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™.
Life Lessons from Pickleball™
E35: Huishan Wan: Bridging Academia and Pickleball
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How can pickleball inspire perseverance, reshape the way we teach, and help students see that effort, discipline, and hope really do matter?
In this episode, Huishan Wan shares his unique pickleball journey, from first being introduced to the sport through a friend from church to becoming a gold medal singles player and a passionate advocate for pickleball on the University of Northern Iowa campus. A professor of accounting who teaches financial accounting to undergraduate and graduate students, Huishan brings a thoughtful, reflective perspective to the game, connecting pickleball not only to competition and strategy, but also to character, resilience, and personal growth.
Huishan talks about how his background in table tennis and badminton helped him understand spin, control, and court instincts in pickleball, and how—almost by accident—he entered his first singles tournament and won gold. He also shares the story of how students at the University of Northern Iowa were inspired by his enthusiasm for pickleball and asked him to become the faculty advisor for a new student pickleball club, which now competes at college tournaments. Along the way, he explains why the lessons of pickleball apply so naturally to education, especially the importance of preparation, practice, persistence, and never giving up when the score—or life—feels stacked against you.
Drawing from both the classroom and the court, Huishan reflects on the connection between habits and destiny, the value of encouragement over criticism, and the importance of having a balanced life filled with hobbies, interests, and meaningful human connection. This is a thoughtful and uplifting conversation about pickleball, University of Northern Iowa, accounting professor, college pickleball, singles pickleball, table tennis, badminton, perseverance, encouragement, discipline, and the life lessons that remind us growth happens point by point, habit by habit, and day by day.
📘 Our book Life Lessons from Pickleball™ is now available on Amazon
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A collection of short, true stories from players around the world about community, resilience, and joy through the game of pickleball.
A portion of proceeds supports Operation PaddleLift, through the Global Pickleball Federation, distributing paddles, balls and nets to underserved communities around the world.
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Life Lessons From Pickleball
Speaker 1Hi , I'm Shelly Maurer and I'm Cher Emrick . Welcome to Life .
Speaker 2Lessons from Pickleball where we engage with pickleball players from around the world about life on and off the court .
Speaker 1Thanks for joining us . Welcome everyone to Life . Lessons from Pickleball . We are really happy to have with us today Huishan Wan Huishan . You are an accounting professor at the University of Northern Iowa and you teach financial accounting classes to undergraduates and graduate students .
Speaker 2You also conduct accounting research and publish papers in accounting and finance journals . And you interact with students , faculty and the business community .
Speaker 1And you interact with students , faculty and the business community , and I wish I had taken finance classes from you long ago . But let's talk pickleball . So how were you first introduced to pickleball ?
Speaker 3and what was going on in your life at the time . Actually , my wife and I we met a friend in church and she plays table tennis and she also played play pickleball . So she asked my wife yeah , have you ever played pickleball ? And my wife and I just thought , pickleball , what is pickleball ? And my wife and I just thought , pickleball , what is pickleball ? So then she said , yeah , we can go together to rec center and we'll play some pickleball . So we just , yeah , together we went to a rec center and played figureball . So that's how I started .
Speaker 1And when you first played , were you nervous about it . Did you find it immediately interesting ? Did it take a while ? What ?
Speaker 3I'm not nervous , I just find the rules are different .
Speaker 1Yes , they are .
Speaker 2Especially the kitchen rule . A darn kitchen Darn kitchen .
Speaker 3Yeah , yeah . So , and there are from the players on the YouTube . You see the famous players . They make videos about the kitchen . Yeah , I can't get into the kitchen . When you are in the kitchen you have trouble . So that's unique for pickleball Indeed . Yeah .
Speaker 2So since that introduction to pickleball you have become a gold medal singles player . So tell us a little about that journey .
