Pickleballers
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- 12. Nov. 2026
Über den Podcast
The Pickleballers Podcast — hosted by Jared Paul and Dane Iliff, founders of The Kitchen (the largest media company in pickleball), alongside top-ranked pro Roscoe Bellamy — is your new go-to source for all things pickleball.From breaking news and spicy hot takes to hilarious banter and all-star guests, Pickleballers brings the energy. Tune in for celebrity drop-ins, pro insights, and a front-row seat to the fastest-growing sport in America.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Folgen 55
Allyce Jones: The Truth About Being a Pro, Her Anna Leigh Theory, and Raising a Future Pro | S5 E6
In this episode, Allyce sits down with Roscoe and Jared to tell how she went from teaching full-time to playing on the pro tour. They also cover the MLP season, why the juniors have been the surprise of the …
Shownotes
In this episode, Allyce sits down with Roscoe and Jared to tell how she went from teaching full-time to playing on the pro tour. They also cover the MLP season, why the juniors have been the surprise of the year, and what it takes to beat Anna Leigh Waters.
Allyce opens up about how she found the game. COVID cost her volleyball club $40K, and her mom talked the family into trying pickleball in an empty high school gym. Then her husband booked her a lesson with Callie Jo Smith and told her, “I wanted you to see what I saw.” She trained at 4:30 a.m. before teaching, paid for her career out of her own salary, and made $800 from her first paycheck. After signing with the PPA Tour in 2022, she left teaching, and the goals on the vision board in her classroom came true.
Allyce also explains why diving comes from 20 years of volleyball and isn’t for show. She separated her AC joint diving in Dallas, and she breaks down how reading a hitter’s shoulders helps her play defense. She shares why her daughter Leah turned down a tour contract at 12 so she could win a Challenger first, and the night Leah beat her for the first time. She also gives her theory on Anna Leigh’s dominance and her advice for parents who coach their kids.
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Timestamps:
1:04 — How the MLP Season Is Going
1:30 — Do Owners Bid on Their Schedule?
3:18 — Why Six-Player Rosters Add Pressure
3:47 — The Juniors Stealing the Show
5:24 — 5:30 a.m. Workouts With Dad
6:34 — A 5'2" D1 Setter at Utah Valley
7:16 — 10 Years, Four State Titles, and a 250-Athlete Club
8:04 — Why She’s the Best Cheerleader on the Bench
9:34 — Where “Mighty Mouse” Came From
10:47 — Why Utah Is Pickleball Country
12:28 — Dirty Sodas and Swig
13:15 — Walking Away After a State Title
13:52 — COVID, a $40K Loss, and Mom’s New Game
15:06 — From Ladder Leagues to 5.0 Tournaments
16:13 — The Callie Jo Smith Lesson That Changed Everything
17:23 — Going Pro at 32
18:13 — Finding a Partner to Chase It With
20:39 — 4:30 a.m. Training, Then Teach All Day
21:46 — The First $800 Paycheck
22:35 — Why She Signed With the PPA Tour
23:10 — From Joola to CRBN
23:54 — Jared’s Most Painful Moment on Court
24:56 — PickleRoll and Finally Turning a Profit
25:27 — Quitting Teaching for Good
25:44 — The Vision Board That Came True
27:48 — The Mindset Switch to Attacking
29:21 — “You Are Annoying to Play Against”
30:11 — Why She Dives: It’s Volleyball, Not a Show
31:14 — Separating Her AC Joint in Dallas
33:39 — What Volleyball Gives You in Pickleball
34:30 — Reading Shoulders Before the Shot
35:13 — Learning Groundstrokes Without a Tennis Background
36:18 — Coaching Her Daughter and Elsie Hendershot
38:16 — The Allyce Jones Scholarship
39:48 — Why Leah Turned Down the Tour at 12
41:43 — Challenger: The Missing Path to Pro
42:50 — The Day Leah Beat Her Mom
45:00 — Mother-Daughter Teams and Leigh & Anna Leigh
45:47 — Anna Leigh’s Bus vs. the Players Lounge
47:44 — Her Theory on Anna Leigh’s Dominance
50:06 — Chasing a Win Over Anna Leigh
51:04 — How Fahey and Bright Iced Out Anna Leigh
52:07 — Will Anna Leigh Switch Partners?
53:08 — Advice for Parents Coaching Their Kids
54:24 — How Pickleball Changed Her Life
Connor Garnett: Leaving Banking for Pickleball, Yips That Got Him Traded, and Twoey Nation | S5 E5
In this episode, Connor sits down with Roscoe and Jared to walk through one of the most unlikely paths on tour, from hitting with Novak Djokovic at the US Open to clocking 92-hour weeks in banking. The …
Shownotes
In this episode, Connor sits down with Roscoe and Jared to walk through one of the most unlikely paths on tour, from hitting with Novak Djokovic at the US Open to clocking 92-hour weeks in banking. The conversation covers why he bet on pickleball, how he built a brand around his two-handed backhand, and what still stands between him and #1.
Connor opens up about the yips that took over his serve, cost him confidence on the sport’s biggest stages, and helped lead to his MLP trade out of Columbus. He breaks down how he won a bronze with Alix Truong in the middle of it, then rebuilt his mechanics from the ground up with help from an unlikely source: Bryson DeChambeau’s approach to the golf swing.
Connor also gets into the business side of the sport, including why he only needed to break even to leave banking, how his first Twoey hats landed right as he won the LA Open, and why investing in pickleball has put him in the rooms he used to sit silently in as an analyst. He gets honest about a slow start to the year, recommitting to training, and turning down a bonus because he didn’t feel he’d earned the #2 ranking.
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Timestamps:
1:05 — The Atlanta Run That Broke the #17 Curse
1:32 — Why the Work Finally Started Paying Off
2:24 — The Shy Kid From Bellevue
2:53 — 6 A.M. Practices and Brutal Tennis Punishments
3:36 — Pacing the Court With Novak at the US Open
4:11 — “You’re Late”: Novak’s First Words to Him
5:04 — How COVID Killed His Pro Tennis Plans
5:20 — The Forced Move That Led Him to Pickleball
5:48 — The US Open Connection Behind His First Game
7:19 — Silver in His First Pro Tournament
8:11 — Beating Hayden Patriquin and Wyatt Stoneman Right Out of the Gate
9:12 — Getting Humbled After Every Big Win
9:53 — Learning What Pro Pickleball Really Looks Like With Tyson McGuffin
11:16 — The Tyson Connection Nobody Knew About
12:11 — Just How Good Was He at Tennis?
13:35 — The Cutthroat World of Pro Warm-Up Partners
15:02 — Only Child Syndrome and the Coach Who Fixed It
16:17 — Winning on Sunday, Back at His Banking Job Monday
17:05 — The 92-Hour Work Week
18:11 — Why He Walked Away From Investment Banking
18:29 — The Childhood Racket-Stringing Hustle
19:23 — Why All He Needed Was to Break Even
20:02 — From Silent Analyst to Getting in on the Deals
20:28 — Why He Wrote for The Kitchen for Free
21:25 — When Men’s Singles Caught Fire
23:32 — The Atlanta Tournament That Changed Singles
24:44 — Why James Ignatowich Was So Electric
26:23 — The Worst Yips in Pro Pickleball History
26:51 — Winning Bronze With Alix Truong Through the Yips
27:32 — The Trade Out of Columbus
28:05 — Why Sports Expose Who You Really Are
29:04 — Rebuilding His Serve the Bryson DeChambeau Way
30:54 — The Clutch Second Serve That Made the Yips Worse
31:52 — Could the Yips Come Back?
33:26 — What Zverev’s Double Faults Can Teach You
34:10 — The Night Roscoe Forgot How to Hit a Backhand
36:15 — Saying Zero Words in a Three-Person Group Project
37:40 — Learning to Talk in a Room
38:58 — Taking on Your Weaknesses Head-On
39:12 — How the Shy Kid Became a Top Clinic Coach
41:13 — The Origin of the Twoey
42:13 — The Hat Drop That Hit at the Perfect Time
43:13 — The Free Hat Promise From Center Court
45:26 — Is Pickleball the New Golf?
45:39 — Katy Perry, Necker Island, and Where Pickleball Takes You
46:21 — What the Next Year Looks Like
47:41 — Locking Back In After a Business-Focused Year
48:05 — “You Either Got It or You Don’t”
49:19 — Warming Up the Mind Instead of the Body
50:22 — The Pro Pickleball Nickname Game
54:20 — Two Straight Hours of Dinking
55:14 — The Squat Stat Nobody Saw Coming
56:18 — Why He Passed on His #2 Bonus
56:55 — What’s Holding Him Back From #1
59:28 — Pickleball: Choose Your Own Adventure
Steve Aoki: Why the World’s Biggest DJ Is Obsessed With Pickleball | S5 E4
In this episode, Steve Aoki sits down with Roscoe and Jared for his first-ever pickleball podcast. The conversation runs from how his wife got him into the game to the DIY mindset that built his entire career …
Shownotes
In this episode, Steve Aoki sits down with Roscoe and Jared for his first-ever pickleball podcast. The conversation runs from how his wife got him into the game to the DIY mindset that built his entire career, with plenty of honest takes on business, creativity, and whether pickleball is actually cool.
Steve breaks down how HeroQuest went from a COVID-era album into a full IP with an anime, a trading card game, and collabs with Burton, Malbon, and Cressi. He explains why every product he drops needs a “collectible soul,” and how the JOOLA Hero and Hyro paddles come with HeroQuest cards, including serialized 1-of-1 chase cards hidden in the boxes.
Steve also opens up about the punk and hardcore scene that taught him business at 15, starting Dim Mak out of his college co-op, and turning down a PhD to chase the label. He gets into running up $100K in credit card debt across 10 cards, why his father never funded him, and how DJing small LA bars dug him out and launched the next chapter of his career.
