Life Lessons from Pickleball™

How can competitive tennis, mental toughness, and pickleball come together to teach you about courage, confidence, and defining success on your own terms?

In this episode, Raj Chikkalingaiah shares his journey from picking up a racket as a young child in Corvallis, Oregon, to competing in tennis at a national level, playing collegiate tennis at Whitman College, and eventually finding his way into the fast-growing world of pickleball. Raj talks about how he first resisted pickleball after seeing the crowded courts at Green Lake, but quickly got hooked once someone handed him a paddle. He reflects on how his years in competitive tennis shaped his athletic mindset, his love of the mental side of sports, and his growing passion for coaching and competition in local open tournaments and professional qualifying events. 

Raj also opens up about the emotional and psychological side of competing, including nerves, fear, pressure, momentum, body language, partner chemistry, and the importance of staying present on the court. He shares one of his most valuable mindset shifts: learning to define success not just by winning, but by how you perform, how you respond under pressure, and whether you stay true to the game plan you set for yourself. Along the way, he offers practical insights on communication in doubles, strategy with new partners, managing tightness in competition, and the power of positive self-talk and gratitude. 

This is a thoughtful and energizing conversation about pickleball, tennis, competitive mindset, pickleball coaching, partner chemistry, mental toughness, local tournaments, professional qualifying events, growth, gratitude, and the life lessons that remind us to follow our joy, trust our instincts, and define success in a way that helps us play free. 

 @rajulchikkalingaiah

https://calendly.com/rajulgrant

📘 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 strength training, sports psychology, and pickleball help women in midlife and beyond build more confidence, mobility, and independence?

In this episode, Linda Goos shares her remarkable journey from elite gymnast and Pac-10 all-decade honoree at Oregon State University to coach at the University of Washington, sports psychology professional, Microsoft marketing leader, and now founder of Studio Bloom in Kirkland, Washington. Linda talks about her lifelong connection to athletics, what competitive gymnastics taught her about discipline and commitment, and how her background in sports psychology, physical rehab, and personal training shaped the way she now helps women reconnect with their bodies and their strength. 

Linda also opens up about why she returned to fitness and wellness after 20 years at Microsoft, and how Studio Bloom was created to serve women in midlife and beyond who want to improve strength, mobility, bone health, balance, agility, and confidence. She explains why strength training is essential for healthy aging, osteoporosis and osteopenia prevention, pickleball performance, and long-term independence, and why women are never too old to start building strength. 

Along the way, Linda shares how pickleball became part of her own wellness journey, why the sport adds community, quickness, and joy to her life, and the life lesson she keeps coming back to: enjoy the moment you are in. This is an inspiring and practical conversation about pickleball, women’s fitness, healthy aging, strength training, mobility, bone density, osteoporosis, sports psychology, Studio Bloom, Kirkland, and the life lessons that remind us to stay strong, stay present, and keep moving forward. 

https://www.studiobloomfitness.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 does a young tennis coach from Australia become a pro pickleball player, international coach, and one of the sport’s rising leaders around the world?

In this episode, Coco Lococo shares her incredible journey from growing up in Australia with very little, to playing and coaching tennis from a young age, to rebuilding her athletic path after a devastating ankle injury ended her professional tennis dreams. She opens up about how pickleball entered her life in 2022, why the game immediately hooked her, and how she quickly rose from beginner to pro in Australia’s fast-growing pickleball scene.

Coco also talks about coaching pro teams in Major League Pickleball Australia and India’s World Pickleball League, what it means to be the first female pro coach in those spaces, and the lessons she has learned about pressure, forgiveness, focus, and staying mentally steady both on and off the court.

This is an inspiring conversation about professional pickleball, coaching, women in sports, Australian pickleball, tennis, resilience, mental toughness, and the life lessons that come from adapting, growing, and staying in the game.

📘 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 someone go from getting kicked off a basketball court for pickleball to becoming a 5.0 pro, international instructor, and one of the most respected coaches in the game?

In this episode, Brian Ashworth shares his incredible pickleball journey, from first discovering the sport at the YMCA in Billings, Montana, to winning major titles, teaching around the world, and helping shape the game through coaching, clinics, and the Pickleball Experience. Brian talks about how coming to pickleball without a racquet sports background helped him think differently, play differently, and develop a unique style that set him apart on the court. 

He also reflects on playing with top-level partners, working at Pickleball Central during the sport’s explosive growth, building the Pickleball Experience with Peter Hudak and Jemuel Morris, and what he has learned from years of teaching players at every level. Along the way, Brian shares thoughtful insights about patience, confidence, creativity, family priorities, and why no player should ever be the reason someone quits the game. 

This is a fun and inspiring conversation about professional pickleball, pickleball coaching, Pickleball Central, the Pickleball Experience, international clinics, patience, partnership, and the life lessons that come from growing with the sport while helping others love it too. 

📘 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 part of healing after trauma, brain injury, and years of feeling disconnected from yourself?

In this episode, Joelle Kantor shares her powerful story of resilience, recovery, and rediscovery. A lifelong caregiver, preschool teacher, nanny, mom, and former franchise owner of the Playball sports and movement program, Joelle has always been drawn to children, connection, and helping others thrive. But everything changed after her fourth traumatic brain injury, which led to years of vertigo, insomnia, sensory overload, anxiety, and an almost unimaginable healing journey. Through her book My Wake Up Fall, Joelle opens up about living through profound pain, learning to surrender, and slowly finding her way back to herself. 

