Welcome And Book Announcement

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Hi, I'm Shelly Mauer. And I'm Cher Emmerich.

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Welcome to Life Lessons from Pickleball, where we engage with pickleball players from around the world about life on and off the court. Thanks for joining us. Before we get started, we have something really exciting to share.

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Our book, Life Lessons from Pickleball, is now available on Amazon, and a portion of every sale is donated to Operation PaddleLift.

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Your purchase helps deliver paddles, nets, and resources to underserved communities around the world.

Meet Alice Tim

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Thank you for being a part of Growing the Game We All Love. Now let's jump into today's episode. Welcome everyone to Life Lessons from Pickleball. Oh, today we are absolutely honored to welcome Alice Tim, a master's pickleball champion, founding member of U.S. Senior Pickleball, and a Hall of Fame collegiate tennis coach.

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Alice's story spans decades from competing on the international tennis circuit and reaching a world ranking of 13 to building championship teams at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Yale, and continuing to win gold medals in senior pickleball today.

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She also broke barriers early on, starting a women's tennis team at the University of Florida when none existed, yay! And has spent a lifetime creating opportunities for others through sport.

SPEAKER_01 1:29

Alice, what stands out the most is your philosophy. You've always said you don't play for exercise or even health. You play because it's fun. Take us back. How did sports first come into your life?

SPEAKER_00 1:44

When I was a little kid, we used to play in the boulevard, uh, just throwing balls. My dad would, you know, pitch baseballs to me, and and there was no organized sports at all, not like now where kids have soccer leagues and baseball leagues, and it was just fun, and it still is fun. That part never changed.

SPEAKER_02 2:07

You started playing tennis in high school and then went on to start a women's tennis team at the University of Florida. What in the world gave you the confidence to do that?

SPEAKER_00 2:18

You know, I wanted to play, and it was just that simple. And the only way I was going to get to play was to start a team myself. And I went through the dormitories at the University of Florida and got other girls who also played tennis because Florida had good tennis. There just wasn't intercollegiate tennis. And I got them all together, and and there were some famous uh Rita May Brown, for example, was on the team. Um, and we just had uh so much fun. And a a lady named Miss Pai, who was a phys ed teacher, she drove the station wagon, and that gave us the opportunity to go to tournaments. The University of Florida had been a men's university, and the univer and Florida State was a women's university, and Florida State had women's sports, but Florida did not. And so getting all the girls together and then playing, I mean, it was terrific fun. And we got a chance, I got a chance to see the state of Florida because of trips. And uh I became a geography major at the university and and have traveled ever since.

Touring The World And Beating Jet Lag

SPEAKER_01 3:36

Well, and then you went, yes, and then you went on to travel all over the world. You know, what really stands out for you among those that experience?

SPEAKER_00 3:44

Well, it was it it was fantastic. You could buy a$1,250 ticket on Pan American Airlines, and you had 52 weeks to complete a journey around the world going in the same general direction. So I would start in Chicago, I dated one of the Chicago Bears. I start in Chicago, I'd play San Francisco, Los Angeles, Honolulu, then up to Tokyo, and then Hong Kong, then down to Australia, play the Australian circuit, back up to India, play the Indian circuit, and move into the Middle East. Now, women couldn't play in Saudi Arabia at that time, but I played the Israeli circuit and then into Europe for all the French championships, the Wimbledon, and the grass courts tournaments after Wimbledon. Then I'd fly to New York, play the U.S. Championship, fly to Chicago, buy another$1,250 ticket, and do it all over again. I want that life. And in between, we'd play the African circuit and the uh South American circuit, depending on the timing where you would play. I mean, it was a fabulous, a fabulous opportunity to see the world and see them with friends. I mean, they're still my friends today, and that was 50 years ago or 60 years ago.

SPEAKER_02 5:10

Oh my gosh. I can't even imagine the jet lag you must have been playing with with all that travel that you did.

SPEAKER_00 5:19

Well, there's a secret for jet lag, and it's sunshine. As soon as you get off the plane, you get in the sun, and that reorients your biological or body clock or whatever. And and tennis was perfect for that because then everybody'd want to practice, and then wherever you were, you were you were on time. Good tip.

SPEAKER_02 5:43

Very good tip.