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Timestamps:
1:07 — How His Wife Got Him Into Pickleball
2:09 — Losing 98% of Table Tennis Games to His Wife
5:37 — Trading the Skate Ramp for a Backyard Court
8:41 — The Phoenix Flames Deal That Fell Through
9:07 — How HeroQuest Was Born During COVID
11:56 — Why Every Product Needs a Collectible Soul
13:23 — Starting a Grading Company for Music
13:43 — The JOOLA x HeroQuest Paddle Drop
16:07 — How the JOOLA Collab Came Together
18:04 — The Mixtape That Changed His Life
22:13 — Straight Edge Hardcore and the DIY Code
27:30 — Flipping Thrift Shirts and Selling $3 Tapes
29:19 — Starting Dim Mak in a College Co-op
31:41 — Turning Down a PhD for The Kills
32:43 — $100K Deep Across 10 Credit Cards
32:59 — Why His Dad Never Funded Him
34:24 — DJing His Way Out of Debt
36:34 — Gaga, Skrillex, and the Dim Mak Scene
39:10 — Only Hiring People Locked Into the Lifestyle
41:03 — Finishing Hundreds of Remixes (and the Drake Flop)
42:28 — Nerves on Center Court at PPA Vegas
43:59 — The Aoki Foundation and Brain Health
44:40 — Bryan Johnson’s First Cold Plunge
46:17 — Why Racket Sports Are Good for the Brain
47:04 — Drafting a Celebrity MLP Team
49:43 — Harder: World-Class DJ or Pro Pickleballer?
52:02 — The $8K a Month Bar DJ Math
54:00 — Is Pickleball Cool?
56:47 — Main Stage Rush vs. Winning on the Court
57:17 — Why a Unicorn Exit Doesn’t Compare
58:16 — Fighting to Stay Relevant
1:00:16 — The Cake Finale
Lacy Schneemann: She Quit Rocket Science for Pro Pickleball. Was It Worth It? | S5 E3
In this episode, Lacy sits down with Roscoe and Jared to talk about her path from a small town in West Texas to the pro tour. They cover her aggressive, men’s-doubles-inspired game, her years in engineering …
Shownotes
In this episode, Lacy sits down with Roscoe and Jared to talk about her path from a small town in West Texas to the pro tour. They cover her aggressive, men’s-doubles-inspired game, her years in engineering, and the decision to walk away from a stable career to play pickleball full-time. It’s a fun, honest conversation with one of the most versatile players on the women’s side.
Lacy opens up about her week at Mesa, where she and Jack Sock beat Jorja Johnson and JW Johnson 6 and 6. A couple of days later she was double pickled 11-0, 11-0 in 14 minutes by Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright, then came back the next day to win bronze. She explains what it actually takes to beat the best team in the world and why she thinks her forehand, when it’s on, is top of the pro game.
Lacy also gets into her internships at JPL and Apple and the year she spent writing pros and cons lists about quitting Boeing. She describes coming off the bench for an injured teammate at the Newport MLP and the Mesa MLP weekend whose prize money gave her the confidence to quit her job on June 7, 2023. She also talks about the pressure of losing a backup income, her goal of cracking the top 5, and whether she’ll ever go back to aerospace.
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Timestamps:
1:00 — The Backhand Flick Roscoe Tried to Copy
2:06 — The “Step Back King” and Living at the Kitchen Line
2:31 — Why She Plays Like a Men’s Doubles Player
3:29 — Beating Jorja & JW Johnson With Jack Sock at Mesa
3:56 — Double Pickled in 14 Minutes by Anna Leigh & Anna Bright
6:12 — Does the Score Line Matter? A Loss Is a Loss
7:51 — What It Actually Takes to Beat the Best Team in the World
9:23 — When the Forehand Is Cooking, Nobody Can Stop It
10:45 — Playing at 5'4" and the Wristy Game
13:19 — Growing Up in San Angelo, West Texas
14:38 — Mutton Busting Champion at Age Five
15:56 — Twin Sister, Every Sport, and Salutatorian
16:52 — The 8th Grade Quiz That Made Her an Aerospace Engineer
18:05 — Club Tennis and Engineering at USC
19:14 — Internships at JPL and Apple’s Classified Projects
20:45 — Graduating Into the Pandemic and Landing at Boeing
22:58 — Why Satellites Weren’t the Dream Job
23:59 — 11 Tattoos in One Day in Australia
26:13 — Learning Pickleball With Dad in 2015
27:02 — Finding the Memorial Park Crew in LA
28:08 — “You Should Try Going Pro”
29:03 — Off the Bench at the Newport MLP
31:36 — A Year of Pros and Cons Lists
32:56 — The Mesa MLP Weekend That Changed Everything
33:41 — Quitting Boeing on June 7, 2023
34:23 — Does an Engineering Brain Help on the Court?
36:06 — The Pressure of Losing the Backup Income
37:21 — The Most Respectful Young Players on Tour
38:51 — The Goal: Breaking Into the Top 5
39:42 — Why She Wants a Kawamoto Back
41:00 — Will She Go Back to Aerospace?
42:06 — Things People Don’t Know About Lacy
42:37 — Singles vs. Doubles: What’s Harder?
43:24 — Top Aerospace Engineer vs. Top Pro: Who Has It Harder?
44:29 — When Will Pickleball Be Played in Space?
45:53 — How Much Money to Never Play Again?
47:20 — Loud Partner or Quiet Partner?
49:38 — The One Shot She’d Steal From JW Johnson
Federico Staksrud: The $400K Fives Trade, Reuniting With Hayden, and Chasing Ben & Gabe | S5 E2
In this episode, Federico sits down with Roscoe and Jared for a casual, wide-ranging conversation about his journey from a software company desk job to the top of the sport. They cover his blockbuster MLP …
Shownotes
In this episode, Federico sits down with Roscoe and Jared for a casual, wide-ranging conversation about his journey from a software company desk job to the top of the sport. They cover his blockbuster MLP trade, his reunion with Hayden Patriquin, the global growth of the game, and the mindset that keeps him reaching Sunday nearly every week.
Federico breaks down the process that built him, starting with Simone Jardim teaching him that pickleball required real practice. He also talks about Johnny Goldberg telling him he could be #1 in a global sport, and about Beto pushing him to live like an athlete 24/7. He opens up about the late-deadline trade from the Orlando Squeeze to the New Jersey 5s, the pressure that came with the $400K price tag, and why Anna Leigh Waters is the most competitive person he’s ever met.
Federico also gets into the miscommunication that split him and Hayden in 2025 and why the two reunited with one goal: beating Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio. He shares what it’s like to have 500 fans screaming at him in Vietnam and why he plays too many tournaments. He also makes a controversial case that MLP’s competitive problems fall on the players, not the league. Plus, Jared and Roscoe make a $5,000 bet on Anna Leigh’s future.
Pickleballers Hat: 🧢
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Add us on Instagram:
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Timestamps:
1:00 — The Run to #1 in Men’s Doubles
3:04 — From Buenos Aires to College Tennis
4:38 — Walmart Paddle, First Pickleball Beatdown
6:31 — Simone Jardim Teaches Him to Actually Practice
8:17 — Messi and the Never-Give-Up Mindset
10:18 — Johnny Goldberg: “You Can Be #1”
12:07 — 6 AM Pickle, 9-to-5 Job, Night Singles
13:56 — Beto and the 24/7 Athlete Lifestyle
15:15 — No Backup Plan
16:24 — The Trade to the New Jersey 5s
19:05 — The $400K Price Tag
19:53 — Why Pressure Is the Reward
23:00 — Sprinting With No Finish Line
24:05 — Anna Leigh: The Most Competitive Person Alive
26:32 — Anna Leigh’s Superstar Workload
28:04 — Why He’s Back With Hayden
29:22 — The Miscommunication That Split Them
30:53 — The Plan to Beat Ben & Gabe
32:12 — Chirping on Court, Friends Off It
34:17 — Working the Refs, Soccer-Style
35:49 — Can the Pickleball World Cup Go Global?
37:31 — Will China Compete in 10 Years?
38:19 — The $5,000 Anna Leigh Bet
39:47 — 500 Fans Screaming in Vietnam
42:05 — Bad Refs Overseas
44:57 — Rockstar Treatment in Asia
46:10 — Life of a Sunday Regular
47:35 — The Problem With Playing Too Much
49:10 — Prime Age and Playing Until 40
50:28 — Shots He Steals From Ben, Hayden, and Gabe
52:32 — JW Johnson Is Underrated
55:12 — Hype Guys vs. Stoic Pros
58:20 — Is MLP Better This Year?
1:03:05 — Most Likely To... on Tour
1:05:21 — The Street Fight Draft
Gabe Tardio: Playing With Ben Johns, Handling Pressure, and Becoming a Star | S5 E1
Gabe Tardio is the No. 2 player in the world and half of the best men's doubles team in pickleball alongside Ben Johns. He grew up in Bolivia chasing a tennis career and went from thinking pickleball was "the …
Shownotes
Gabe Tardio is the No. 2 player in the world and half of the best men's doubles team in pickleball alongside Ben Johns. He grew up in Bolivia chasing a tennis career and went from thinking pickleball was "the dumbest game ever" to one of the most feared right-side players on the PPA Tour.
In this episode, Gabe sits down with Roscoe and Jared to open the Season 5 premiere. They trace his path from a COVID-shuttered tennis academy to his grandfather's pickleball courts in Florida, then to the Johnson family practice group that brought him onto the pro tour. It's a candid, funny conversation about strategy, partnerships, and what it takes to break into the top tier.
Gabe breaks down the decision that changed his career: seeing that everyone wanted to play the left, so he committed to mastering the right. He explains how film study, thousands of backhand counters against JW Johnson's flicks, and deliberately borrowing shots from Ben, Anna Leigh, Tyson McGuffin, and Kyle Yates built the aggressive right-side style he's known for.
Gabe also tells the full story behind partnering with Ben. He was nearly 80% set on leaving the PPA over a contract offer before Ben's Christmas text arrived while he was in Bolivia. That text helped him re-sign for almost 3x the money. He's honest about freezing up in their first tournaments in Mesa and how Ben's quiet belief got him back to his game. He also covers going from rivals to best friends with Hayden, life on the St. Louis Shock, and why he'd still pick tennis.
