Life Lessons from Pickleball™

How can pickleball help us stay active, prevent injuries, and keep doing what we love for years to come?

In this episode, Dr. John Gallucci Jr., president and CEO of JAG Physical Therapy, shares how his lifelong passion for helping people heal and move better led him to bring his expertise to the pickleball world. With more than 30 years of experience as a physical therapist and athletic trainer, John explains why pickleball has become such an important lifetime sport and why injury prevention is the key to staying on the court.

He breaks down the most common pickleball injuries, including Achilles, knee, elbow, and tendon issues, and offers practical advice on warmups, hydration, recovery, footwear, and knowing the difference between soreness and a warning sign. He also shares why movement is essential for long-term health and how pickleball can help people of all ages improve fitness, community, and overall well-being.

This is an informative and inspiring conversation about pickleball, physical therapy, injury prevention, movement, hydration, healthy aging, and the life lessons that come from taking care of your body so you can keep playing the game you love.

https://www.jagpt.com

https://www.instagram.com/DrJAGPT/

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-a-gallucci-jr-ms-atc-pt-dpt-38b194a?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

📘 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 us move from simply surviving to truly thriving?

In this episode, Dr. Lee Baucom, self-described “Thrivologist,” shares what it means to thrive in life and how many of those same lessons show up on the pickleball court. With a background in therapy, coaching, relationships, and personal development, Lee explains why thriving is rooted in meaning, purpose, strong relationships, and learning how to respond well to life’s challenges. 

Lee also talks about how he discovered pickleball after moving to a new town, why the game became such a natural place for building community, and how the court offers powerful lessons in mindset, resilience, teamwork, communication, and grace. He shares practical wisdom about beginner’s mindset, resetting after mistakes, learning one point at a time, and why the best partner is not always the best player, but the one who brings out the best in others. 

This is a thoughtful and encouraging conversation about pickleball, thriving, relationships, resilience, beginner mindset, emotional health, communication, coaching, teamwork, and the life lessons that help us grow stronger on and off the court. 

https://thriveology.com

thriveologypodcast.com

@thriveology

📘 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.

In this encore episode, professional pickleball player Megan Fudge shares the remarkable journey that took her from working in insurance during COVID to becoming one of the top-ranked women in professional pickleball. Megan talks about how she and her husband Ryler DeHeart first discovered pickleball, instantly fell in love with the sport, and built an entirely new life around competition, coaching, travel, and family. 

Megan also opens up about her international background, growing up between Germany and England with parents from New Zealand and London, and how that global perspective now connects with her life in pickleball. She shares what it has been like helping grow the sport in India and China, where pickleball is expanding rapidly, and why she feels so passionate about opening doors for women, girls, and future players around the world. 

Along the way, Megan reflects on balancing motherhood, professional pickleball, RV travel, coaching, and the pursuit of excellence. She talks about discipline, hard work, equal opportunity in pickleball, and why this sport has given her the chance to become the best version of herself while showing her children what it looks like to chase a dream with courage and commitment. 

This is an inspiring conversation about professional pickleball, women in sports, APP Tour, international pickleball, India pickleball, China pickleball, coaching, family travel, motherhood, discipline, and the life lessons that come from pursuing excellence and believing that it is never too late to go after something big. 

https://www.meganfudgepb.com

https://www.instagram.com/officialmeganfudge/?igsh=Ynptb3J6aTc0Y3lu

https://www.instagram.com/franklinpickleball/?igsh=dndqMDduY2x5YmZk

📘 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 and Costa Rica come together to create the ultimate wellness vacation for body, mind, and soul?

In this episode, Mani Barajas Alexander of Pura Vida House in Costa Rica shares how he went from Division I tennis player and tennis entrepreneur to building one of the most unique pickleball vacation experiences in the world. Mani talks about buying the original Pura Vida House property just before COVID, facing enormous uncertainty when travel suddenly stopped, and then slowly rebuilding the dream into a growing brand with multiple luxury villa properties and world-class pickleball retreats. 

He also shares what makes a Pura Vida House pickleball vacation so special, from private chef meals and daily pickleball instruction to beach club access, wildlife, golf carts, adventure excursions, and the deeper Costa Rican philosophy of “Pura Vida,” living with gratitude, joy, and presence. Mani explains how the retreats are designed to balance pickleball, relaxation, connection, and cultural experiences so guests leave feeling restored, energized, and inspired. 

