across generations, backgrounds, and life experiences. 

He also shares how his broader “Effect” book series was born, why storytelling matters so much, and what he learned from the remarkable people featured in the book, from pro players and coaches to adaptive athletes, global travelers, and everyday players whose lives have been changed by this game. Along the way, Scott reflects on why pickleball is so uniquely social, why it makes people feel relevant and seen, and how this silly game with a silly name may be helping the world heal. 

This is a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about pickleball, storytelling, community, connection, The Pickleball Effect, tennis, belonging, and the life lessons that come from listening more, laughing often, and sharing the game with others. 

https://www.theeffectseries.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.

How can pickleball help someone rebuild strength after cancer, find a new community, and become a coach, referee, and leader in the sport?

In this episode, Sandy Smith shares her inspiring pickleball journey, from being diagnosed with uterine cancer and undergoing surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, to finding her way back to sport through pickleball. Sandy talks about returning to play while still living with a port, discovering that pickleball was both physically possible and emotionally healing, and how the game gave her a new path forward after she had stepped away from running, tennis, bowling, and other sports she once loved. 

Sandy also shares how pickleball led her into coaching, refereeing, and community leadership. She explains what it takes to become a certified USA Pickleball referee, what players misunderstand about referees, and how she helped grow the Macon Area Pickleball Club from just 16 members to more than 100. Along the way, she offers practical advice for new players, including key fundamentals like “return and run” and the importance of building confidence, community, and consistency on the court. 

This is a heartfelt and helpful conversation about pickleball, uterine cancer, cancer recovery, Lynch syndrome, pickleball coaching, pickleball refereeing, USA Pickleball, beginner pickleball tips, pickleball community, and the life lessons that remind us we have more in common than we do differences. 

             [email protected]

               https://www.facebook.com/share/1CeJux8WyU/?mibextid=wwXIfr

📘 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 tool for healing, community, faith, and hope in countries all around the world?

In this episode, Aaron Trost, founder of Pickleball Planter, shares how a sport he once resisted became a life-changing calling. Aaron talks about first getting pulled onto the court by a friend, how pickleball helped him lose weight and find joy, and why he eventually stepped away from chasing his own competitive results to focus on using the game for something bigger. From Honduras and Hungary to Ukraine, Malaysia, Indonesia, and beyond, Aaron has taken pickleball across the globe as a way to build connection, teach life skills, and support communities through sport. 

Aaron also opens up about his background as a 5.0 player, teaching pro, and seminary graduate, and how those experiences came together in Pickleball Planter. He shares what it looks like to introduce pickleball in churches, youth camps, children’s homes, and urban communities, and why the game works so well across cultures, languages, generations, and faith backgrounds. Along the way, he reflects on meaningful work in Ukraine, the explosive growth of pickleball in Southeast Asia, and the friendships he has built in 14 countries through this silly game with a plastic ball. 

This is a heartfelt and inspiring conversation about pickleball, global pickleball growth, Pickleball Planter, faith, missions, Ukraine, Southeast Asia, youth sports, community building, and the life lessons that come from using pickleball for someone else’s good. 

https://pickleballplanter.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.

How can pickleball create connection across ages, backgrounds, beliefs, and life experiences, and even become part of mental health healing?

In this episode, Sean McCoy shares his thoughtful and deeply human pickleball journey, from discovering the sport by accident in Houston to becoming passionate about the way pickleball brings people together like almost nothing else. Sean talks about his background in the military, oil and gas, technology, entrepreneurship, and community service, and explains why this silly game with a plastic ball feels so uniquely social, intimate, and egalitarian. 

Sean also opens up about why pickleball stands apart from other sports, how it allows nine-year-olds and ninety-year-olds to compete side by side, and why its low barrier to entry makes it such a powerful tool for belonging, communication, and well-being. He reflects on Houston’s rich diversity, the friendships he has found through the sport, and the life lesson that “life is a team sport.” 

Along the way, Sean shares how his path toward a master’s in clinical mental health counseling was shaped by his own experiences, and why he believes pickleball can play a meaningful role in therapy, relationships, connection, and emotional growth. This is a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about pickleball, mental health, counseling, community, belonging, diversity, connection, relationships, and the life lessons that remind us we are enough and that life is meant to be lived as a team sport. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/4seanmccoy/

📘 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 teach us not only how to play better, but how to age well, find joy, and live more intentionally?

In this episode, bestselling author Mike Brannon shares his remarkable journey from business executive to nonprofit leader, teacher, massage therapist, and finally pickleball writer and coach. Mike talks about how a chance stop during an oil change led him to discover pickleball, and how that late-life love affair with the game eventually inspired his books Pickleball and the Art of Living and The Joy of Pickleball. 

Mike also reflects on why pickleball is such a powerful mirror for life. He explores the deeper lessons hidden in the game, including gratitude, resilience, flexibility, healthy aging, mindset, habit, and the importance of staying open to learning. He shares why pickleball is especially meaningful for senior players, how habits matter more than willpower, and why playing happier is just as important as playing better. 

This is a thoughtful and uplifting conversation about pickleball, senior pickleball, healthy aging, pickleball strategy, mindset, joy, gratitude, resilience, habit, community, and the life lessons that help us play better, feel better, and live with more meaning. 

https://www.mikebranon.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.