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Timestamps:
1:12 — The Quiet Kid With the Glasses
2:09 — Growing Up in Bolivia on the Tennis Court
3:03 — COVID Shuts Down His Tennis Academy
3:21 — Grandpa's Backyard Pickleball Court
6:38 — Giving Up the Pro Tennis Dream
7:54 — "The Dumbest Game Ever"
9:37 — Dad Saw the Future First
10:37 — Meeting Jorja at a Money Ball
12:14 — The Worst Player in the Johnson Practice Group
14:14 — Winning 5.0s and Turning Pro at 16
15:39 — $1,000 Money Balls at 15
16:27 — Watching Every Ben Johns Match
17:18 — Why JW Was His Idol
18:20 — No Pressure, No Problem
19:39 — The Split Personality
20:37 — The Right-Side Bet That Changed Everything
22:31 — How to Become an Elite Right-Side Player
25:04 — Reinventing the Right-Side Role
27:08 — Training His Brother Matias for the Pro Tour
29:25 — Every Shot Is Borrowed
32:34 — Hayden vs. Anna Leigh Trash Talk
34:28 — Anna Bright or Jorja Johnson?
35:33 — The Ben Johns Partner Sweepstakes
36:27 — Almost Leaving the PPA
37:54 — Ben's Text and a 3x PPA Raise
39:00 — Why Ben Picked Gabe
41:00 — The Christmas Text in Bolivia
42:07 — Freezing Up in Mesa
43:13 — Finding the Groove With Ben
44:17 — Collin Johns and the Biggest Threat
44:59 — What Ben Taught Him
46:13 — Inside Ben Johns' World
47:07 — From Rivals to Best Friends With Hayden
48:27 — Life on the St. Louis Shock Super Team
50:37 — Ranked No. 5? His Response
52:58 — Dealing With the Keyboard Warriors
54:39 — Tama and the Next Generation
57:15 — Most Underrated and Overrated
58:28 — The Pro Player Animal Round
59:52 — Pro Pickleball Matchmaking
1:02:38 — Stranded on an Island
1:03:23 — Why He'd Still Pick Tennis
Jay Devilliers: Figuring Out Ben Johns, Bringing Pickle to France, and The Body Bag Debate | S4 E10
Jay Devilliers, "the Flying Frenchman," is one of pro pickleball's most accomplished veterans — a former Wichita State tennis standout who transitioned into the pro ranks in 2019 and has stayed near the top of …
Shownotes
Jay Devilliers, "the Flying Frenchman," is one of pro pickleball's most accomplished veterans — a former Wichita State tennis standout who transitioned into the pro ranks in 2019 and has stayed near the top of the sport for over half a decade.
In this season-closing episode, Jay sits down with Roscoe and Jared for a wide-ranging conversation tracing his path from a hyper-competitive French sporting family through Spanish tennis academies, Wichita State doubles, and into the earliest days of pro pickleball. They cover his partnership with Pat Smith, his rivalry with Ben Johns and Collin Johns, and how he's stayed relevant through injuries and the sport's rapid evolution.
Jay breaks down his surreal run as a US Open hitting partner, including a 90-minute session with Rafael Nadal, strategically set up by Carlos Moya, that left his hands blistered and bleeding. He also details the six-month ultimatum his wife gave him in 2020 to prove himself in pickleball or go find a real job, a deadline COVID nearly wiped out before he committed to the sport full time in 2021.
Jay also opens up about splitting from longtime partner Pat Smith after sponsor pressure pushed him toward a pairing with Tyson McGuffin, the epic finals battles with Ben Johns and Collin Johns that helped shape Riley Newman and Matt Wright's rise, and his philosophy on body bags, including firing one back at an opponent and the unforgettable moment Anna Leigh Waters caught him with one of her own. He closes out reflecting on raising four kids while grinding on tour and his goal to grow pickleball in Europe.
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Add us on Instagram:
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Timestamps:
1:44 — Welcome to the season finale
6:48 — Growing up the youngest of six in France
10:56 — Chasing tennis to Spain and Wichita State
13:07 — Becoming a dad as a senior in college
16:05 — Becoming a US Open hitting partner
17:39 — Practicing with Rafael Nadal
21:33 — Building a career after the US Open
24:01 — Finding pickleball at Chicken N Pickle
26:51 — The six-month ultimatum to go pro
27:53 — Wichita's early pickleball hotbed
33:31 — Cracking the code on Ben Johns
37:08 — Why he and Pat Smith split up
41:03 — Battling back from injury in 2024
45:03 — How the sport has changed since 2020
50:09 — Reinventing his game every year
51:48 — The body bag debate
53:56 — The Anna Leigh Waters body bag
55:31 — Tennis vs. pickleball: which is harder
58:22 — The "Two Anna Leighs" hypothetical
1:00:03 — The craziest moment: Zane's chainsaw serve
1:02:03 — Who talks the most trash on tour
1:03:24 — Legacy, longevity, and growing pickleball in Europe
Will Howells: Leaving the APP, Teaming Up With Anna Leigh Waters, and His Cocky Mentality | S4 E9
Will Howells is a former top-15 US junior tennis player and Notre Dame standout who switched to pickleball in 2023 and quickly climbed the ranks, now stepping onto the PPA and MLP tours as one of the newest …
Shownotes
Will Howells is a former top-15 US junior tennis player and Notre Dame standout who switched to pickleball in 2023 and quickly climbed the ranks, now stepping onto the PPA and MLP tours as one of the newest faces on tour.
In this episode, Will sits down with Roscoe and Jared to trace his path from junior tennis dreams and a Notre Dame ankle injury to grinding out results on the APP tour while still working full-time. They dig into his draft night, his rise as MLP's "team of misfits," and the mindset that carried him through every step.
Will breaks down his draft day call from Ryan Harwood, becoming "the man" on the APP tour after Andre, Gabe, and the Johnson 5 left for MLP, and the tough multi-month decision to walk away from APP entirely for a full PPA and MLP schedule.
Will also gives his own retelling of the infamous Anna Leigh Waters vs. Hayden "Big H" sideline altercation.
Delivered by @whiteclaw!
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Timestamps:
1:53 — Growing Up in Richmond, Virginia
3:19 — Two Half-Siblings and a Full One
4:44 — Cracking the Top 15 in Junior Tennis
7:33 — Committing to Notre Dame
10:58 — The Ankle Break That Ended His Season
11:34 — A Friend Drags Him to the Park
12:49 — JW Takes Him Under His Wing
14:59 — Losing to Daescu Six Times
17:22 — Public Enemy #1 on the AP Tour
20:09 — The McDonald's Call That Changed Everything
23:26 — Betting His Career on the PPA
27:25 — He Popped the Question
28:35 — Lining Up Noe, Rachel, Megan, and Tyra
31:00 — Snapping His Ankle on a Passing Shot
36:41 — Shrinking the Court: Singles Reinvented
39:23 — The Best Beard in Pickleball
40:37 — Racing Motorcycle Life
44:00 — The Secret to Closing Out Matches
49:29 — Breaking Down Anna Leigh vs. Big H
51:46 — Inside the DAPS Shoe Deal
Brooke Buckner: From Stay-at-Home Mom to #4 in the World, and How to beat Anna Leigh Waters | S4 E8
Brooke Buckner is the #4 women's singles player in the world and a former Division I tennis player at Michigan, known for some of the hardest ground strokes in the game, men or women.In this episode, Brooke …
Shownotes
Brooke Buckner is the #4 women's singles player in the world and a former Division I tennis
player at Michigan, known for some of the hardest ground strokes in the game, men or women.
In this episode, Brooke sits down with Roscoe and Jared to trace her path from junior tennis and college coaching at Michigan, Yale, and UNC Charlotte to becoming a stay-at-home mom in 2020 and, almost by accident, one of pickleball's top singles players. They dig into her training with Mike Wolf, her run with the Dallas Flash, and her near-upset of Anna Lee Waters.
Brooke opens up about walking away from a pro tennis track at her coach's advice, becoming a stay-at-home mom during COVID, and how her mother pushed her onto a pickleball court as a way to get her competitive again. She breaks down her jump from rec-league pickleball to the pro tour, admitting she barely trained for singles in the early days and got in "at the right time" before the women's field got deep.
Brooke also shares the story of going up 9-4 on Anna Lee Waters before the match slipped away, why she thinks she'll beat her "once" before retiring, and what it's been like building a relationship with Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf through Joola, including the text Agassi sent her after a tough loss. She closes out on her new doubles partnership with Caitlin Christian, her goal of reaching a championship Sunday in doubles, and what she wants her legacy to be as a mom who kept chasing her career.
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Timestamps:
1:25 — Brooke joins the podcast
2:07 — Life with the Dallas Flash
5:15 — MLP vs. singles focus
6:04 — Rating her own singles and doubles game
8:35 — Growing up in Cleveland
9:50 — Junior tennis and going pro young
12:33 — Playing at Michigan
18:27 — Marriage, kids, and leaving coaching
19:53 — How her mom got her into pickleball
24:34 — First pro pickleball events
24:38 — Breaking into the top of women's singles
31:19 — Working with Mike Wolf
33:39 — Signing with Joola
32:45 — Relationship with Andre Agassi
33:48 — The Insane Anna Leigh Waters match
40:56 — The next generation of "pickle kids"
47:08 — Goals in doubles
53:38 — Legacy and what's next
Dave Fleming: The Voice of Pickleball on Haters, Catchphrases, and Growing the Game | S4 E7
In this episode, Dave sits down with Roscoe and Jared to trace his winding path to the pickleball mic — from calling high school sports in Memphis to ball boying and interviewing tennis legends as a teenager …
Shownotes
In this episode, Dave sits down with Roscoe and Jared to trace his winding path to the pickleball mic — from calling high school sports in Memphis to ball boying and interviewing tennis legends as a teenager, and finally becoming the defining voice of the sport's biggest broadcasts.
Dave breaks down his origin story in detail: growing up in a sports-obsessed family, his early TV career, and the chance golf cart conversation with Hank Haney that connected Tom Dundon and Connor Pardoe — a meeting that helped shape the modern PPA. He also shares how he almost missed his own start in broadcasting after years working outside sports media entirely.
Dave also opens up about the craft behind the mic: where catchphrases like "snowman," "crooked number," and "floor is lava" actually came from, how he handles online criticism by blocking and moving on, and his predictions for which discipline — mixed doubles or singles — will be the one to break pickleball into the mainstream.
