Life Lessons from Pickleball™
Meet Shelley and Sher, the dynamic duo, who found more than just a sport on the Pickleball court - they discovered how Pickleball was weaving its magic, creating connections, boosting confidence, and sprinkling their lives with amazing joy. Inspired by their own personal transformation and the contagious enthusiasm of their fellow players, they knew this was more than a game. Join them on their weekly podcast as they serve up engaging conversations with people from all walks of life, and all around the world reaching across the net to uncover the valuable Life Lessons from Pickleball™.
Episodes
106 episodes
E105: Suryaveer Singh Bhullar: Growing Pickleball Across India
How does a filmmaker from Bollywood become one of the key leaders helping grow pickleball across India, and what happens when a sport built on joy, inclusivity, and community begins changing lives across an entire country?In th...
E104: Shari Murphree & Nikki Baker: A Pickleball Friendship That Saved a Life
How can pickleball create the kind of community where someone steps forward to save a life, even when that person was once nearly a stranger?In this deeply moving episode, Nikki Baker and Shari Murphree share an extraordinary story of co...
E103: John Coray: Pickleball in Prison, Community and Second Chances
What happens when pickleball enters a maximum-security prison?In this powerful episode, John Coray shares how a simple invitation led him to bring pickleball into a Maine State Prison and how the sport has become a tool for con...
E102: Zacharie: Building Pickleball in Rwanda
What if pickleball could change an entire community and even a country?In this inspiring episode, we welcome Zacharie, a pioneer of pickleball in Rwanda who is transforming lives through the power of sport. What began as a chan...
E101: Alice Tym: Stop Complaining, Start Playing Pickleball
What if the only reason you played sports was because it was fun?Alice Tym’s story is a masterclass in courage, action, and joy. From starting a women’s tennis team at the University of Florida when none existed, to competing o...
E100: Mark Palm: Saving Lives and Finding Strength Through Pickleball
What if pickleball became the one thing that carried you through cancer and then helped you change lives around the world?Mark Palm, founder of Samaritan Aviation, shares his incredible journey from mission pilot to USA Pickleb...
E99: Randy Fuller: Building a Pickleball Community at Rally Pickleball Club
How does a lifelong racquet sports player turn a local need into one of the Pacific Northwest’s most exciting new indoor pickleball communities?In this episode, Randy Fuller, founding partner of Rally Pickleball Club in Auburn, Washingto...
E98: Susan Swern: Pickleball for Good and Operation PaddleLift
How can pickleball become a force for global good, community connection, and life-changing opportunity?In this episode, Susan “Dinker Bell” Swern shares her remarkable pickleball journey, from first discovering the game after years of te...
E97: Coach Andy: Growing Pickleball for Girls in Uganda
How can pickleball become a bridge to hope, healing, education, and opportunity for girls who have been left behind?In this episode, Coach Andy from Uganda shares the powerful story behind Pickleball Kids Uganda and Growing the Game for ...
E96: Kelsea Thompson: Building Pickleball Community at PickleCon
What happens when one of the biggest pickleball festivals in the country brings competition, connection, vendors, clinics, networking, and community all under one roof?In this episode, Kelsea Thompson, director of PickleCon, shares how s...
E95: Thomas Yelloweyes: From Rock Bottom to Night Train Pickleball
How can pickleball help someone rebuild their life, rediscover purpose, and become the kind of coach who changes other people’s lives too?In this episode, Thomas Yelloweyes shares his extraordinary story of trauma, foster care, loss, sur...
E94: Will Parton: Building Pickleball Community Through Hitch
Will Parton shares how a major life move and starting over in a new country led him to discover the true power of the pickleball community. As a lifelong racquet sport athlete, Will found connection through pickleball and turned that experie...
E93: Encore! Mani Barajas-Alexander: The Pura Vida Pickleball Experience
We are honored to share that Mani Barajas-Alexander is featured in our new book, Life Lessons from Pickleball™ and as this episode airs, Sher and Shelley are experiencing Pura Vida at Mani’s place in Costa Rica.
E92: Brian Montgomery: A Pickleball Transformation
How do you rewrite your life one step at a time when you feel stuck in a body and mindset that no longer feel like your own?In this episode, Brian Montgomery shares one of the most inspiring transformation stories we’ve heard on Life Les...
E91: Audrey Phillips: Pickleball, Travel, and Connection
How can pickleball, psychology, and travel come together to create joy, connection, and a more vibrant way of aging?In this episode, Audrey Phillips shares her remarkable journey as a psychotherapist, educator, tournament player, pickleb...
E90: Rachael Kroog: Pickleball, Music, and the Joy of Connection
How can pickleball become both a high-level competitive sport and a joyful creative expression of mind, body, and spirit?In this episode, senior pro Rachael Kroog shares her extraordinary pickleball journey, from the moment her 79-year-o...
E89: Mike “Sleeves” Sliwa: Pickleball Off the Grid
What happens when someone living off the grid in a yurt becomes one of the most connected voices in senior pickleball?In this episode, Mike "Sleeves" Sliwa shares his fascinating journey from leaving the traditional teaching path to buil...
E88: Scott Manthorne: The Pickleball Effect
Why does pickleball create such powerful connection so quickly, and what happens when one author sets out to capture that magic in a book?In this episode, Scott Manthorn shares the story behind The Pickleball Effect, his bestsel...
E87: Sandy Smith: Healing, Resilience, and Community Through Pickleball
How can pickleball help someone rebuild strength after cancer, find a new community, and become a coach, referee, and leader in the sport?In this episode, Sandy Smith shares her inspiring pickleball journey, from being diagnosed with ute...
E86: Aaron Trost: Pickleball Without Borders
How can pickleball become a tool for healing, community, faith, and hope in countries all around the world?In this episode, Aaron Trost, founder of Pickleball Planter, shares how a sport he once resisted became a life-changing calling. A...
E85: Sean McCoy: Pickleball, Healing, and Life Is a Team Sport
How can pickleball create connection across ages, backgrounds, beliefs, and life experiences, and even become part of mental health healing?In this episode, Sean McCoy shares his thoughtful and deeply human pickleball journey, from disco...
E84: Mike Branon: Pickleball and the Power of Positive Dinking
How can pickleball teach us not only how to play better, but how to age well, find joy, and live more intentionally?In this episode, bestselling author Mike Brannon shares his remarkable journey from business executive to nonprofit leade...
E83: Melinda Alcosser: Pickleball With Purpose
How can pickleball and travel come together to create deeper connection, purpose, joy, and meaningful impact around the world?In this episode, Melinda Alcosser shares her unique journey from educator and co-founder of the Connecticut Exp...
E82: Rick Cipes: The Zen of Pickleball
How can pickleball become a doorway to mindfulness, creativity, and deeper connection with others?In this episode, writer, storyteller, and pickleball creative Rick Cipes shares how he found pickleball during the upheaval of 2020 and dis...
E81: Dr. Jerry “Dr. J” Brinegar: Leveling the Playing Field in Pickleball
How can pickleball open the door to joy, healing, and purpose at every age and ability level?In this episode, Dr. Jerry Brenniger shares his remarkable pickleball journey, from discovering the sport as a racquetball player with a vision ...