Along the way, Mani reflects on entrepreneurship, emotional resilience, partnership, communication, and the life lessons pickleball has taught him about mistakes, momentum shifts, relationships, and staying open to people from all walks of life. This is a fun and inspiring conversation about pickleball vacations, Costa Rica travel, Pura Vida House, wellness travel, luxury villas, pickleball retreats, entrepreneurship, connection, and the life lessons that remind us to slow down, enjoy life, and make relationships matter. 

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 can healing old patterns, shifting your energy, and becoming more aware of your thoughts help you step into your highest timeline on and off the pickleball court?

In this episode, Cheryl Rempis, also known as Samara Rayne, shares her remarkable journey from mother-baby nursing into transformational mentoring, energy healing, and the creation of Timeline Catalyst. With more than 20 years of experience as a registered nurse and healer, Cheryl talks about what first called her into a life of service, how her own awakening began through deep personal healing, and why she now helps others release limiting beliefs, process life transitions, and align with their highest potential. 

She also explains the idea of the “highest timeline,” how our thoughts, emotions, and choices shape the energy we live in, and why awareness, presence, and intention can change the trajectory of our lives. Cheryl opens up about dark nights of the soul, grief, relationship loss, and emotional healing, and offers a compassionate perspective on what it means to move through pain instead of avoiding it. 

Along the way, Cheryl reflects on the healing power of the pickleball community, the loving environment created through the Pickleball Experience, and the profound ways connection, trust, and open-heartedness can spark transformation. This is a thoughtful and expansive conversation about pickleball, energy healing, spiritual awakening, emotional healing, transformation, highest timeline, intuition, mindset, and the life lessons that remind us we can choose a more aligned path one moment at a time. 

https://www.timelinecatalyst.com

@timelinecatalyst

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571219746291

📘 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 adults over 50 play better, stay injury-free, and build more confidence both on and off the court?

In this episode, CJ Johnson of Better Pickleball shares how a simple invitation from a friend in 2013 led her into a sport that would become both a passion and a mission. With nearly 40 years of coaching experience across skiing, golf, personal training, and multiple sports, CJ quickly saw two big problems in pickleball: too many players were getting injured, and too many adults were getting confusing or incomplete advice that was holding back their progress. That realization led her to create Better Pickleball, a training platform designed to help players, especially those 50 and better, learn the game in a smarter, healthier, and more confidence-building way. 

CJ also talks about what makes adult pickleball players unique, why older athletes need a different approach to movement, recovery, and learning, and how simple concepts like “return and run, serve and stay,” the block volley, warming up, cooling down, and understanding strategy can completely change a player’s game. She explains why pickleball is absolutely a sport, why players should start seeing themselves as athletes, and why the right mindset matters just as much as mechanics. 

Along the way, CJ reflects on confidence, women in sports, injury prevention, beginner mindset, and the importance of making learning feel possible and fun. This is a practical and inspiring conversation about pickleball, Better Pickleball, pickleball strategy, pickleball instruction, injury prevention, block volley, beginner mindset, confidence, women athletes, and the life lessons that come from learning, adapting, and believing it is never too late to get better. 

@betterpickleballcom

https://facebook.com/betterpickleball.com

https://betterpickleball.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 heal trauma, bridge racial and economic divides, and bring hope to communities with almost no resources?

In this episode, Sherry, also known as Eseosa Rain, shares one of the most powerful stories we’ve heard on Life Lessons from Pickleball. A military veteran, missionary, artist, and community builder, Sherry opens up about her service in the Air Force, the trauma and PTSD she carried for years, and how pickleball unexpectedly became part of her own healing during the isolation of COVID. What began as one friend inviting her to the YMCA became a life-changing path toward joy, connection, and purpose. 

Sherry also shares how that healing journey led her to take pickleball to South Africa, where she now works in townships, schools, churches, and senior communities with very limited equipment but extraordinary passion. She talks about training youth and pensioners, building the Tembisa Gold team, mentoring new coaches, providing basic necessities like food and hygiene supplies, and watching pickleball create confidence, belonging, and unity across racial, tribal, economic, and generational lines. 