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Timestamps:
1:02 — Meet Dave Fleming, The Most Listened-To Man in Pickleball
1:57 — Getting Recognized at Tournaments (And at a Concert)
3:10 — The Chris Collinsworth Comparison
4:18 — His Parents Met at a Copier in Pittsburgh
5:35 — The High School TV Station That Started It All
6:42 — Ball Boying Jimmy Connors, Then Interviewing Him Minutes Later
8:15 — Why Pro Tennis Wasn't in the Cards
9:21 — Choosing Marketing Over Sports Broadcasting in College
10:14 — Writing Periodontal Brochures for Delta Dental
11:01 — Blocking Out Steelers Scores on Championship Sunday
14:26 — Discovering Pickleball at 49 Through a Tennis Friend
16:34 — Meeting Adam Stone and Winning Their First Tournament
18:51 — The Email From Steve Dawson That Changed Everything
21:03 — The Golf Cart Ride That Connected Tom Dundon and Connor Pardoe
22:57 — Building the PPA From a Backyard Pickleball Court
26:28 — Introducing Tom Dundon and Connor Pardoe
29:15 — Finding His Voice as the Voice of Pickleball
31:02 — The Broadcasters Who Shaped His Style
33:20 — How Dave Handles the Haters
35:11 — Navigating Negativity in The Community
43:03 — The Loudest Roar He's Ever Heard on the Mic
44:47 — The Match That Gave Him Chills: Kalamotos vs. Waters/Bright
48:36 — What's Needed to Break Pickleball Into the Mainstream
51:21 — Is There a "Dinking Problem" in Pickleball?
53:25 — Mixed Doubles vs. Singles: Which One Breaks Through?
55:14 — What He Wants His Broadcasting Legacy to Be
56:29 — Breaking Down His Catchphrases: Snowman, Crooked Number, and More
59:07 — The Story Behind "Scratch My Back With a Hacksaw"
1:01:26 — What Dave Wants His Legacy to Be
Hannah Blatt: Pickleball's First Influencer, Marrying Her Doubles Partner, and Going Pro | S4 E6
Hannah Blatt was one of the top squash players in the world before transitioning into professional pickleball, where she's now ranked 22nd in singles and become one of the most followed players in the sport on …
Shownotes
Hannah Blatt was one of the top squash players in the world before transitioning into professional pickleball, where she's now ranked 22nd in singles and become one of the most followed players in the sport on social media.
In this episode, Hannah sits down with Roscoe and Jared to trace her path from elite junior and college squash to professional pickleball, and how she became one of the first players in the sport to build a following around her personal brand rather than just her results on the court.
Hannah breaks down her rise through junior and college squash at Drexel, including a brutal sophomore season playing the number one spot where she lost nearly every match, and how that experience shaped her decision to eventually walk away from the sport and throw herself into pickleball instead.
Hannah also opens up about becoming one of pickleball's first influencers before it was common, how a mixed doubles partnership with Grayson Goldin turned into an engagement, and her goals to crack the top 20 in all three divisions and eventually go pro at the highest level.
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Timestamps:
1:13 — Meet Hannah Blatt
2:16 — Moving to Florida for squash
9:05 — What squash actually is
13:21 — Ivy League recruiting and Drexel
14:56 — Losing almost every match at #1
22:08 — Turning Pro in a Sport With No Money
26:23 — First time playing pickleball
27:37 — Building a following, going all in
33:38 — Becoming pickleball's first influencer
38:50 — The road to going pro in pickleball
44:03 — Cracking Top 22 in the World
46:16 — A Mixed Doubles Partner Becomes a Fiancé
51:02 — The Top 20 Goal and an Olympic Dream
52:26 — The Squash Backhand That Carries Over to Pickleball
Jared Paul: The Origin Story of The Kitchen and How It Became Pickleball's Biggest Community | S4 E5
Jared Paul is the co-host of Pickleballers and the founder of The Kitchen Pickleball — the largest and most engaged pickleball community and media company in the world, with over two million cumulative members …
Shownotes
Jared Paul is the co-host of Pickleballers and the founder of The Kitchen Pickleball — the largest and most engaged pickleball community and media company in the world, with over two million cumulative members, followers, and email subscribers across platforms.
In this episode, Roscoe flips the script and puts Jared in the guest seat for the first time, joined by Dane Illif, Jared's longtime co-founder and right-hand man at The Kitchen. Together, they trace the full origin story — from a broke music startup in Oakland to building the brand that helped define modern pickleball culture.
Jared opens up about the winding road that led him to Austin: surviving 9/11 in New York, playing in a funk band called Frontline Theory, running a nonprofit in San Francisco, and finally landing at a digital agency where he realized he was unemployable and couldn't work on someone else's dream. The Kitchen didn't start as a business plan — it started as a Facebook group for Austin pickleball players during COVID, born out of a failed music company and a chance invite to play at a bar called Bolden Acres.
Jared and Dane also get into the behind-the-scenes of how The Kitchen actually became a business — from a $1,000/month deal with an Amazon paddle brand, to producing an $8,000 Electrum commercial in Vegas, to landing an early partnership with Connor Pardus and the PPA before anyone else believed in them. They break down why they never bought a single follower, what made the kitchen impossible to replicate, and why Jared believes singles pickleball is the format that takes the sport to TV.
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Timestamps:
1:09 — Jared in the Hot Seat
2:17 — Dane Joins the Story
4:29 — The Broke Oakland Music Startup
9:38 — Growing Up & Early Life in Atlanta
10:10 — Bombing the Interview, Then Getting the Job
12:34 — Seeing 9/11 from NYC Rooftop
14:19 — Playing in a Band Called Frontline Theory
16:07 — Quitting Sales & The Power of Now
17:18 — Building a Nonprofit in San Francisco
19:29 — Working at Salesforce & a Digital Agency
21:06 — Why the Early Companies Failed
22:18 — Community First vs. Product First
27:08 — How Pickleball Found Them During COVID
28:02 — The Kitchen Is Born
29:07 — Dane Create the Logo
32:23 — When It Became a Real Business
34:03 — Trying to Make a Pickleball (and Failing)
36:28 — The $8K Electrum Commercial in Vegas
38:21 — The Early PPA Partnership
39:44 — The Kitchen by the Numbers Today
43:51 — Never Buying a Single Follower
45:14 — Top Tips for Creators
48:10 — Most Viral Post of All Time
49:24 — Is the Pickleball Boom Over?
50:44 — Favorite Pickleball Events
54:24 — What Pickleball Has Given Them
57:33 — The Future of Pickleball & The Kitchen
Danni-Elle Townsend: Australia's Newest Pickleball Superstar Is Coming For The Top | S4 E4
In this episode, Danni-Elle sits down with Roscoe and Jared fresh off a run to the MLP finals in Austin. She breaks down what it's like competing on American soil for the first time, why she's unapologetic …
Shownotes
In this episode, Danni-Elle sits down with Roscoe and Jared fresh off a run to the MLP finals in Austin. She breaks down what it's like competing on American soil for the first time, why she's unapologetic about staying rooted in Australia, and why she believes the sport's next wave of talent is coming from the Asia-Pacific region.
Danni-Elle opens up about her table tennis career — how her mom and dad met through the sport, how she rose to the Australian national team, and how it all ended with a cold email telling her "good luck with the rest of your life" after a contract technicality they used to push her out. She traces the unlikely path from that moment to playing pickleball on a wood floor on International Pickleball Day with "a bunch of old people" — and how a free-drinks tournament turned into a full-blown obsession.
Danni-Elle also gets into the confidence and swagger she brings to every court, the moment she told Roscoe she's the best women's right-side player in the world, and her completely unbothered declaration that Anna Leigh Waters already knows she's coming for her crown. She shares why being told she "wasn't the look" sponsors were seeking only made her more committed to playing her own way — and why she's betting on herself to crack the top five within a year.
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Timestamps:
1:10 — Welcome & Intro
1:38 — MLP Breakout and First Impressions
3:05 — Paving the Way for Australian Pickleball
4:01 — Joey Wild and the 1:20 AM Drive to Train
5:30 — Where Does She Rank Right Now?
6:28 — Why She's Staying in Australia
7:21 — Is Asia the Future of Pickleball?
12:22 — From Ping-Pong to Pickleball
13:08 — The Origin of the Name "Danielle"
14:06 — Growing Up in Australia with Three Brothers
14:55 — Table Tennis National Team — and Getting Kicked Out
16:27 — Discovering Pickleball on International Pickleball Day
17:33 — When Pickleball Gets Too Serious
19:40 — The Fun vs. Business Tipping Point
22:49 — Style Differences: Australia vs. the States
26:07 — What Gives Her That Energy on Court
27:09 — The Clown Incident with ALW
29:59 — Confidence, Competition, and the "Hell No" Mentality
33:14 — Theater, Brothers, and Where the Confidence Came From
34:47 — Jesse and the "I Don't Like People" Introduction
35:53 — Tennis vs. Ping-Pong as a Pickleball Prerequisite
39:27 — Most Underrated Player: Georgia Johnson
40:15 — Getting Told She "Wasn't the Look"
42:39 — Goals: Top Five in One Year, Best in Three
51:56 — Where Does Australia Rank Globally?
53:13 — Coming for ALW's Crown
55:03 — Dream Doubles Partner
Hannah Johns: The Johns Family Origin, Growing The PPA, and Pickleball's Wildest Early Days | S4 E3
In this episode, Hannah sits down with Roscoe and Jared to pull back the curtain on the Johns family, the wild early days of the PPA, and what it really took to turn pickleball into a legitimate professional …
Shownotes
In this episode, Hannah sits down with Roscoe and Jared to pull back the curtain on the Johns family, the wild early days of the PPA, and what it really took to turn pickleball into a legitimate professional sport. It's part origin story, part behind-the-scenes tour, and entirely worth your time.
Hannah opens up about growing up as one of seven homeschooled kids on 12 acres, how Ben showed freakish hand-eye coordination before he could even talk much, and the moment the family realized pickleball might actually be something real — when the first major Franklin sponsorship came in and changed everything.
Hannah also gets into the grind of being PPA Employee #4 — arranging player housing, getting screamed at when a pro peed in a host's garden, and the relentless skepticism from networks and fans who said tickets would never sell. She shares what she's most proud of: helping prove every single naysayer wrong.