SPEAKER_00 5:44

It still works. I just got back from Abu Dhabi. Really? And it was it was just fabulous. It was a 13-hour flight, so you had those time changes. How many times did you do your circuit? Oh gosh. I I started while I was in college, and of course, then I didn't have the the 52 weeks to do it. And then after graduate school, I did it for four straight years, partially during college.

SPEAKER_02 6:15

What was your graduate studies?

SPEAKER_00 6:17

Uh actually it was ag economics.

SPEAKER_02 6:20

Oh, I'll be darn.

SPEAKER_00 6:22

So I was interested with geology, geography, and ag economics. And now I run a horse farm. Now you're running a horse farm. Of course you do, Alice. Good preparation. I just have a couple, you know. They've kind of retired, and I've kind of retired, and we look at each other, and you know they're kind of lawn ornaments.

Activism For Women And Older Divisions

SPEAKER_02 6:47

I like the way you've retired, Alice. You're busy as you're as busy as ever.

SPEAKER_00 6:51

If you want to get something done, you gotta do it yourself. It's so true. It's it is absolutely the secret, and that's the secret of women's athletics. If women want it, they've got to do it themselves, and they sure have. I mean, look at all the fabulous women athletes now that we have. And when you think that when I grew up, they never had that opportunity.

SPEAKER_02 7:16

Incredible. It's just hard to even fathom the mindset from way back then. I guess it still exists on many levels, and I know it exists in many levels, and that's just so curious to me.

SPEAKER_00 7:29

I mean, there there are some really wonderful stories, and and one of the things that I try to tell my grandkids, you know, the the women who were the good little girls who accepted that they couldn't play, they could sit on the sidelines or be cheerleaders, those women now, some of them are are bitter because they didn't have opportunities. But the people like me that that fought and you know made trouble, um we're not bitter, we're happy and ready to do it again. I'm fighting this battle now for old people because, like in pickleball, it used to be that that this oldest category was 65. So we got up a petition, and now you know the 70s are really strong, and now we've got to get the 80s. 80s are the new 70s, and we've got to get all the 80s to come out and play and participate in tournaments, but and the USAP has to provide that opportunity. And the executive director of the USSP, the senior pickleball, he promised me that next year he'd have 85s. So, Tony, I'm coming after you. We're having them.

SPEAKER_02 8:53

And we are witnesses. We are witnesses.

SPEAKER_00 8:56

Absolutely. Absolutely. And I mean, you know, it's wonderful because they're very supportive. And uh, and now we've got to show them that we will deliver.

Why Pickleball Sticks

SPEAKER_01 9:08

Yeah. Well, now that you brought up pickleball, Alice, tell us how did you when did you first start playing pickleball? How was it introduced into your life?

SPEAKER_00 9:16

I can't even remember. I was playing badminton and they dropped the nets. And so then, you know, I was at the rec center, and I still love badminton, but when the, you know, when the pickleball nets came, then I played pickleball. I don't even remember when it was. And it was Washington. You guys live where they started it. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 9:38

Yes, we do.

SPEAKER_00 9:40

And I mean, that's fantastic. I I went out there and played on those courts. I mean, it it's wonderful what they did. In our case, we were just following what you guys did.

SPEAKER_02 9:51

Yeah, boy, the whole world is following what they did here to get it started. What uh at what point, because you were doing all these different sports. In fact, you were a coach in tennis and you had your own business, and and then at what point did pickleball kind of take over or has it taken over?

SPEAKER_00 10:11

Oh, it hasn't. But I mean, it's just one more fun thing to do. And and as far as the the coaching goes, I mean, I I loved coaching, it was really fun. And and every year, my Yale team has a reunion. We're having our 34th reunion in July. And I mean, those girls have maintained contact, they help each other with their children, they've hired their children, they they do these spectacular things because 10 girls can do more than than just one. And so I'm really proud of the of the team, and I think all coaches should have that responsibility of keeping those girls close. And and and you have more power, more power to make a difference.

SPEAKER_02 11:03

Indeed. And did you coach pickleball as well?

SPEAKER_00 11:08

I teach pickleball. I don't coach it because they're they don't really have organized, well, they're just getting started having organized teams. It's not an NCAA sport, and so I I only teach it, but not really coach as far as a team goes. They need to do that, they need to to to make an effort to be in the NCAAs.

