How did pickleball grow from a little-known backyard game into one of the fastest-growing sports in America?

In this episode, Mark “Yoda” Friedenberg shares his extraordinary journey from discovering pickleball in 1989 to becoming one of the most influential pioneers in the sport’s history. Mark talks about owning ProLite Sports, helping develop some of the earliest lightweight composite and graphite paddles, organizing the USA Pickleball Association, serving as its first president, and helping create the ambassador system that fueled pickleball’s national and international growth.

He also shares stories from his own competitive career, reflections on the Pickleball Hall of Fame, and the unforgettable “12 Commandments of Pickleball” that connect strategy, sportsmanship, communication, and mindset on and off the court.

This is a fascinating conversation about pickleball history, USA Pickleball, paddle innovation, competitive strategy, sportsmanship, leadership, and the life lessons that helped build the game we love today.

📘 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 support addiction recovery, build community, and even inspire a brand-new training tool to improve your game?

In this episode, Ed Beezer shares his remarkable journey from the restaurant and coffee business, including helping launch Starbucks in Utah, to discovering pickleball during residential treatment for alcoholism. Ed opens up about his recovery story and explains how pickleball became a powerful source of healing through movement, mindfulness, connection, accountability, and community. 

Ed also tells the story behind Beezer Sports and the invention of the Beezer Ball, a soft rubber mini pickleball training ball designed to improve hand-eye coordination, focus, follow-through, and ball tracking. He explains how the Beezer Ball can be used for pickleball warmups, dink practice, volley drills, indoor training, and overall pickleball skill development. 

This is an inspiring and practical conversation about pickleball, addiction recovery, sobriety, mindfulness, connection, pickleball training, hand-eye coordination, the Beezer Ball, and the life lessons that come from starting over, staying present, and never giving up.

📘 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 become one of the top professional pickleball players in the world while balancing motherhood, marriage, travel, coaching, and competition?

In this episode, professional pickleball player Megan Fudge shares her incredible journey from discovering pickleball during COVID to becoming the top ranked female player on the APP Tour. Megan talks about her tennis background, traveling full time in an RV with her husband and two children, competing around the world, and helping grow pickleball in places like India and China.

She also opens up about life as a mom on tour, building a family around the sport, coaching the next generation, and inspiring women and girls to chase big dreams. Megan shares powerful insights on discipline, confidence, hard work, the pursuit of excellence, and what it means to become the best version of yourself.

This is an inspiring conversation about professional pickleball, women in sports, family life, coaching, international pickleball growth, and the life lessons that come from going all in on your dream.

📘 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 rediscover joy, rebuild purpose, and turn life’s hardest challenges into strength, freedom, and connection?

In this episode, Sara Weiss shares her powerful and deeply personal journey, from growing up in a low-income household in Canada with big dreams and a fierce desire to break cycles, to becoming a successful entrepreneur, high-performance success coach, best-selling author, motivational speaker, and sponsored amateur pickleball champion. Sara opens up about building multiple businesses, pushing herself to succeed, and eventually reaching a point of burnout where, despite all the outward success, something essential was missing: fun. That honest realization became the doorway to a whole new chapter when pickleball entered her life and changed everything. 

Sara also talks about how quickly she fell in love with pickleball, how she used her mindset coaching tools to improve rapidly, and how the sport gave her a place to release energy, reconnect with joy, and channel her competitive fire in a healthy way. She shares what it has been like to compete at a high level, to coach pickleball players using life coaching principles, and to navigate the challenges and visibility that came with being a transgender athlete in the sport. Along the way, she reflects on fear, resilience, identity, showing up anyway, and why the moments that test us most often become the moments that shape us most. 

This is an honest, energizing, and inspiring conversation about pickleball, mindset, entrepreneurship, burnout, transgender athlete experience, resilience, life coaching, personal growth, joy, competition, and the life lessons that remind us how we do one thing is often how we do everything, and that choosing courage over fear can open doors we never imagined. 

📘 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 Peace Corps volunteer, anthropology scholar, and lifelong athlete become a professional pickleball player known as Purple Jesus?

In this episode, Max Manthou shares his fascinating path from basketball, table tennis, tennis, and the Peace Corps in Indonesia to the professional pickleball world. Max talks about how he discovered pickleball, why the sport immediately hooked him, and how his unusual mix of athletic, academic, and cultural experiences shaped the player and person he is today.

He also shares the story behind his nickname, Purple Jesus, and opens up about his book, A Pickleball Gospel, which explores the deeper meaning of pickleball through community, fun, play, competition, and what he calls “coopetition” — the powerful blend of cooperation and competition that makes the sport so unique.

This is a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about professional pickleball, anthropology, identity, language, competition, community, and the life lessons that come from sport, curiosity, and connection.

A Pickleball Gospel by Purple Jesus: https://a.co/d/06SS6ucb

📘 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 open the door to joy, community, adaptability, and lifelong learning while bringing together people from every walk of life?

In this episode, Akash Agarwal shares his fascinating journey from the enterprise software world to becoming a passionate pickleball coach and self-described pickleball junkie in San Francisco. With more than 25 years of experience in enterprise software, an MBA from Harvard Business School, and a life that has spanned three continents, Akash brings a global perspective to everything he does. He talks about first discovering pickleball in 2018 with his son near their home in Foster City, California, and how what started as simple curiosity quickly grew into a deep love for the sport. 

Akash also reflects on the unique culture of pickleball, especially the way open play creates connection, conversation, and friendship across generations, languages, backgrounds, and skill levels. He explains why pickleball feels so different from tennis, how doubles strategy became a whole new world for him, and why the sport’s social nature has made it one of the most welcoming communities he has ever experienced. Along the way, he shares how he became a coach through the TeachMe.To platform, why he sees himself as a lifelong student of the game, and how teaching pickleball has deepened his own understanding of strategy, sportsmanship, and joy. 