Along the way, she reflects on missions work in Kenya, Zambia, Thailand, and beyond, the emotional toll of rescuing vulnerable children, the humility and laughter pickleball requires, and why this game is far bigger than sport. This is a deeply moving conversation about pickleball, PTSD, veterans, South Africa, township youth, missions, racial healing, community transformation, servant leadership, and the life lessons that remind us to stay humble, open-hearted, and willing to serve. 

@pickleballmissionary

@pickleballmissionary

📘 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 strengthen a relationship, carry you through cancer, and remind you that love, patience, and community matter more than winning?

In this episode, Annemarie Riese and Terry Kisner share their heartfelt story of partnership on and off the pickleball court. Introduced to the game during COVID by Terry’s family in Hays, Kansas, they quickly fell in love with pickleball as a way to stay active, connect with others, and spend meaningful time together. They talk about what it is like to play mixed doubles as life partners, how they handle mistakes, competition, communication, and frustration, and why fun and friendship always matter more than the final score. 

Annemarie also opens up about her recent breast cancer diagnosis, surgery, radiation, and recovery, and the extraordinary support she received from the pickleball community through it all. She shares how the court became a place of encouragement, normalcy, laughter, and healing, while Terry reflects on what it was like to walk beside the person he loves through such a difficult journey. Together, they offer a moving picture of resilience, vulnerability, caregiving, and the power of letting others help. 

Along the way, Annemarie and Terry talk about patience, humility, communication, mixed doubles, tournaments, breast cancer awareness, and why pickleball continues to bring people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities together. This is a warm and inspiring conversation about pickleball, mixed doubles, relationships, breast cancer recovery, caregiving, patience, partnership, community, resilience, and the life lessons that remind us the relationship is always more important than the result. 

📘 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 more than a sport and turn into a path for confidence, connection, gratitude, and personal transformation?

In this episode, Jemuel “Jem” Morris shares the remarkable story of how a dead car battery in a parking lot led to a life-changing introduction to pickleball. What began as a simple request for a jump turned into an invitation to play with four of the best players on Orcas Island, and that one moment completely changed the direction of his life. Jem talks about moving from Los Angeles to Orcas Island, discovering pickleball in 2017, and quickly becoming immersed in the game, the coaching world, and the community that now defines his work. 

Jem also opens up about the creation of the Pickleball Experience with Brian Ashworth and Peter Hudak, and how their coaching model grew out of a desire to offer more than standard instruction. He explains why their customizable four-to-one coaching approach focuses on the whole player, not just technique, and why connection, confidence, the mental game, and belonging are just as important as drills and strategy. Along the way, he shares stories from destination camps, small-town clinics, and the many players who have taught him as much as he has taught them. 

This is a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about pickleball, Pickleball Experience, Jemuel Morris, Brian Ashworth, Peter Hudak, mental game, confidence, gratitude, community, coaching, Orcas Island, and the life lessons that remind us to stay present, focus on the positive, and use every point as an opportunity to grow. 

https://thepickleballexperience.com

@thepickleballexperience

https://tashiratorphanage.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 did a comedian, actress, and author with “no eye-hand coordination” end up writing two pickleball romantic comedies and falling in love with the game?

In this episode, Ilana Long shares her funny, fearless, and deeply relatable journey into comedy, storytelling, and pickleball. From writing humor pieces as a student to performing improv at Second City, doing stand-up, sketch comedy, and acting, Ilana has always found her voice through laughter. She talks about the challenges of being a woman in comedy, learning to create her own opportunities, and how persistence eventually led to publishing her pickleball romantic comedy Pickleballers and her upcoming novel Pickle Perfect. 

Ilana also shares how she first discovered pickleball through a friend who described it as “ping pong but standing on the table,” and why the sport immediately hooked her despite not seeing herself as an athlete. She reflects on the joy of the pickleball community, the quirky characters who inspired her fiction, and how the game opened her life to new friendships, new confidence, and a whole new creative path. 

Along the way, Ilana talks about writing later in life, trying new things after 50, finding humor in heartbreak, and the life lessons pickleball continues to teach her about openness, perseverance, bad habits, second chances, and letting yourself begin again. This is a warm, witty, and inspiring conversation about pickleball, comedy, romantic comedy, Pickleballers, Pickle Perfect, creativity, women in comedy, friendship, reinvention, and the life lessons that remind us it is never too late to start something new. 

Website: IlanaLong.com

Insta: @IlanaLongWrites

📘 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.