The Future of Pickleball

Welcome to Episode 64 of the Future of Pickleball Show. In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes AJ Jain, the founder of Pickleball Minds, a community for pickleball business owners. They discuss the global expansion of pickleball, upcoming pickleball events, and the importance of collaboration within the pickleball community. AJ also shares the efforts Pickleball Minds is making to help pickleball become an Olympic sport.

Welcome to Episode 63 of the Future of Pickleball podcast! In this episode, Paul Olson talks with Dr. Kwabena Akufo, who has been working to grow pickleball in Africa. Dr. Akufo shares his journey: from discovering pickleball in the United States, to establishing the sport in Ghana during the COVID pandemic, and eventually forming the Confederation of African Pickleball. He talks about the successes and challenges of growing a sport across an entire continent, and how it was finally included as a demonstration sport in the African Games. Paul and Dr. Akufo talk about the grassroots approach to sports development, the importance of community engagement, and the vision for pickleball's future in Africa.

Welcome to Episode 62 of The Future of Pickleball show. In this episode, Paul Olson talks with Ashley Owens, co-founder of CourtReserve about her journey into pickleball, the evolution of CourtReserve, and the importance of technology in pickleball. Ashley also shares insights on future innovations in pickleball technology and the sport's growth and demographics.

Welcome to Episode 61 of the Future of Pickleball show! In this episode, Paul Olson talks about Patrick Sullivan, Jr., co-founder of Jigsaw Health, about the relation between health and pickleball. They discuss the impact of COVID-19 on pickleball, the creation of The Orchard as a dedicated pickleball venue, and the launch of the Arizona Pickleball League. Patrick also shares insights into the production of the documentary "Breaking Pickleball."

Welcome to Episode 60 of The Future of Pickleball show! In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Amitabh Jain, founder and managing partner of Rally Sports Venture and Pickleball Minds, and Steve Kuhn, founder of Major League Pickleball and DUPR, to discuss the growth of pickleball in Asia, the launch of World Pickleball Ventures, and the potential for pickleball to unite communities globally. Plus, how investment and technology will be important worldwide for the growth of pickleball. Jain and Kuhn also share their insights on how pickleball can foster connections across cultures and demographics, making it a truly global phenomenon.

Welcome to Episode 59 of The Future of Pickleball show! In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Karen Mitchell, co-founder of Pickleball England. Karen talks about the early days of pickleball in England and how it has evolved over the years, growing from a few thousand in the early days to more than 35,000 today. She also highlights the success of the English Open, which saw an impressive increase in participation, and the challenges of organizing such a large tournament. Pickleball England has a goal of gaining recognition from Sport England and potentially making pickleball a professional sport.

Welcome to Episode 57 of the Future of Pickleball show! In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Ace Rodrigues, founder & CEO of Pickleball Kingdom. Ace shares his journey of discovering pickleball and turning it into a successful franchise business with more than 350 locations. Pickleball Kingdom is run by five value statements: that life is better with pickleball; competition is fun; playing pickleball is good for physical, social, and spiritual well-being; community is pickleball's greatest asset; and pickleball players should respect their teammates and everyone they come into contact with. Pickleball Kingdom focuses on both open play and reservations to accommodate different player preferences. The franchise is expanding internationally, with plans to enter the Middle East, Canada, and Australia.

Welcome to Episode 57 of The Future of Pickleball show! In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Todd Boss, a writer for the Forbes Sports Money blog. Todd has a background as a database specialist and specializes in analyzing pickleball data, which has helped him understand the importance of technology in the sport of pickleball, including: match statistics, line challenges, and court management systems. Todd also talks about his racquetball background and how that prepared him for writing about pickleball, as well as the future of professional pickleball and the potential for global rankings and tournaments.

Welcome to Episode 56 of the Future of Pickleball podcast! In this episode, Paul Olson welcomes Pranav Kohli, CEO of Pickleball United. Kohli discusses the growth of pickleball in Asia, and especially India, and the growing popularity among many demographic groups, including tennis pros, juniors, and the 40+ age group. Kohli mentions the growth of pickleball in other Asian countries, such as China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Pickleball United has been converting tennis courts into pickleball courts all across the world, which is helping Kohli achieve his mission of making pickleball the most-played racquet sport in the world (and potentially being accepted as an Olympic sport). Kohli also discusses the Pickleball World Ranking and the Pickleball World Tour, which aim to create a ranking system and organize major events with significant prize money.

Welcome to Episode 55 of The Future of Pickleball show! In this episode, Paul Olson chats with Chandler Carney, board member at the Global Pickleball Federation and founder of KONDOR Pickleball, an international pickleball sporting goods company. They discuss the growth of pickleball in South America, as well as the role of the Global Pickleball Federation (GPF) in governing the sport globally. Chandler explains the importance of governance and compliance with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), inclusivity and gender equality in pickleball, and the potential of pickleball being added to the Olympics.