Pickleball Obsession

#1037: Bangers love one thing: a nice, juicy ball they can slam right back at you. Tracie is joined by IPTPA Master Pro Lisa Palcic, author of The Complete Illustrated Guide to Pickleball, to explain how to stop feeding...

#1036: Tracie welcomes pickleball coach and competitive player Benjamin Grant to unpack the idea that may explain why people can get so thoroughly obsessed with pickleball: he calls it flow. Inspired by Benjamin’s...

#1035: Tracie and coach Leia Miller tackle one of pickleball’s most terrifying afflictions: the dreaded yips, when a serve you’ve hit a thousand times suddenly feels like your arm has been stolen by the gods. Why does...

#1034: Tracie welcomes her newest pro, IPTPA coach James Moore, whom she met by complete accident at PickleCon — and who turned out to be one of her best pickleball “blind dates” ever. James shares a brilliantly simple...

#1033: Coach Greg Dedrick uses a variety of strategic angle shots in his game and recommends incorporating angles whenever possible — with the caution that "angle beget angles" so be prepared for the return of your shot.

#1032: Master pro Lisa Palcic talks about how 4.0 is an attainable skill level for some people and what it takes to get there — while Tracie discusses how there seems to be a trend for people in recreational play to...

#1031: Coach Mindy Yoder talks about the experience on both sides of the net when a less experienced player feels entitled to join a higher-level game "because it will make me better" without considering what that does...

#1030: Coach Leia Miller and Tracie roll their eyes about heavy duty veteran lobbers, but instead of moaning, groaning and griping about players who barrage you with lobs, Leia suggests we take matters into our own...

#1029: In tournaments it's a big decision whether or not to serve first (with only one serve but a chance to get on the board) or receive first when you'll have two serves? Coach Deb "PicklePong Deb" Harrison has...

#1028: Wondering whether your kids or grandkids should be encouraged to play pickleball? Megan Fudge is the APP tour's all-time total career medals leader by any player (89) and is married to pro player Ryler DeHeart...

#1027: Master Pro and former pro competitor Lisa Palcic explains why two right-handed players almost always stack in mixed doubles on the pro circuit (no matter how good the female player is). But when, why and how...

#1026: Coach Veronica Alteri just started playing pro pickleball herself, but she remembers the mental challenges of the first time she played in a tournament. She and Tracie talk about the thrills and chills of playing...

#1025: Coach Mindy Yoder says that hitting to the weaker player can make sense if your goal is to win the game, but can also backfire if the stronger player takes over the court and poaches aggressively, ending points...

#1024: Coach Leia Miller talks about whether there is an etiquette or sportsmanship issue about aiming the ball at an opponent's body, since "body bagging" has become a legitimate strategy. In earlier pickleball days...

#1023: Coach Thomas Yelloweyes in Oregon explains you're giving gifts to your opponents by hitting their balls that are going out. Tracie talks about how frustrating it is to have a partner who goes after every ball...