SPEAKER_01 11:33

What is it about pickleball that makes you want to keep competing? That gets me what? That makes you want to keep competing.

SPEAKER_00 11:40

And by the way, I'm sorry, but I I took a shower with my hearing aids. Oh boy, I've been there on that. So if I have to ask you a question, um well, I mean, I think that you know, pickleball offers an opportunity. It's very easy to learn and very social and welcoming, and it's new. And so there's every reason for people to then give it a try. And once they give it a try, they just really have fun. And it's sort of morphing in different directions, where you know, the pros, and then we have the seniors, and then we have there the one unusual characteristic about pickleball is numbers-wise, women exceed men. And so it's it gives a lot of women opportunity that they never had, and and they found out that sports are fun and very supportive, and make all the difference in the world as far as we're concerned.

SPEAKER_02 12:44

So, do you play singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles, or what do you play?

SPEAKER_00 12:51

I I play all three, but I don't always play singles because four knee replacements are kind of a hindrance in singles.

SPEAKER_02 13:03

Oh my four knee replacements.

SPEAKER_00 13:07

Yeah. So that limits the singles sometimes.

SPEAKER_02 13:13

Oh my gosh. Not your age, just the knees. That's so impressive, my dear.

SPEAKER_00 13:19

Well, I wish I was 20, let's put it that way. You said not, you know, you gotta do what you gotta do with what you got.

SPEAKER_02 13:29

In fact, you have a saying, uh, just quit complaining and do something. Uh where does that where does that mindset come from?

SPEAKER_00 13:39

You know, I I hadn't thought about this, but my parents, I never heard my parents complain. I never heard my mother complain, and I never heard my father complain. And my father was in World War I. He was shipped to France right out of college. He was a Yale graduate, and right after graduation, he went to the front in France, and he got there in time for the victory parade, so he didn't have to go in the trenches. But my father never ever complained, and my mother never complained, and I never thought about it. You know, I just grew up like that.

SPEAKER_02 14:18

I don't know how many of us can relate to that.

No Complaining And All God's Children

SPEAKER_00 14:22

Yeah, no, I I I mean, you know, I thought that's the way people were. I just and and it's like I tell my grandkids, you know, if they say one of them said they didn't get enough time to wash their hands before the I said, get up a petition and do something. You know, don't tell grandma, get up there and do it yourself. And I think I grew up like that. What else my mother did that made a huge difference in my life, and I didn't know it at the time. My mother, like when I was a little girl, if I'd come home and complain, my mother would say, All God's children. And so I never grew up with prejudice or or looking down on somebody because all God's children. And then when I started traveling, you know, I'd go to Buddhist countries or Hindu countries or Jewish countries or whatever, and it was all God's children, and my mother's voice.

SPEAKER_01 15:26

That's beautiful, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:29

Really, it's really true. Yeah, just think if if if everybody had that benefit.

SPEAKER_02 15:37

Yeah, imagine what the world would be. Yeah, yeah, and all God's children. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:44

Well, Alice, you're so inspiring at your age that you're so active in everything you do. Tell us how do you personally think about age?

SPEAKER_00 15:53

Oh, I I have to confess I really don't think about it. Even then I I mean, I'm fighting for for these categories, but but I mean it it it you're you're still in control of your life. And when when I grew up, I loved classical, classical archaeology, and I was a big fan of Alexander the Great. And I read every book I could find about Alexander the Great. And you know, he died when he was 33. And think of what he accomplished. You know, he went all the way to India from Greece and he beat the Persians, he he did all the success. So I thought, you know, I better do everything I can do until I'm 33. Because I thought I'd die when he died, and then I didn't die. And so now I'm still thinking, you know, I better get to India again, you know, and still thinking I better make good on every day.

SPEAKER_02 16:57

Oh my gosh. In fact, isn't pickleball, are you going all around the world with pickleball too?