Speaker 3Singles players so tell us a little about that journey . I think after we played pickleball . We just keep playing , and I played two or three times a week and after a couple of years there is an Iowa game . So we thought , yeah , why don't we try to play there ? And my wife and I just went there and registered and I thought , yeah , while we were there , why don't I just play singles ? So it's by accident .
Speaker 1Was that the first time you played singles when you were in a tournament ?
Speaker 3Yeah , yeah , wow , first time , yeah .
Speaker 2And you won .
Speaker 3Yeah , yeah , it's a surprise , yeah , a good surprise .
Speaker 1So am I understanding right that the first time you played singles was in a tournament and the first time you played singles in the tournament you won ?
Speaker 3Yeah .
Speaker 1Oh my gosh , had you played tennis or other racket sports or paddle sports ?
Speaker 3I played table tennis .
Speaker 1Oh , so you're fast and you get the spin .
Speaker 3Oh my gosh , yeah , I play table tennis and badminton .
Speaker 1And badminton both . Okay , yeah , that's it , that is fantastic .
Speaker 3So when I first played pickleball I just thought , because of my experience in table tennis , I just thought at that time people told me oh , when the ball is below the net , yeah , you have to dink you can't do a fast speed up . I just thought , even if the ball is below the net , I can still roll it up . And at that time people told me , no , you don't do that , you can't do that . But later on you see the professional players . They just roll the ball up Even the ball is a little below the net . So I think the table tennis gave me some instinct . Playing pickleball .
Speaker 1So you were ahead of the game Somehow , yeah .
Speaker 2So from there you became so passionate about pickleball . You started a pickleball club at your university .
Speaker 3Yeah , actually the students . When I shared my passion in class with the students , the students once . After the class , I shared I watched the championship Sunday game and I feel the game is so inspiring . I shared that with the students and after class , one student came to me and said we try to start a student pickleball club . Are you willing to be the faculty advisor ? I said yeah , of course . So they started and now they play at the national tournaments .
Speaker 1Wow for the university .
Speaker 3Yeah , the college nationals .
Speaker 1That is brilliant , yeah it just happened in Texas . Oh my goodness , how'd they do .
Speaker 3They didn't get any medals , but the experience is good .
Speaker 1The fact that they were doing it at all and that they got inspired to put this club together because of your passion just speaks volumes about their appreciation of you as a human being , and that you inspire . In fact , you wrote a really inspiring life lessons from pickleball piece for the college publication bringing life lessons from pickleball into your classroom with your students . Tell us some of those life lessons that you share in that .
Speaker 3Oh , the one lesson . As I said , I watched the championship Sunday game and game and I I think people know Winston Churchill . Winston Churchill gave a speech the world world to . It's a short speech , never giving , never , never . So and that gives me some inspiration . And when I watch the game , it's a men's double final game Ben Johns and Colin Johns versus Riley Newman and Matt10 . And Newman and Wright just needed one more point to win the game . But Ben and Colin , they didn't give up . So they played point by point and finally won the game . Wow , won the match , get the gold medal . So I just thought , yeah , that's such a good tournament , good game .
Speaker 3I shared with the students and I just encouraged them yeah , never give up , the game is not over , even it's one to ten . No , it's not over . You can't give up . You have to keep playing well . Just the next point , next ball . You want to play well . So I try to encourage the students yeah , no matter how difficult , what situation is , yeah , don't give up . You have a hope . A hope will carry you through . So I think that's what I get and I want to pass on to my students .
Speaker 2Yeah , and you said in the article , by sharing that story , a lot of the students that weren't doing so well in your class , you gave them the inspiration really to buckle down and don't give up , and study , and they ended up doing well in your class .
Speaker 3Right , right , I think at that time it's in the mid semester . So first exam they didn't do well , some students . But there were two more exams . There were homework assignments , you can get the points . So some students even came to me and said , oh , this class is too hard , too difficult , I want to withdraw and take it next semester . I told them no , no , it's not over . You keep working hard . If you need any help , I'm here to help you . You can still do well . So yeah , how wonderful . Yeah , yeah , yeah .
