Senior Pickleball Tips

We have changed the name of the podcast! It was called the Senior Pickleball TIPS Podcast but it is now the Senior Pickleball ACADEMY Podcast! Listen in and find out why we've changed it to align better with our Senior Pickleball Academy and find out how the Academy can help YOU with your shot technique, doubles strategy, mental strength, understanding intricate rules & regulations, risk-reward balance, fitness & keeping injury-free and pretty much everything you need to improve your game as a senior player. Inside the Academy we also have some great challenges, including the very popular 30-day Doubles Strategy Challenge and the 5-day 'Beat the Bangers' Challenge (let's face it - we've all been there!!!). All of the podcasts are there for easy reference which include interviews with amazing people within the 'Pickleverse' as well as each of the '10 Essential Shots'. My brother Terry and I urge you to join the Senior Pickleball Academy which we know will improve YOUR game. Click here:…

In this episode Paddy talks to Dr Doug Rowles, an orthopaedic surgeon, about the most common serious injuries in pickleball and how to avoid them. They talk about various things including the importance of the warm-up before you play. Paddy describes how at the English Open (largest indoor tournament in the world with 3,500 players) he saw very few people warming up and was surprised at this lack or preparation. They discuss why this is and repeat the importance of warm-up to prevent injuries, especially in senior players. They describe and talk about VAIR, an alternative free rating system, and VAIR+ with its video analysis (where you send in your own video from your phone and get analysis for you and your other three pickle buddies), amazing discounts for pickleball gear and holidays and their latest inclusive offering from Dr Doug - on-court accident insurance. So consider joining the free VAIR offering and the VAIR+ offering for only $59/year. (YES, for a year!) Click here for the FREE VAIR Rating…

Advanced beginners need to try and master their third shot. Without it - they just won't improve. Simple as that. The third shot can be tricky - do you drive it or drop it? If your third shot drop isn't so great, what do you do? Just drive the whole time? In this episode Paddy unlocks the secrets of the third shot. When to drive When to drop How to decide between the two How to improve your third shot drop How your third shot will affect your partner How you should both react to a good/bad third shot It's all here in this episode. So buckle up and take a step towards improving YOUR third shot and see your game improve greatly in the next month or so. The third shot and everything pickleball for seniors is developed further at our FREE Senior Pickleball Academy. Check it out here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

If you're a new beginner (upto a DUPR level of 2.4) and you're wondering what all the fuss is about - regarding this difficult 'third shot' everyone is talking about - then this is the episode for you! Paddy previously revisited the serve and the return for new AND advanced beginners together in the same episode - but he had a load of requests to do these revisits to the 10 essential shots as separate episodes. So here is the third shot for new beginners and the next one will be for advanced beginners. But, if you are at a higher level than new beginner - it is still worth listening to this and 'get back to basics' as it were. Would do you no harm whatsoever! So, for new beginners, Paddy explains the third short: what it is when to drive or try a drop the difficulty level of the third shot drop why simply driving it most of the time is perfectly fine why it's worth trying the third shot drop sometimes So give it a listen, get to understand all about this 'tricky' shot and see your game improve as you keep…

In this episode Paddy interviews Millie Smythe, an enterprising young woman who started a pickleball recycling company based in the UK. She plays in various pro leagues around the world and is currently 'living the dream' in a campervan on the Gold Coast in Australia. She has played all over SE Asia (especially Vietnam which she loves) and runs her company remotely from her van! Follow Millie's journey both in pickleball and sustainability, how she has cleverly mixed the two and is saving the planet at the same time! And find out how your club in the UK can help by collecting old pickleballs and turning them into useful sustainable products. Check out Millie's website here: https://www.wearecrackd.com/about Her Instagram: https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrkEJYC_LBqZAIArmUM34lQ;_ylu=Y29sbwNpcjIEcG9zAzIEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1791193346/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.instagram.com%2fsmythmillie%2f/RK=2/RS=OENsC0rqNn9SIYLkGqoc8PPMI_c- Join Senior Pickleball Academy for FREE:…

Paddy always says that the return of serve is THE most important shot in pickleball. Indeed the return is far more important than the serve as the returners have the advantage in the rally. So, if you're an low- or high-intermediate player, you need to press every advantage you can get from this shot. As an intermediate player you have a set of skills and you can use these skills to do just this - and make the absolute most of your return of serve! We've all come off the court and been beaten because we did not return well enough! In this episode Paddy explains again why the return is THE most important shot and then goes through how to maximise on that fact. Yes, it's a lot about DEPTH, but there are other factors too you need to know about and include in your game. If you're an intermediate pickleball player you need to listen to this episode! To join Paddy's FREE Senior Pickleball Academy click here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

Paddy believes that the return of serve is THE most important shot in pickleball - at ALL levels. And this includes new and advanced beginners (2.0-2.9). Unlike tennis where the serve pretty much dictates the rally, in pickleball it is the return of serve that stes up the whole rally. With a bad return, the serving pair have the advantage, but with a good deep return this advantage goes to the returners. Paddy describes everything you need to know (as a beginner) about the return - ready position, how to get properly ready for that serve about to come to you and how to hit the return so that you can follow it in to the kitchen line. And how you can do this, as a senior, to give you time to get forward. If you're a beginner, this is YOUR opportunity to learn about the most important shot in the sport. Undertake Paddy's simple advice and it will definitely help you to win more games! Join Paddy's FREE Senior Pickleball Academy here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