Growing Pickleball Globally

SPEAKER_00 17:03

Well, I'm trying to get pickleball to go around the world. I started the Bainbridge Cup, which was terrific. You know, Bainbridge Island, the Bainbridge Cup was named after Bainbridge Island. And we went to Italy, we had wonderful success in Italy and Germany, Ireland was fabulous, and then they dropped the Bainbridge Cup, and so there's not as many opportunities. So this year I'm trying to get together with with um Karen in in England to have what I'm gonna call the Heritage Cup. And the Americans would go over to play the British, and then the British would come here another year and have an exchange. Um because we need more international support in pickleball. If they really want to be in the Olympics, they've got to be in 70-some countries, they've got to have, you know, a real sport. So I'm trying to get that expanded in pickleball. Table tennis is another story. There's a lot of international table tennis. I told you, I just got back from Abu Dhabi, and and that was the World Master Games, and that was table tennis.

SPEAKER_02 18:19

Wow. So you know, you have definitely I think Nike should sponsor you. You are definitely the just do it gal, and in every sport.

SPEAKER_00 18:32

I remember when I told my brother he ought to buy stock in Nike when they first came out. And we didn't.

SPEAKER_02 18:41

So you're intuitive.

SPEAKER_00 18:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:44

Yeah. Oh my gosh, you have lived such a full life and an inspiring one. And I'm really touched by your parents. And what life would be like if we all had that we're all God's children concept, children of the universe, and that there's don't complain, just do. And I just think that is amazing that you grew up with that, and that what a lovely legacy you are continuing to live out for your parents. I can only imagine how proud and uh honored they are to see the life you've lived.

SPEAKER_00 19:28

Well, I hope. And my kids. And my kids too. Your kids. My daughter is an athletic director. And just think of what you know, before it there were no sports, and now she's an athletic director.

SPEAKER_02 19:47

That is so cool.

SPEAKER_00 19:49

Yeah, I mean, I I I think it's it's fabulous.

Life Lessons On And Off Court

SPEAKER_02 19:53

It really is. Now, in all of your living, and especially in your playing pickleball, what would you say are some life lessons that you've gleaned?

SPEAKER_00 20:04

Oh, I had to make a couple of notes. One one of them one of them is is like I said, if you want something, you have to do it yourself. You know, you like I got on the the board of the um of a community near me, you get on the the political side, and then you get pickleball courts built. So I think you know, I I think that you have to be an activist if you want to make a difference. And then another thing is you should wear sunscreen. You know, yes. So many of my friends are having surgeries because of the sun skin. And I learned that the hard way. So that would be a smart thing to do. And um the one thing that's really fun now. I write these in or I do these interviews for Pickleball magazine, and everybody has a story. You know, you must find the same thing, right? Everybody has a story. Well, one of the guys that I interviewed, he he was born in Brazil, and at 12, his father sent him to the United States. He was ethnic Chinese or is ethnic Chinese, and he came to the United States and he slept on people's couches, got an education, and became a dentist. And now he goes back every year to Mexico to fix cleft pallets for free for children, for poor kids. And I mean, when you play pickleball with somebody like that, you have no idea the story that that this uh guy has. And you know that's pretty true of everybody. They have wonderful stories, and and You know, you're lucky to do it, I'm lucky to do it for Pickleball Magazine. But you can really do those stories anytime, just listen to people.

SPEAKER_02 22:09

Exactly. And and it's my experience is even for somebody who's never left their hometown their entire life, they still have a fascinating story to tell. And I just love that whole idea of bringing out story. And when we are playing pickleball, when we have the opportunity to not just compete with each other, but then to get to know each other and realize, wow, yeah, we're all just God's children, children of the universe. And we're here to have a blast and let's enjoy. So that is really cool.

SPEAKER_00 22:43

We go to lunch every Wednesday.

SPEAKER_02 22:46

Oh, nice.

SPEAKER_00 22:47

And and yeah, after we play, and then we catch up with everybody. And my job is to make sure nobody ever eats alone. Like at tournaments, you know, when we have our Tennessee State tournament to make sure that nobody eats alone. And and that's one of the really good things about pickleball, because you know, people do it. We always have fun.

SPEAKER_02 23:12

Always. So how can people follow you and find you online? Obviously, you through the I don't do all that.

SPEAKER_00 23:22

No, I can barely use my phone. But your article. Oh, I write by hand.

SPEAKER_02 23:32

But you uh but you write for the pickleball magazine?

SPEAKER_00 23:37

Oh, yes, I love it. And and actually with when I played tennis the first year on the circuit, that's how I paid my way around the circuit was writing. So I mean, you know, you can find a way, and then it helped because then I, you know, I learned to sort of do it, and I enjoy it.