Speaker 2The things we learn from pickleball right .
Speaker 3Yeah , yeah , yeah , pickleball gives us some , sometimes gives us inspiration .
Speaker 1Yeah . So , in addition to don't give up , what are some of the other insights you've had , either in your life that you take to the court , life lessons , or life lessons you've learned on the court that you take into your life , or that you've learned watching other people ? Like that , that match .
Speaker 3Yeah , I , uh , I remembered uh , I heard , uh , I heard uh a quote , uh like , uh , so a thought . You reap , uh , you reap an action , so an action . You reap a habit . Sow a habit , you reap a character . Sow a character , you reap a destiny .
Speaker 3So , I think when I first heard that , yeah , it's a rhyme and I think it's a poem . But importantly is , where do you get the thought ? So I think in the pickleball game , the thought is your understanding of the game and your strategy of the game . When you hit the ball over , you should think how people will hit it back . Will they hit it down the line or cross-cord , and how will you act or react . And then you predict , you sew the act . But you can't sew the act on the cord , you sew the act off the cord . The action is the drill . So you drill and you keep drilling and then you develop your muscle memory . That becomes a habit , right ? That increases your consistency when you hit the ball .
Speaker 3So I think those two are important for pickleball . For for pickleball , uh , I remembered when , when people interview , uh bane johns and connor johns , and they ask them a question oh , how much time do you play when you're not in the tournament ? And then connor just replied uh , we , we don't play , we drill . So I think , yeah , it's very important to drill off the court . We people tend to be amazed by the players' outstanding performance on the court , but we neglect the hard work , the effort they put off the court . So I think it is the off court determines the on court performance .
Speaker 1Indeed , Indeed , and it's going to the student perspective . It's like one thing when you're taking the exam but if you haven't studied and practiced and prepared , that exam isn't going to turn out very well .
Speaker 3Yeah , yeah , that's right . The effort shows in your exam .
Speaker 2Right , and that's really true for any endeavor in life , right we ? Get out of it what we put into it .
Speaker 3Yes , yes , yeah , every aspect of life .
Speaker 1What are some of the stories you can tell us that you've experienced in your playing or with your students where these life lessons have come into play as well ?
Speaker 3Yeah , because I played table tennis before . I have some traits , play table tennis . So one time when I play with a player that doubles , he's my partner and he's an experienced tennis coach so he knows different sports , the racket sports . So when I just serve and he asked me , do you play him , I said yes , how do you know you serve like you serve a table tennis . So I feel , yeah , that's pretty funny . And another time when I play pickleball I did a big swing , try to create a top spin , and the other one said , oh , what are you doing ? Are you playing ping pong ? So yeah , I think it is fun . It is fun on the court to play with people and meet different people .
Inspiring Conversations on Life and Pickleball
Speaker 1Do you travel for tournaments ?
Speaker 3Well , I travel short distance distance , not long distance or tournaments yeah , and are you a professional ? Uh , no , I'm , uh , I'm not a professional . I yeah , I uh , my profession is , uh is a professor .
Speaker 1So it's a little hard to do , both professionally , but you're an advanced amateur , then because , my goodness , for you to win your very first singles is unbelievable to me . Is your wife still playing ?
Speaker 3Yeah , yeah , yeah , she plays with me . Yeah , we play mixed double yeah , oh good . Yeah .
Speaker 1And how do you do with that ?
Speaker 3Oh , it's very good . The mixed double yeah , the two players work together . Coordination yeah , it's different from single games , yeah single base .
Speaker 1Yeah , so oftentimes when couples play together it's a little dicey because emotions come into play and all . How do you two handle that ? Or is that even an issue ?
Speaker 3Oh , I think on the court we have one goal . So , uh , encourage , encourage each other , um , each other . Yeah , you don't blame the others , Because we all want to play well , right ? Yeah , so if you think that she didn't play well that ball , but if you are in her situation , that position maybe you couldn't handle well either , so it's better to encourage . Yeah , this ball is over , let's play next one . Good life lesson there .