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Timestamps:
1:14 — Welcome, Hannah Johns
2:09 — Why Hannah Stepped Away from Sideline Reporting
3:19 — Three Years, Zero Missed Tournaments
4:05 — Traveling the Tour with Ben and Colin
5:28 — How Ryan Sherry Got Hannah Into the PPA
6:00 — Living in the Czech Republic and the Rough Return Home
7:34 — Growing Up Johns: Homeschooled on 12 Acres
10:31 — The Siblings: A Family of Savants
12:24 — How the Johns Family Found Pickleball
16:13 — Who Had the X Factor Growing Up?
17:03 — Ben at Age 3: The Pool Cue Story
22:37 — When Pickleball Was Just Another Hobby for Ben
25:27 — Colin Signing with Electrum and the Early Sponsorship Era
26:04 — How the Johns Family Reacted to the Brothers' Rise
28:25 — Hannah's Goal: Not Being Known as Ben's Sister
30:04 — The Sideline Reporter Craft: Prep, Notes, and Questions
31:15 — Crying in Hotel Bathrooms Before Going on Air
32:12 — Crazy Stories from Tour: The Incident That Almost Sent Someone to Jail
34:20 — The Housing Program and the Garden Incident
36:35 — Misunderstandings About the Early Days of Pickleball
40:41 — The Real Milestones: Salaries, Ticket Sales, and Networks
44:15 — Hannah's Proudest Accomplishment
44:49 — Proving Every Naysayer Wrong
46:01 — The Moment Ben Started Getting Recognized in Public
49:12 — Could Hannah Go Pro? The Black Sheep of the Family
51:30 — The Best Sideline Interview Hannah Ever Did
52:24 — What Most People Misunderstand About Ben Johns
53:55 — Where Hannah Sees Pickleball in 5 Years
Grayson Goldin: The Pickleball Pro Who Survived Two Strokes at 30 and is Coming Back | S4 E2
In this episode, Grayson sits down with Roscoe and Jared to share the full story of suffering two strokes at 30 years old — how it happened, what those six days in the hospital were like, and what his road back …
Shownotes
In this episode, Grayson sits down with Roscoe and Jared to share the full story of suffering two strokes at 30 years old — how it happened, what those six days in the hospital were like, and what his road back to the court has looked like. It's one of the most raw and honest conversations the show has ever had.
Grayson breaks down exactly how it unfolded: a chiropractic adjustment after a tournament left something feeling off, and nine days later he woke up unable to form sentences. He traces the moment on court when water started "pouring into his head," the frantic trip to the ER, and the doctor delivering the news that he'd had not one but two strokes — visible as two dark spots on his brain scan.
Grayson also opens up about his path to pickleball — from being ranked number one in the country in junior tennis at 12, to selling life insurance after college, to stumbling onto packed pickleball courts in Sarasota and deciding to go all-in. He shares what it felt like walking into Atlanta and watching Federico and Hayden on center court, the moment he knew this was it, and why he still believes he can be number one in the world.
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Timestamps:
1:03 — Welcome & Intro
2:28 — Two Strokes at 30: The Health Scare Begins
7:31 — Waking Up Unable to Speak
10:01 — Racing to the Hospital
14:49 — The ER, the Diagnosis, and Six Days of Tests
18:09 — What Actually Caused the Strokes
22:11 — Little Grayson: Born in Chicago, Raised on Tennis
25:06 — Ranked #1 in the Country at 12
30:07 — College Tennis, IMG, and Realizing It Wasn't Enough
34:11 — Life After Tennis: Insurance Sales and Real Estate
37:39 — Discovering Pickleball at the Country Club
46:14 — Flying to Atlanta, Going All-In
52:17 — The Infamous Mixed Doubles Point with Shelby Bates
1:04:49 — Power Tips and Branding Advice for Up-and-Comers
1:07:17 — What the Strokes Taught Him About Pickleball and Life
JW & Jorja Johnson: MLP Drama, Signing Underwear, and Pickleball's Sibling Reign | S4 E1
JW and Jorja Johnson are the most decorated sibling team in professional pickleball, known for transforming the game with the JW Johnson flick and the Jorja Johnson fire — two of the most talked-about weapons …
Shownotes
JW and Jorja Johnson are the most decorated sibling team in professional pickleball, known for transforming the game with the JW Johnson flick and the Jorja Johnson fire — two of the most talked-about weapons on tour.
In this episode, JW and Jorja sit down with Roscoe and Jared to trace their unlikely path from Pittsburgh, Kansas to the top of the pro game. They get into the zero-pressure upbringing that made it all possible, the South Florida training culture they helped build, and what it actually takes to stay dominant in a sport evolving as fast as pickleball.
Jorja breaks down what it was like to be stolen from the Dallas Flash in the MLP draft, landing on the New Jersey Fives alongside Anna Leigh Waters — a move nobody saw coming. JW also reveals he's never had a real conversation with Ben Johns off the court, and addresses for the first time whether a JW-Ben partnership has ever been on the table.
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Timestamps:
1:07 — Welcome & Introducing JW and Jorja Johnson
2:33 — Growing Up in Pittsburgh, Kansas
5:20 — How COVID Sparked Their Pickleball Journey
8:52 — Early Days: Bad Reps, Johnny Goldberg & First Tournaments
10:21 — The $300 Hilton Head Moment That Changed Everything
13:06 — Building the South Florida Training Scene
19:51 — Julie Johnson's Academy and the Rise of a Squad
24:43 — When the Money Started Getting Real
26:26 — Power Balance Scam, Franklin Deal & Seeing Your Face in Dick's
29:04 — Signing Underwear and Knowing You've Made It
34:46 — MLP, the Dallas Flash, and Becoming Stars
40:33 — The Draft Shock: Jorja Stolen to the New Jersey Fives
45:06 — Playing with Anna Leigh & What That Partnership Looks Like
47:26 — How They Stay Dominant: Film, Evolution, and the Tui
49:08 — JW's Hands: The Secret Behind the Fastest Reactions on Tour
54:22 — Life Off the Court: Padel, Cinnamon Bread & Movies
56:44 — Biggest Rivals and the Mindset Behind Not Having One
59:19 — Has JW Ever Thought About Teaming with Ben Johns?
1:01:09 — Greatest Moments
Tama Shimabukuro: Pickleball's Newest Superstar on the Atlanta Run That Changed Everything
Tama Shimabukuro is a 15-year-old professional pickleball player who became an overnight sensation after reaching the singles final at the Atlanta Slam, finishing fourth in men's doubles, and earning the …
Shownotes
Tama Shimabukuro is a 15-year-old professional pickleball player who became an overnight sensation after reaching the singles final at the Atlanta Slam, finishing fourth in men's doubles, and earning the full-throated backing of an entire crowd that couldn't stop chanting his name.
In this episode, Tama calls in with Roscoe and Jared just days after his historic Atlanta run to break down what that week actually felt like from inside the storm. They cover the crowd moments, the mental game, and how a kid from Hawaii ends up on the sport's biggest stage.
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Timestamps:
1:00 — Tama on life after Atlanta
1:34 — Was it an out-of-body experience?
2:09 — The crowd, the chants, and the chaos
4:03 — The MJ shrug explained
6:25 — Messages flooding in after the run
6:56 — Breaking down the Fed match
8:48 — Is he actually that calm, or just built different?
10:14 — Was the breakout a surprise?
11:15 — Background: skateboarder to pickleball
12:36 — Self-taught: 10 hours of rec a day
14:16 — Life on the road with Mama Tama
17:08 — Sponsorship and partnership questions
18:19 — Pros he studies, dream doubles partners
20:41 — Fan Q&A
22:19 — Advice for young players
23:48 — Toughest opponent so far
24:26 — Message to new fans
Anna Bright: Saying No to Anna Leigh, Girlies Breakup, and Pickleball's Biggest Personality | S3 E10
Anna Bright is the #2 ranked women's pickleball player in the world, an MLP champion, and one of the sport's most magnetic personalities — a Cal Berkeley graduate who went from Pacific Crest Trail solo hiker to …
Shownotes
Anna Bright is the #2 ranked women's pickleball player in the world, an MLP champion, and one of the sport's most magnetic personalities — a Cal Berkeley graduate who went from Pacific Crest Trail solo hiker to professional athlete in under a year.
In this episode, Anna sits down with Roscoe and Jared to pull back the curtain on her journey from junior tennis to the top of pickleball, the business decisions that defined her career, and the personal dynamics that come with competing at the highest level. The conversation is candid, funny, and surprisingly raw — exactly what you'd expect from someone who's never been afraid to say what she thinks.
Anna breaks down the story behind "The Girlies" — her viral brand partnership with Rachel Rachel Rohrabacher — and what it was like to walk away from one of pickleball's most beloved duos. She opens up about the game-theory moment that led her to reach out to Anna Lee Waters, including the part nobody knew: she'd already said no once before.
Anna also gets into the tension between her fiery on-court persona and the content creator she's becoming off it, why yoga and breath work have quietly transformed the last six months of her life, and what she actually thinks about the yelling controversy that made this podcast feel like it might never happen.
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Timestamps:
0:00 - Start
1:02 — Welcome Anna Bright
1:46 — Clearing the Air: The Kate Twitter Moment
4:01 — Growing Up in Fort Worth & Junior Tennis
8:42 — Fractured Back at 13 & High School Reset
12:50 — The College Recruiting Process & Choosing Cal Berkeley
17:42 — The Pacific Crest Trail: Solo, 2,500 Miles, 113 Days
24:19 — How Pickleball Found Her
30:49 — Meeting James Ignatowich
36:25 — Building a Brand: The Rise of The Girlies
46:19 — How Playing Full-Time Changes Your Relationship With the Sport
52:04 — The Game Theory Decision: Leaving Rachel for Anna Lee
1:01:27 — What It's Like Playing With the Greatest of All Time
1:07:02 — Biggest Threats on Tour
1:09:24 — Pickleball in Asia & the Sport's Global Future
1:13:53 — Most Entertaining Players to Watch
1:15:47 — What She Wants From the Sport Long-Term
1:22:57 — Fan Q&A: Box Breathing, Yoga & Staying Injury-Free
1:25:56 — The Power 50 Ranking Reaction
Roscoe Bellamy: His Dream Was Gone. His Identity Was Lost. Then Pickleball Changed Everything | S3E9
Roscoe Bellamy is the co-host of The Pickleballers and a professional pickleball singles player currently ranked #6 in the world. A product of a tennis dynasty — his father founded Tennis Channel and his mother …
Shownotes
Roscoe Bellamy is the co-host of The Pickleballers and a professional pickleball singles player currently ranked #6 in the world. A product of a tennis dynasty — his father founded Tennis Channel and his mother was a pro player — Roscoe rose to become the number one nationally ranked junior in the United States before a series of devastating injuries derailed his path to the pro tour.