Joelle also talks about the many healing modalities she explored, the support of her family, and the deep life lessons that emerged along the way about gratitude, courage, presence, and self-discovery. She reflects on how writing her book became part of her recovery, why community matters so much when someone is suffering, and how even the most difficult chapters of life can become a doorway to growth and meaning. 

Along the way, Joelle shares how pickleball found its way back into her life, becoming a joyful source of connection, freedom, and friendship. She explains why the pickleball community has meant so much to her, how the sport reminds her to leave the court with gratitude no matter how she plays, and why healing, strength, and joy often return in unexpected ways. This is a moving and inspiring conversation about pickleball, traumatic brain injury, healing, vertigo, recovery, self-discovery, motherhood, resilience, gratitude, and the life lessons that remind us how strong we really are. 

📘 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 a lifetime in sports, from college basketball to professional broadcasting, shape the way someone shows up on the pickleball court and in life?

In this episode, Elise Woodward shares her remarkable journey from being an all-state athlete in soccer, basketball, and fast-pitch softball at North Eugene High School to captaining the University of Washington women’s basketball team to the NCAA Sweet 16, and then building an impressive broadcasting career covering Husky football, the Seattle Storm, and major college sports for Fox, FS1, and the Big Ten Network. Elise talks about growing up in Eugene in a sports-loving family, why she chose the University of Washington, and how her love of competition and storytelling led her into sports broadcasting. 

Elise also reflects on the lessons sport has taught her about teamwork, resilience, leadership, failure, and getting back up after hard moments. She shares what it has been like to witness the growth of women’s sports over the decades, why sports remain one of the few places where people from every background can come together around a common passion, and how broadcasting has given her a front-row seat to both the heartbreak and the beauty of competition. 

Along the way, Elise talks about discovering pickleball later in life, why the game’s mix of fun, fitness, strategy, and social connection immediately clicked for her, and how pickleball has become a new way to compete, stay active, and build community. This is an inspiring conversation about pickleball, women’s sports, sports broadcasting, University of Washington basketball, Seattle Storm, teamwork, competition, healthy aging, resilience, and the life lessons that remind us to keep playing, keep learning, and keep showing up for the people around us. 

@elisewoodwardsports (instagram)

@EliseMWoodward (X)

📘 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 does it take to turn a pandemic hobby into one of the fastest-growing indoor pickleball franchises in the country?

In this episode, Denise and Will Richards share the story behind Dill Dinkers and how a simple pickleball set picked up during the pandemic led to a shared passion, a bold business idea, and the creation of a thriving indoor pickleball community. They talk about discovering the game together, struggling to find dependable court time in Maryland winters, and realizing there was a huge opportunity to create a better indoor pickleball experience. 

Denise and Will also open up about building Dill Dinkers from the ground up, designing clubs that prioritize community, programming, and player experience, and growing from one location to a rapidly expanding franchise brand. Along the way, they reflect on the powerful life lessons pickleball has taught them about belonging, culture, leadership, and the importance of creating spaces where people feel connected, welcomed, and inspired. 

This is an inspiring conversation about indoor pickleball, pickleball franchises, community building, entrepreneurship, leadership, Dill Dinkers, business growth, and the life lessons that come from creating something people truly need. 

DillDinkers.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 can pickleball teach us about resilience, healing, and purpose?

In this episode, Dr. Martin Clark shares his remarkable journey from ER doctor to international pickleball champion. After a throat cancer diagnosis, Martin was forced to rethink life, health, competition, and what it means to keep moving forward.

He talks about cancer recovery, mental toughness, athletic mindset, and how pickleball became a source of connection, joy, and renewed purpose. His story is a powerful example of resilience on and off the court.

If you enjoy podcasts about pickleball, cancer survivorship, sports psychology, health, healing, and overcoming adversity, this episode offers inspiration, perspective, and hope.

📘 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 help build a sport before most people even know it exists?

In this episode, Pickleball Hall of Famer Fran Myer shares her remarkable journey from discovering pickleball after back surgery to becoming one of the sport’s true pioneers. She created the first online pickleball store, helped organize early major tournaments, served as a charter member of the USA Pickleball Association, and played a major role in the growth of the game at a time when equipment, information, and organized competition were still hard to find.

Fran also reflects on her beautiful partnership with her husband Barney Myer, their unforgettable pickleball wedding, and the deeper life lessons that have shaped her path. She talks about showing up, staying fit, trying new things, seeing opportunity, and staying grateful through every stage of life.

This is a heartfelt conversation about pickleball history, entrepreneurship, aging well, resilience, love, and the joy of continuing to grow.

📘 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 pickleball inspire a bestselling author to write her steamiest romance yet?

In this episode, bestselling author Kate Spencer shares how discovering pickleball during the pandemic brought her joy, connection, community, and a whole new creative spark. Kate talks about learning the game as an adult beginner, navigating perfectionism and vulnerability on the court, and how pickleball became part of the inspiration behind her new novel, All’s Fair in Love and Pickleball.

She also opens up about writing romance, blending grief and humor into fiction, embracing fun, and the life lessons pickleball continues to teach her about confidence, self-talk, competition, and being kinder to herself.

This is a thoughtful and funny conversation about pickleball, romance novels, women’s fiction, creativity, vulnerability, adult beginners, and the joy of trying something new.

https://katespencer.substack.com/

https://www.katespencerwrites.com/

@katespencer

📘 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.