Speaker 2Just like you do with your students , it , like you're very , very encouraging always yeah , yeah , yeah , that's that's I think .
Speaker 3Yeah , it's a for two others . Yeah , if you , if you scold the others generally it doesn't work that well , but encouragement is good . We all need encouragement .
Speaker 2Yes , I just love how you use the stories from Pickleball to inspire your students . It's just incredible . And there was something that you said that I really liked that I would like to read . That was from that article . You said life is not just one thing . Hobbies and interests are part of life . It's part of you . You need to have a balanced life to live a better life . If you just work , you'll be exhausted . Hobbies and interests can get you outside of your circle and give you ideas or inspiration Stimulation from outside of your discipline that can help your work . So I think having hobbies and interests is really important and I really love that wisdom that you share .
Speaker 3Good , good , I'm glad you like it yeah .
Speaker 2And I just feel your students are so lucky yeah .
Speaker 3Oh , yeah , yeah . I feel I'm the lucky one that I can interact with the students and my goal is to make a difference in their lives and leave a mark on their life .
Speaker 1I love that . So you're one of those holistic teachers , professors , who is not just there to give information , that you're teaching , but in fact , to inspire a whole way of living . That you're teaching but in fact to inspire a whole way of living , and the fact that you inspired these young athletes to start the club and they're now playing in tournaments and you are instrumental in . Have you continued your role as the faculty member for that ?
Speaker 3Yeah , yeah , I'm still the faculty advisor .
Speaker 1Wow , that's huge .
Speaker 3Yeah . You introduced a whole new way . Yeah , yeah . So I think for the young students , they are maturing , not only absorbing the knowledge , but at this age I think they need a role model , yes , but they also need the characters . So I hope I can demonstrate some good characters to them . Sometimes life is not easy when they face the difficulties . I hope they have a positive attitude , they are resilient , perseverance , determined and disciplined so that they become successful in their life , Not only just the career , but in their life .
Speaker 1Well , you are clearly an inspiration , because you have inspired us already in this conversation . And I know our listeners and viewers are feeling the same way . I love how you've incorporated the whole global life perspective with this game that we all love .
Speaker 3And I love that . Yeah , thank you so much . Yeah , so much .
Speaker 1yeah , it's my pleasure thank you for being our guest , thank you for inspiring and touching the lives of so many of your students and for expanding pickleball in your college , and just thank you for everything yeah , I told my dean that one day I hope we'll have a pickleball tournament for the college , that the faculty and the students be a team and mixed play doubles . I think that's a brilliant idea . Well , let us know when that happens , okay .
Speaker 3Yeah , yeah , of course , of course .
Speaker 1That's a great idea , in fact . You could start that whole movement across the country that all the universities start doing that , and then you can compete against each other .
Speaker 3Yeah , that's right . That's a lot of fun . That's a good idea .
Speaker 1Well , thank you so much for being with us today and taking time out of your professoring and your playing and your writing and all of the things that you're doing .
Speaker 3Thank you so much , thank you , thank you , thank you . It's my pleasure .
Speaker 1Our pleasure indeed and , I know , a pleasure for all of you who've been listening and watching . Wow , very inspiring , and I hope you've had , or will have or do have , professors who are as inspiring as this amazing professor . Thank you all so much and we look forward to a new conversation next week . Bye , bye .
Speaker 2If you love our podcast , we'd be so grateful if you'd take a few seconds to follow or subscribe to Life Lessons from Pickleball . This ensures you'll never miss an episode and helps us continue these wonderful conversations .
Speaker 1On Apple Podcasts , spotify or wherever you listen . Go to the show page and tap the follow button in the top right corner , and on YouTube , click the subscribe button under any of the episodes . Thanks so much . Hope to see you on the court .