In this episode, Roscoe sits down with Jared and longtime friend Wesley Burroughs for a rare look at the man behind the mic. The conversation covers Roscoe's full journey from tennis prodigy to pro pickleball player, the mental shift that unlocked his best pickleball, and what it actually takes to compete at the top of the sport while running one of the game's biggest media brands.
Roscoe opens up about the two years he lost to a stress fracture at fifteen — a period that stripped him of his identity as a top junior and sent him through a grueling rehab circuit alongside the likes of Anthony Davis and Mike Trout. Two hip surgeries in college effectively ended his pro dream, and it wasn't until a Hawaii trip with Hunter and Yates Johnson that pickleball entered the picture — leading to a sandbagged Pickleball Slam alongside Matt Manassie just two weeks into the sport.
Roscoe also gets into the mental transformation that fueled his breakout 2025 run — winning his first PPA gold in Lakeland, reaching finals in Vegas, and finally finding the "dog" in his game that singles pickleball demands. He shares details on his new paddle deal with Luzz, his plans to launch the Pickleball Collective instructional platform, and his goal of finishing 2026 in the top three in the world.
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Timestamps:
1:10 — Introducing Roscoe & Wes
2:20 — Growing Up in a Tennis Family
5:00 — Becoming #1 in the Nation at 12
9:12 — Competing Internationally & the Pro Dream
12:01 — The Back Injury That Changed Everything
14:24 — Scholarship to UCLA & Hip Surgeries
17:22 — Mom Discovers Pickleball
20:34 — Going All In on Pickleball
22:35 — Beating Agassi and Roddick for $10k
25:15 — First Pro Tournament in Cincinnati
27:46 — Signing During Tour Wars
29:50 — The Mental Shift That Unlocked His Best Pickleball
32:35 — Finding the Dog: Singles Is a War
35:19 — Goals for 2026
38:32 — Balancing Pro Play, Content & The Podcast
45:46 — Breaking Down the Competition
53:13 — New Paddle Deal with Luzz
54:53 — Life at Home, Family & Girlfriend
James Ignatowich: The PPA Termination, Building RPM from China, and the Future of Paddle Tech
James Ignatowich is a former top professional pickleball player turned paddle company founder, best known for creating RPM — one of the fastest-growing and most talked-about paddle brands in the sport.In this …
Shownotes
James Ignatowich is a former top professional pickleball player turned paddle company founder, best known for creating RPM — one of the fastest-growing and most talked-about paddle brands in the sport.
In this episode, James joins Roscoe and Jared virtually from Shenzhen, China, where he's living full-time and running RPM's operations on the ground. They get into why James has zero regrets about leaving the tour, what it actually takes to build a paddle company from scratch, and why being in China is the biggest competitive advantage in the game right now.
James opens up about his PPA termination, calling it suspicious given RPM's early success, and shares a telling detail — he was already mentally checked out of pro play before it happened, more excited about the company than any upcoming tournament. He also reacts to Ben Johns calling him the most talented player he's ever faced, and why that compliment doesn't quite land the way you'd expect.
James also gets into the RPM playbook — how they sold 35,000 paddles without enough covers, why dropping the Q2 and V2 simultaneously was a calculated bet, and where he thinks paddle technology is headed.
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Alix Truong: How a Teenage Prodigy Became the #1 Vietnamese Pickleball Player | S3 E8
Alix Truong is the number one Vietnamese pickleball player in the world and currently ranked eighth on the PPA Tour. She's one of the sport's most compelling rising voices — a player who came up through every …
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Alix Truong is the number one Vietnamese pickleball player in the world and currently ranked eighth on the PPA Tour. She's one of the sport's most compelling rising voices — a player who came up through every level of the game and is now helping grow pickleball across an entire continent.
In this episode, Alix sits down with Roscoe and Jared to talk about her journey from a hyper-competitive Vietnamese-American household in Northern Virginia to the PPA Tour. They get into what it's like being a trailblazer for Asian representation in pickleball, the realities of grinding for points without a consistent partner, and why she sees herself playing well into her senior pro years.
Alix breaks down what it was actually like going to Vietnam for the first time — working 13-hour days with no time to explore — and how returning on her own terms completely changed her relationship with her heritage. She describes being treated like a princess at tournaments, playing in front of a world-record crowd of 7,900 people in Đà Nẵng, and why she believes the Asian pickleball scene will eventually surpass the US in sheer scale.
Alix also opens up about the burnout she hit during MLP last season, getting traded down to Challenger right after one of her best runs with Eric Johnson, and the heartbreak of losing her committed partner Lane to hip surgery just as they'd committed to building something real together. She's candid about what it means to be the only top-10 player without a consistent doubles partner — and what it's going to take to break through.
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Timestamps:
1:04 — Introducing Alix Truong
2:46 — Growing Up Vietnamese-American in DC
5:36 — How She Found Pickleball Through Her Parents' Friend Group
10:18 — First Big Tournaments and the Simone Foundation
11:30 — Coming Up With Anna Leigh, Hayden, and Gabe
13:22 — When Pickleball Stopped Being a Hobby
16:23 — The Hard Conversation With Her Parents About Dropping Out
18:17 — Building Her Brand From Day One
20:09 — Going to Vietnam for the First Time
21:17 — Being a Star in Asia and the 7,900-Person World Record Crowd
23:46 — Sponsor Conversations and the Vietnamese Market Opportunity
27:15 — How Asian Conditions Compare to the US
30:19 — Playing With Her Brother LJ and the Sibling Dynamic
34:05 — Her Ceiling and Competing in Anna Leigh's Era
35:32 — Burnout, Getting Traded Down in MLP, and the Mental Toll
40:42 — Losing Partner Lane to Hip Surgery Mid-Season
43:00 — The Next Generation of Junior Players
46:31 — The Future of Asian Pickleball in 5 Years
51:44 — Learning Vietnamese and Falling in Love With the Culture
54:59 — What Makes Anna Leigh Waters So Hard to Beat
58:41 — 2026 Pickleball Predictions
1:01:05 — The Olympics, Vietnamese Citizenship, and What's Next
Enhance Pickleball: Owning the Content Game, $65K Nightmare, and How They Built the Brand | S3 E7
Connor Hance and Drew Baird are the founders of Enhance Pickleball — the most-followed pickleball content creators, with more YouTube subscribers and Instagram followers than anyone else in the sport.In this …
Shownotes
Connor Hance and Drew Baird are the founders of Enhance Pickleball — the most-followed pickleball content creators, with more YouTube subscribers and Instagram followers than anyone else in the sport.
In this episode, Connor and Drew sit down with Roscoe and Jared to tell the full story of how Enhance Pickleball was built — from a bootstrapped Amazon side project to a paddle and content brand that's changed how the sport is marketed and taught.
Connor and Drew break down the business decisions that defined Enhance — what made the Dink Master their first real hit, why they resisted paddles for years before finally breaking through with the Duo, and how their content engine became the ultimate unfair advantage for selling products without outside funding or paid ads.
They also get into the hard stuff: a $65,000 shipping disaster that nearly ended the company early, the challenge of being taken seriously as a paddle brand, and what it actually takes to build something real in pickleball from scratch.
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Timestamps:
1:06 — Introducing Connor & Drew from Enhance Pickleball
1:28 — How the brand works: Connor on camera, Drew behind the scenes
2:02 — Drew was originally supposed to be the on-camera talent
3:22 — How Connor & Roscoe go way back (played each other at age 9)
5:45 — How Enhance started: Amazon side hustle in early 2022
7:21 — The Dink Master origin story
9:09 — Bootstrapped from scratch: no funding, just tennis lesson money
10:25 — When the content started to take off
13:30 — Connor's backstory: growing up at South Bay Tennis Center
14:40 — Getting homeschooled to chase tennis
15:23 — The moment Connor decided he'd never go pro — and pivoted to business
17:46 — Drew's backstory: North Carolina, IMG Academy, #12 in the world juniors
20:22 — How Drew's hip injury led to him joining the business
22:46 — How their Instagram virality actually works
27:01 — Transitioning from accessories to paddles — and why it was hard
31:37 — Should they have started with paddles from day one?
33:15 — Getting advice vs. going with your gut
34:02 — The $65,000 FedEx shipping disaster
36:08 — How tariffs hit the business
38:17 — Best content advice for pickleball creators
43:49 — Breaking down the new Enhance Turbo paddle
46:10 — The time Amazon delivered a Viking sword to a customer
47:27 — What's next for Enhance Pickleball
49:48 — The biggest pivotal moments building the company
50:50 — Best business advice for anyone starting a pickleball brand today
Vivienne David: The Real Story Behind Her Retirement | S3 E6
Vivienne David is one of the most beloved players pickleball has ever had — a true fan favorite, a bright light on tour, and a former world No. 2 in mixed doubles who just announced she’s stepping away from pro …
Shownotes
Vivienne David is one of the most beloved players pickleball has ever had — a true fan favorite, a bright light on tour, and a former world No. 2 in mixed doubles who just announced she’s stepping away from pro pickleball.
In this episode, Vivienne sits down with Roscoe and Jared to tell the real story behind her retirement — what tour life actually feels like when you’ve been grinding for years, why she’s at peace with the decision, and why she’s still playing more pickleball than she expected now that she’s free from constant travel and pressure.
Vivienne opens up about her legendary partnership with Thomas Wilson — why it worked so well, why it felt effortless, and how losing that “partner in crime” changed everything for her mentally. She talks about Thomas’ health scare, how it shifted her perspective, and why it made her realize what mattered most beyond wins, rankings, and contracts.