It's Never Too Late To Start

SPEAKER_02 23:57

So there's another example of just doing it. And so what would you say? What would you say to people who who might be thinking, uh, I'm a little beyond, and uh it's a little too late to start something new. What would you say?

SPEAKER_00 24:12

Oh, I mean, what are they thinking? That's crazy. I mean, there's all kinds of new stuff out there to to do and to try, and and and sports. I mean, badminton table tennis, cornhole, you know, there's lots of things to do. And then pickleball people find is the most social.

SPEAKER_02 24:35

It is, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 24:36

Well, every sport has a character. You know, I mean, like tennis is classy. You know, people dress classy, they hand the ball to each other classy, tennis is classy, table tennis is sneaky, you know. You get all these different serves and you have 40,000 different rubbers, and so you have this character, but pickleball is you know, hee-haw fun. And yeah, it is. Even if you don't, even if you want to be serious, it's still it's still enjoyable.

SPEAKER_02 25:17

And the name says it all pickleball.

SPEAKER_00 25:21

You must find us interviewing people. Well, I I think pickleball is a really good example of you get out of life what you put into it.

SPEAKER_01 25:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:32

You know, I mean, I told you we went to Italy for the Bainbridge Cup, and then I made all these friends, you know, and and you you certainly get exercise from playing and friendship. I've had the opportunity to travel. I think, I think now I've won a gold medal in I think it's 47 states. And so I have all these friends, you know, that I've met along the way and stories along the way, but you have to make an effort. I one of the neatest of all was playing in North Dakota. That was the most interesting, and I wouldn't have been able to go to North Dakota without pickleball.

SPEAKER_01 26:18

But you gotta tell me about that because my husband was born and raised in North Dakota, and he'll ask me why.

SPEAKER_00 26:25

Oh, I mean, there there was a trail, uh, a car road, where they had all these iron sculptures, huge iron sculptures for something like 30 miles. I mean, it it was so neat. And then it's the number one state for bee production, for honey production. I never would have thought that. And then there's Seti Roosevelt National Park, and there's wild horses. I mean, where it really is like it used to be, you know, not Disney World, but where it really is. I thought North Dakota was fascinating. And then in the in the state games, you know, people were so nice. They were they were just lovely. And and out in in the middle of, I mean, it was far away, there were two pickleball courts. You know, in a little town that had maybe no stop signs.

SPEAKER_01 27:24

Yeah, that's where he grew up in a town with no stop signs, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:28

Well, there and and you know, I live in, well, we have one stop sign. I live in a town with one stop sign. I mean, it's the best way to live. And he must be a very real person if he's from North Dakota. Yeah, he is.

Closing Thanks And How To Subscribe

SPEAKER_02 27:42

He absolutely is. He is the heart, yes, he is an amazing guy, yeah. Well, and so are you, Alice. What a treat to have you as a guest today and to share your stories. And we really appreciate it. You've inspired us, and we will be absolutely watching to make sure that the 80s and 90s categories are added to pickleball. And let's move into 100. Why not? You know, let's go for it.

SPEAKER_00 28:12

Oh, absolutely. There, I mean, they're there, the players are there.

SPEAKER_02 28:18

Yeah, yeah. Thank you for making this happen. And thank you for being a guest on our show. Really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_00 28:23

Well, this was great fun. You guys, I I bet you just love doing. I mean, there must be so many people out there that are just, you know, fun.

SPEAKER_02 28:34

So we love this, and we love you, girl. Thank you so much for everything you've done. And we are standing on your shoulders, and we really appreciate it. Thank you so much. Thank you. And thank you all. Thank you for tuning in. Thank you for all the likes and comments and shares. Oh, gals, come on, let's share this episode. And by the way, we are celebrating this book, Life Lessons from Pickleball, with little one-page short stories of our first 80-some guests with their life lessons. It is an awesome, inspiring little book that for anybody that you love who loves pickleball, and even if they don't love pickleball, this book will inspire. In an ebook, it's in paperback, it's on Amazon. Hope you enjoy it and share it. And thank you all again. We look forward to a new conversation next week. Bye-bye.

SPEAKER_01 29:29

Bye bye. If you love our podcast, we'd be so grateful if you 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_02 29:44

On 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.