This is a thoughtful and energizing conversation about pickleball, Foster City pickleball, San Francisco pickleball, TeachMe.To, pickleball coaching, tennis, doubles strategy, community, adaptability, sportsmanship, lifelong learning, and the life lessons that remind us to stay present, keep learning, play with joy, and build meaningful connections wherever we can. 

📘 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 is pickleball bringing people together across borders, cultures, generations, and continents?

In this episode, Ruth Rosenquist shares her extraordinary journey from discovering pickleball in 1992 to helping lead the sport on a global scale as an at-large board member and chair of marketing and communications for the Global Pickleball Federation. Ruth talks about the rapid worldwide growth of pickleball, the Federation’s mission, the push toward Olympic recognition, and what it means to support emerging pickleball communities in places like Africa, Iran, Latin America, and beyond.

She also reflects on the life-changing power of the sport, from its ability to foster unity and joy to the way it creates connection, purpose, and opportunity for people all over the world.

This is an inspiring conversation about global pickleball, the Global Pickleball Federation, Olympic dreams, international sport, community, unity, and the life lessons that come from building something bigger than yourself.

https://globalpickleballfederation.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 help a woman rediscover her strength, reclaim her vitality, and remember that life is far from over at any age?

In this episode, New York Times bestselling author and nutritionist Leanne Ely shares her powerful journey from transforming family life through meal planning and nutrition to finding a whole new kind of joy and athletic confidence on the pickleball court. As the creator of SavingDinner.com, Leanne has spent more than two decades helping women nourish their families, heal their relationship with food, and step off the exhausting carousel of dieting and self-criticism. She talks about why the family dinner table matters, how food became such an emotional battleground for so many women, and what it means to finally become friends with food instead of fighting it. 

Leanne also opens up about discovering pickleball during the pandemic after first dismissing it as “slow motion tennis,” only to fall completely in love the moment she stepped on the court. She shares how pickleball helped her reconnect with her athletic side, lose 30 pounds, build confidence, and feel like a badass again after years of feeling disconnected from that part of herself. Along the way, she reflects on a dramatic on-court face plant that became its own life lesson in resilience, grit, and refusing to quit on yourself, even when things get messy and painful. 

This is a heartfelt and empowering conversation about pickleball, nutrition, SavingDinner.com, women’s health, menopause, family dinner, resilience, healthy aging, mindset, confidence, body image, and the life lessons that remind us it is never too late to get strong, take back your body, and live fully in bloom. 

https://www.savingdinner.com

https://www.savingdinner.com/retreat/

📘 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 to step outside our comfort zone, take smart risks, move in sync with others, and keep finding joy in the game no matter who is across the net?

In this episode, Maverick Helmer shares his unique pickleball journey, from playing a homemade version of the game as a kid on a family court to becoming a highly competitive 5.0 singles and 4.5 doubles player in Denver. A recent University of Denver graduate and now an investment banking analyst, Maverick talks about rediscovering pickleball in 2021 at Congress Park, where the lively open play culture, music, grilling, and welcoming community helped transform the sport into a central part of his life. With a background in tennis and years of athletic play, he explains how pickleball eventually overtook tennis because of its joy, social energy, and sense of connection. 

Maverick also shares what has helped him improve so quickly, including watching high-level tennis and pickleball, drilling intentionally, learning from stronger players, and embracing the value of playing with people at every level. He gives thoughtful insight into the Denver pickleball scene, why open play can be such a powerful teacher, and how he has been able to train with senior pros and practice with top players while continuing to refine both his singles and doubles game. Along the way, he reflects on his hopes of eventually playing pro pickleball, the physical demands of tournament play, and the discipline it takes to balance serious competition with work and adult life. 

This is a fun and insightful conversation about pickleball, Denver pickleball, Congress Park, open play, singles strategy, doubles strategy, drilling, partner communication, risk-taking, confidence, resilience, and the life lessons that remind us to be intentional, stay connected, keep learning, and never be afraid to put ourselves out there. 

📘 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 marketing strategy, a community builder, and a joyful pop-up experience that transforms empty spaces into unforgettable moments?

In this episode, Jakob Eliason shares the entrepreneurial story behind Pickleball Pop-Ups, the company he co-founded that has quickly become the world’s number one provider of temporary pickleball experiences in less than a year. A marketer by trade and the co-founder and chief marketing officer of the business, Jacob explains how his background in digital marketing, sales, startups, and helping innovative entrepreneurs uncover new growth opportunities led him into an entirely unexpected lane: using pickleball to create powerful real-world experiences for brands, companies, breweries, trade shows, and communities. 

Jakob also talks about first encountering pickleball in middle school PE, then rediscovering it years later through his business partner and the growing Memphis pickleball scene. What started as a plan to open an indoor pickleball facility called Pickleball 901 quickly evolved when the team began throwing social pickleball events at local breweries and realized there was enormous demand for temporary courts, branded activations, and pickleball experiences that were fun, social, and easy to access. He explains how Pickleball Pop-Ups now brings everything needed for a turnkey event—courts, nets, paddles, barriers, music, branding, and staff—and why this model has taken off so quickly in cities across the country. 

Along the way, Jakob reflects on risk-taking, testing ideas, knowing when to pivot, and what pickleball has taught him about joy, connection, and the incredible speed at which this sport builds community. This is an exciting conversation about pickleball, Pickleball Pop-Ups, Pickleball 901, temporary pickleball courts, Memphis, event marketing, community building, entrepreneurship, branding, social fitness, and the life lessons that remind us the best ideas often start as simple experiments and grow because they bring people together in ways that truly matter. 

https://www.pickleballpopups.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.