Vivienne shares her full backstory — growing up 1 of 7, being homeschooled, burning out from tennis young, working in her family’s tennis/pickle shop in Florida, and accidentally getting hooked after getting “whooped” by older players on demo day. She also breaks down what she wants next: faith, community, family, potentially coaching or commentating… and yes, the one scenario where she’d consider coming back to play tournaments again.
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1:05 — How retirement feels: freedom, peace, still playing locally
3:07 — Vivienne & Thomas Wilson: the partnership everyone loved
5:01 — Why fans loved them
7:30 — Vivienne’s backstory
8:43 — Working at the family tennis/pickle shop
10:17 — Abby David + early pickle roots
11:58 — First time playing pickle
12:50 — 2019 breakthrough
14:08 — Turning pro: sponsors, early tour era, finding her lane in doubles
15:36 — Entering PPA era
16:24 — First MLP at Dreamland
22:30 — Wanting to beat Anna Leigh
24:12 — Partnership chemistry: why Vivienne + Thomas worked
24:47 — How Vivienne brings out a partner’s best
26:01 — Biggest tour moment
27:05 — Thomas’ health scare
29:01 — Why she retired: tour grind, body, family, missing life at home
30:55 — Would she come back if Thomas returned?
31:33 — New goals
33:31 — Best player she faced: why Anna Leigh under pressure is different
35:00 — Favorite shot + elite defense tips for amateurs
37:02 — What’s next in pickleball
Hunter Johnson: The Truth About Being #1 in the World | S3 E5
Hunter Johnson is the world #1 singles pickleball player — the top spot in the fastest-growing sport on the planet, and a title that comes with way more pressure than people realize.In this episode, Hunter sits …
Shownotes
Hunter Johnson is the world #1 singles pickleball player — the top spot in the fastest-growing sport on the planet, and a title that comes with way more pressure than people realize.
In this episode, Hunter sits down with Roscoe and Jared to talk about what it actually feels like to be #1 in the world — the confidence it takes to get there, the doubts that creep in once you finally arrive, and the psychological weight of knowing every match is someone else’s Super Bowl. He breaks down the “now what?” moment after reaching the pinnacle, how he deals with the target on his back, and why he’s still more hungry than ever to keep the spot.
Hunter explains why singles is the future of the sport — and why he believes it’s the format that will make pickleball go mainstream. They talk the Lifetime ball, how singles strategy has changed, why baseline pressure is becoming more valuable, and how the separation between pros and everyone else is getting bigger fast. Plus: the biggest threats to the #1 ranking, how he thinks about the field (Fed, Haworth, Connor, Garnett, and more), and the small tactical adjustments that actually decide matches at the top.
Hunter opens up about the mental side of competing — negative self-talk, self-sabotage, pressure, perspective, faith, and what kind of champion he wants to be on and off the court. They also revisit the Lakeland match, momentum (real or not), what it taught him, and how he’s approaching 2026 with a better mindset and a clearer purpose.
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2:29 — The pressure of #1: psychology, emotions, staying hungry
2:59 — Hunter vs Yates (Palm Springs match)
5:28 — Pickleball time moves different (tour life perspective)
8:13 — Gratitude + why being a pro makes time feel “slow”
9:18 — Lakeland controversy + the post moment
11:00 — The real issue: self-talk, mindset, and being watched as #1
12:09 — “Now what?” after reaching the pinnacle + staying there
13:35 — Self-awareness, faith, perspective, and owning your behavior
16:35 — The platform of #1: being a role model for juniors
19:15 — Target on his back + using pressure as fuel
20:18 — Momentum: real vs mental construct
23:18 — Who threatens the #1 spot?
28:59 — Hot take: singles will make pickleball mainstream
30:24 — Why singles pops on TV
32:07 — Hot take: Ben & Anna Leigh should split and become rivals
35:49 — Ball talk: Lifetime vs Franklin
38:15 — Recovery: Hunter’s full routine
41:04 — 120-second backstory
43:40 — “Civil war draft”: 3 pros you’re taking to survive
45:57 — Hunter vs Anna Leigh practice story
47:46 — How far could Anna Leigh go in men’s singles?
48:44 — The future
Andre Agassi: How Pickleball Changed His Life | S3 E4
Andre Agassi is one of the most iconic athletes of all time — an 8-time Grand Slam champion, Olympic gold medalist, and a legend changed tennis forever.In this episode, Andre sits down with Roscoe and Jared to …
Shownotes
Andre Agassi is one of the most iconic athletes of all time — an 8-time Grand Slam champion, Olympic gold medalist, and a legend changed tennis forever.
In this episode, Andre sits down with Roscoe and Jared to explain why he’s gone all-in on pickleball — not as a gimmick, not as a cameo, but because the sport genuinely hooked him. He breaks down what tennis players don’t understand yet: pickleball isn’t just “easy” — it’s insanely nuanced, mentally exhausting, and filled with tiny variables that change everything in real time. He even explains why two hours of tennis leaves him energized… but two hours of pickleball leaves him so mentally cooked he can’t even make it to the shower.
Andre dives deep into his game and what he’s learning — what translates from tennis, what absolutely doesn’t, why the rhythm and “blood pressure” of pickleball is harder to manage, and why he’s become a right-side player focused on forehand dinks, two-handed counters, and deception. He also answers the big questions: tennis vs pickleball difficulty, what he would change about the sport (including a wild idea to widen the net posts), why pickleball struggles on TV with camera angles, how the Lifetime ball is changing singles, and why paddle “grab/spin” might matter more than pure power.
Andre tells the story of playing the US Open with Anna Leigh Waters — including the one thought he couldn’t shake: “Don’t be the first person to lose with Anna Leigh.” He shares how a back injury nearly derailed the run, how fierce Anna Leigh is as a competitor, and why pickleball has genuinely changed his life — physically, mentally, and socially — even in his mid-50s.
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1:25 — Tennis vs pickle “animosity” + Andre’s take
2:35 — The real reason he fell in love with pickleball
4:28 — Small margins + why pickle is tricky for TV
6:47 — Andre’s game: what translates from tennis + what he’s working on
9:39 — Pickleball Slam prep: when he actually got committed
11:30 — Roscoe’s Pickleball Slam story + why Andre matters to the sport
12:59 — Tennis/pickle/padel: do they grow together or cannibalize?
15:38 — Andre’s honesty: “Tennis is the Everest of racket sports”
17:07 — Crazy poker story
18:57 — US Open with Anna Leigh Waters
22:06 — How Agassi x Joola partnership happened
26:24 — Gambling in pickleball
29:39 — Andre’s dinner speech to Joola pros
31:23 — What pro would Andre play with?
33:36 — What would he change in pickleball?
40:08 — Singles evolution + the Lifetime ball changing
44:50 — What’s harder: tennis or pickleball?
47:01 — Carlos Alcaraz on a pickle court
52:53 — Pickleball Olympics path: college + scholarships
54:13 — Legacy + why he wants to help grow the game
55:38 — Has pickleball changed his life?
#pickleballers #andreagassi #pickleball #ppa #mlp
Leigh Waters: What It’s Really Like Raising Pickleball’s Greatest Player
Leigh Waters is the mom and coach of Anna Leigh Waters — the most dominant pickleball player of all time — and the person who’s been in the room for every major moment that turned Anna Leigh into the face of …
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Leigh Waters is the mom and coach of Anna Leigh Waters — the most dominant pickleball player of all time — and the person who’s been in the room for every major moment that turned Anna Leigh into the face of the sport.
In this episode, Leigh sits down with Roscoe and Jared to tell the full story behind pickleball’s biggest moves: Anna Leigh signing with Nike, switching from Paddletek to Franklin, and what those months were really like behind the scenes. She breaks down the stress of negotiations, the pressure of making a once-in-a-career decision at 19, and how she kept Anna Leigh grounded while the internet and the entire sport watched every step.
Then we go deeper.
Leigh explains what it’s actually like wearing every hat at once — mom, best friend, coach, and protector — while raising someone whose “normal” is winning everything. They talk perfectionism, motivation when you’re already the best, how Anna Leigh stays obsessed with getting better, and why Leigh constantly reminds her: this level of dominance isn’t normal, and losing doesn’t mean the sky is falling.
And it’s not just pickleball strategy.
We get into the reality of Anna Leigh’s growing celebrity — security at tournaments, massive autograph lines, online hate that shows up in Leigh’s DMs, and the full team that’s now been built around Anna Leigh (social, PR, equipment, travel) to protect her peace while she keeps pushing the sport forward. Plus: women’s doubles predictions for 2026, who could eventually threaten the throne, and what pickleball still needs to do to reach the Olympics.
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2:36 – Nike + Franklin: the stressful months leading up to both deals
4:43 – “Mom, coach, best friend”: what Leigh’s role really looks like
6:23 – “This isn’t normal”: how Leigh keeps Anna Leigh grounded
7:38 – Why the Nike/Franklin moves actually energized Anna Leigh
8:20 – What Nike HQ was like (all-day meetings, gifts, massive photo wall)
10:46 – What Nike could unlock next (events, access, collabs, Caitlin Clark)
12:24 – Ryan Harwood’s impact + doing deals the right way (no bidding wars)
13:42 – Pickleball Power 50 + Leigh’s real influence in the sport
14:34 – “Did you give up your dreams?”
16:39 – Coaching other players vs coaching your daughter
18:51 – Leigh playing again
22:33 – How Anna Leigh stays motivated when she’s already the best
24:05 – The perfectionism and obsession that drives Anna Leigh
26:13 – Who could threaten Anna Leigh’s reign (Caitlin Christian + wildcards)
29:51 – Women’s doubles landscape + who can challenge Anna Leigh/AB
35:36 – Being the mom of the GOAT
36:59 – Missing “normal life” (prom, friends, growing up in the spotlight)
41:21 – Fame is real now: security, fan lines, and managing the hate
44:43 – “Psycho mom” comments + the truth about money and the team
45:47 – The full team: PT, RV driver, publicist, and more
49:15 – Pickleball in the Olympics
#LeighWaters #PPA #MLP #AnnaLeighWaters #Pickleball #Pickeballers
Greg Dow: The Funniest Player on Tour (Unfiltered Stories, Hot Takes, and Chaos)
Greg Dow is one of the funniest guys on the entire pickleball tour — a self-proclaimed “beer pong legend,” a legit pro who’s been battling top teams for years, and one of the best commentators in pickleball …
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Greg Dow is one of the funniest guys on the entire pickleball tour — a self-proclaimed “beer pong legend,” a legit pro who’s been battling top teams for years, and one of the best commentators in pickleball because he actually understands the game *and* knows how to make it entertaining.
In this episode, Greg sits down with Roscoe and Jared to tell the full story: growing up outside Charlotte, being a multi-sport kid (football, baseball, basketball), discovering tennis late, and finding pickleball during COVID back when “pro pickleball” barely existed and only a couple guys were making a real living.
Then the conversation turns into pure tour-life gold.
Greg breaks down how the iconic Dow & Scarpa partnership started, why they’ve stayed together for so long, and the real separator at the top level of men’s doubles — not the dink game, but the first 4–5 shots and getting quick points like the elite teams do. He also shares what it’s like living in the “round of 16 / quarterfinal door” tier of pro pickleball, how close they’ve been to massive breakthrough wins, and what he’s focused on to make real noise in 2026.
And of course… we get into the chaos: Scarpa’s legendary sweat problem (yes, matches have been paused to mop the kitchen), Greg’s brutal TV finals loss (11–0, 11–0), how he met Alex Walker (the most ridiculous “Canada” conversation ever), and how his commentating evolved from “how ludicrous can I be?” to being taken seriously — including the infamous moment that got the league to send an email telling commentators to stop calling players “cute.”
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1:13 Greg wrote his own PPA bio + “Dinking with Dow” pod era
3:10 Why Greg needs more spotlight in pickleball
6:00 Why everyone’s so serious on tour (and why Greg stands out)
8:05 Greg’s childhood: Charlotte suburbs, multi-sport kid, ping pong battles
10:27 Tennis late start + finding pickleball during COVID
12:16 Charleston pickleball scene + TC North shoutout
14:04 What transferred most: touch, hands, ping pong instincts
15:16 How “Dow & Scarpa” became a real team
18:20 The Scarpa sweat problem (and stopping matches to mop the kitchen)
21:57 The early pro path: grinding 5.0, learning to win, then moving up
23:09 Hot take: you shouldn’t play pro until you’ve won 5.0
25:27 “Round of 16” life: why breaking through in doubles is so hard
26:29 The separator: quick points in the first 4–5 shots (serve/return/3rd/5th)
30:35 Where to aim your third shot
31:46 2026 goals
33:19 Full Greg Dow potential
36:03 Level-up concept: make weaknesses “not weaknesses”
37:42 How Greg got into commentating
39:14 The infamous “calling players cute” commentary moment + league email
42:07 Story time: first finals run… and the 11–0, 11–0 beatdown on TV
46:28 Alex Walker love story
54:39 Austin to Arizona move
55:28 Dow Questions of the Week: pickleball boy band draft
1:00:18 Who’s the mayor of pickleball?
1:01:43 Build the perfect pickleball player
1:05:04 What to expect in 2026
#PPA #MLP #Pickleball #Greg Dow
Anna Leigh Waters: The Nike Signing, The Franklin Switch, and Pickleball’s New Era
Anna Leigh Waters is the most dominant pickleball player of all time — the sport’s biggest star, the standard everyone is chasing, and now the first-ever Nike signed pickleball athlete.In this episode, Anna …
Shownotes
Anna Leigh Waters is the most dominant pickleball player of all time — the sport’s biggest star, the standard everyone is chasing, and now the first-ever Nike signed pickleball athlete.
In this episode, Anna Leigh sits down with Roscoe and Jared to tell the full story behind the two biggest moves in pickleball: signing with Nike, and leaving Paddletek after years to join Franklin. She breaks down what the public didn’t see — the pressure of rumors before anything was actually signed, how she handled the internet going crazy after the leaked practice photo, and why she ultimately chose brands based on what would grow the sport long-term.
Then we get nerdy.
Anna Leigh explains the paddle testing process, why she didn’t want a “bidding war,” how important it was to actually love the paddle, and what it felt like walking into the Masters with a brand-new setup — new paddle, new Nike kit, new expectations — and still winning. She also talks foam tech, Gen 1 vs newer paddles, why the “singles paddle vs doubles paddle” trend is coming, and what she wants to build next with Franklin (shapes, thickness, and future prototypes).
And with Nike, she shares what it was like visiting Nike HQ, sitting in all-day meetings, helping them think through true pickleball-specific gear, and why this partnership feels bigger than just her — it feels like a milestone for the entire sport.
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Genie Bouchard: Wimbledon, Fame, and Becoming a Legit Pro Pickleballer | S2 E10
Genie Bouchard is one of the most recognizable athletes of her generation — a former world No. 5, Wimbledon finalist, and one of the biggest tennis stars to ever come out of Canada.From growing up in Montreal …
Shownotes
Genie Bouchard is one of the most recognizable athletes of her generation — a former world No. 5, Wimbledon finalist, and one of the biggest tennis stars to ever come out of Canada.
From growing up in Montreal, to moving to Florida at 12 to chase tennis full time, Genie’s story is all sacrifice, pressure, and competing on the biggest stages in the world. In this episode, she sits down with Roscoe and Jared to tell the full journey: the abnormal junior life, winning Junior Wimbledon at 18, cracking the Top 100 in a year, and what it actually feels like walking onto Centre Court at Wimbledon — including the mindset, nerves, and reality of playing a Wimbledon final.
Then the conversation turns to pickleball.
Genie breaks down why she signed with the PPA, what it was like starting 0–9 in her first tournaments, dealing with expectations and noise from the outside, and how she’s gone from “tennis star trying pickleball” to a legit threat making finals and beating top players. She also talks MLP pressure, doubles being a whole different world, paddle switches, and why this new chapter has brought her more happiness and stability than tennis ever allowed.
Delivered by @DoorDash! 🚘
Pickleballers Hat:
🧢 https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521
Instagram:
📲 @pickleballers
📲 @thekitchenpickleball
📲 @roscoebellamy
📲 @jpaulthechef
1:04 Welcome + Genie’s intro
3:36 Growing up in Montreal, moving to Florida at 12
4:18 Abnormal childhood: school + training grind
7:31 Leaving home young + Florida academy life
9:14 Going pro vs college
11:52 DoorDash giveaway mention
12:37 Winning Junior Wimbledon at 18 + why it mattered
15:15 Top 100 timeline + getting stuck in the minors
17:41 Branding, spotlight, and being “different” early on
18:09 Anna Kournikova, fame, and unfair criticism
21:00 Social media authenticity
23:33 Hatred, privacy, and staying genuine
29:38 Has it been hard being Genie Bouchard?
31:25 Wimbledon Centre Court: what it feels like
33:05 Wimbledon final pressure + physical nerves
36:51 Pivot to pickleball: why it happened
37:53 PPA signing process (2023) + what appealed to her
44:17 Pickleball “validation moments” + the sport arriving
45:06 First pro tournament pressure + internet expectations
50:34 0–9 start: first wins and breaking through
52:03 MLP pressure
53:05 Franklin paddle ad
53:23 Proton partnership
54:07 Vietnam trip + team bonding
55:40 Making finals, real results, and new motivation
57:31 Number one vs “knocking on the number two door”
58:15 Playing vocal opponents
1:00:07 Tennis vs pickleball: what’s more fun?
1:01:49 How fast could Coco Gauff be top 5 in pickleball?
1:04:15 How long will Genie play + what’s next?
1:05:45 Favorite people on tour + Ryan Sherry stories
1:09:33 Message to the pickleball audience
1:10:22 Tennis vs pickleball
Terrell Owens: From NFL Hall of Famer to Chasing Pro Pickleball | S2 E9
Terrell Owens is one of the greatest wide receivers of all time — an NFL Hall of Famer and one of the most dominant competitors the game has ever seen.From growing up on welfare in rural Alabama, to walking on …
Shownotes
Terrell Owens is one of the greatest wide receivers of all time — an NFL Hall of Famer and one of the most dominant competitors the game has ever seen.
From growing up on welfare in rural Alabama, to walking on at Chattanooga with no expectations, to becoming a Hall of Fame NFL receiver, Terrell’s story was never about hype — it was about patience, work, and discipline. In this episode, he sits down with Roscoe and Jared to tell the full story: developing late, getting drafted by the 49ers, playing alongside Jerry Rice, competing in a Super Bowl on a broken leg, and navigating one of the most misunderstood legacies in sports.
Then the conversation turns to pickleball.
Terrell opens up about discovering the sport late, committing to daily training, drilling with pros, and why pickleball requires more strategy than football. From drives, drops, and dinks to chess vs checkers at the pro level, he explains why pickleball has completely hooked him — and why he’s chasing high-level competition at 51 with the same mindset that made him great in the NFL.
Delivered by @DoorDash ! 🚘
Pickleballers Hat:
🧢 https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521
Instagram:
📲 @pickleballers
📲 @thekitchenpickleball
📲 @roscoebellamy
📲 @jpaulthechef
2:00 – Growing up on welfare in Alabama
5:30 – No big offers, walking on, and being a late bloomer
9:42 – Role models & life if not for football
13:40 – The first touchdown that changed everything
18:30 – The 3 Ds: desire, dedication, discipline
21:45 – From college afterthought to NFL prospect
32:30 – Entering the NFL completely clueless
38:40 – Playing with Jerry Rice & learning the game
44:30 – Leaving San Francisco & joining the Eagles
49:00 – Super Bowl on a broken leg
54:40 – Legacy, rings, and media narratives
59:50 – Who Terrell Owens really is off the field
1:03:30 – Discovering pickleball
1:07:00 – From worst player to legit competitor
1:12:30 – Why pickleball is chess, not checkers
1:18:15 – Pickleball vs football strategy
1:22:00 – The social power of pickleball
1:26:30 – Celebrity pickleball & growing the sport
1:31:30 – Training, coaches, and closing the gap
1:36:00 – Playing pro pickleball at 51
1:41:00 – What’s next for Terrell Owens
1:27:54 – Final thoughts
#TerrellOwens #Pickleballers #NFL #PPA #MLP #Pickleball
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