Bhushan (known as Bhush to his friends) has done most things in Indian racquet sports. He represented India first in badminton, then tennis and now pickleball. He's in their 60+ team going to the World Cup in Da Nang, Vietnam shortly. An amazing sportsman, he also knows pretty much everything about senior pickleball in India where the sport has exploded. He chats to Paddy about how he got into pickleball and simply became addicted. He won his first tournament and basically just kept on winning. He plays all over the world including at the English Open and you will not see a finer player. he expalins the huge growth of the sport in India and elsewhere in Asia. Bhush also gives his 'Top 5 Tips for Seniors' - so don't miss the end! To join the FREE Senior Pickleball Academy click here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about UPDATE - Bhush won an impressive TRIPLE GOLD in the 60+ categories - 4.0+ Singles, 4.5+ Men's Doubles & 4.5+ Mixed Doubles, the first amongst the Only 2 out of 4000+…

In this episode Paddy recounts his experiences of his run to the English Open (EO) final in the 3.5 65+ category. The EO at the NEC in Birmingham was massive with 3,500 competitors from 53 countries - a major event on the pickleball world calendar. He shares his thoughts of how he tries to be mentally tough on and off the court - what works (and what doesn't!). Listen to how he navigates his way through the tournament, how he deals with each opponent and what he focuses on when he's on court playing highly competitative singles. Paddy takes you through the early preliminary round robin and then the semi-final and then final. Share with him his highs and his lows, his victories and when he finds himself lacking. His honest recollections and reflections are an insight on competitive singles in a major international tournament. Well worth a listen for all senior players, especially those interested in competitions. What happens in the final? You'll have to give it a listen to find out! To join the (free) Senior…

Paddy chats to 'Dan Friday' who runs Pickle Bros and now distributes Friday paddles to the UK market, and they announce a partnership, working together to promote Friday in the UK. Paddy already has a partnership with Friday US, but having a distributor in the UK is welcome news for UK-based people as it will prevent heavy shipping fees and the possibility of customs duty being added to the purchase. Dan explains his introduction to this crazy sport, how he became addicted and (after quite a lot of involvement in quite a few paddle brands) chose Friday to 'get his teeth into'. His company Pickle Bros is now working with Paddy to 'spread the Friday love', especially in the UK. Listen out to hear his plans for his 'Friday Campervan' !!! They chat about the English Open (3,500 competitors from 53 different countries) where they met up last week and comment on its 'incredibleness' with a shout out to everyone to come and meet them there next year! So come and meet a 'top bloke' and get to know about a top brand!…

This is the second episode revisiting the serve - but this time for intermediate players. In time we'll revisit all the ten 'essential shots' focusing on beginners and then focusing on intermediates. We'll look at the return of serve next going right through to the reset shot. In this episode Paddy explains the step-up from being a beginner and what's expected with the intermediate serve. Where to serve, how to serve with speed or spin, maintaining your all-important serving routine, how not to be distracted with everuthing around you in tournament play etc..etc.. If you're a low or high intermediate player, you need to listen to this to get a full understanding of your serve and how it can play a vital part in starting the rally and allowing you to play in YOUR way. Please consider joining the FREE Senior Pickleball Academy here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

One of our very early episodes was about the first of our 'Essential Shots' - the serve. But that was sometime ago and it's definitely time for a revisit! But this time we'll look at the serve from a beginners' point of view (and the next episode from an intermediates' point of view). And indeed, in time, we'll go through each of the ten 'essential shots' through the lens of beginners and then intermediates - to narrow down more specific and relevant content for YOU. In this episode Paddy makes some suggestions to new beginners about what they should be focusing (and what they should NOT be focusing on!!!). He goes through serving technique, serving routines and even drills to undertake (find yourself a large towel!). In the second part of this episode Paddy goes onto advanced beginners and goes one step further. What is expected of them when they serve, where should they aim for and how fast should they serve. All this is golddust for both new and advanced beginners and we suggest that you listen to both…

To win more games it is essential to have a high scoreboard IQ. A very common mistake among senior pickleballers is that they play the same way throughout a game no matter what the score is. Paddy explains the importance of understanding what to do at different parts of games that you play in. What do you do at 6-7? At 8-8? At 1-8? At 9-2? Or even at 10-10? There are times to play it safe and there are times to 'go for it'. Understand how your opponents are feeling at different score points - and exploit these feelings. Paddy even shares his own high-pressure, tournament experiences. Learn about your options dependant on what the score is at that time. This really could make a real difference to the numbers of games you win. Learn more about pickleball strategies, especially as they affect us seniors - check out the FREE Senior Pickleball Academy here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

This is the fifth part of our series on 'Instant Strategies' where you can better your game by 20% (at least) by following these (non-technique) strategies. Here Paddy talks about the importance of communication between partners - whether you've never met your partner before or have a regular partner - the strategies are the same. He describes how you can both help each other to stay calm, focused and so win more rallies (and have more fun!). From simple things like calling the ball (when there is even a little bit of doubt about who should take it) to always encouraging each other, even after every point - Paddy systematically goes through each aspect of partner communications. There are examples of real-life situations. Paddy shares a time when he was not supported by his partner, how he felt and how that negatively affected him mentally and emotionally. And, for good measure, describes a positive example as well. So get to learn all about how to talk to your partner as well as other things like…

Part two of the interview with Rommie Maxey. He and Paddy concentrate on VAIR - a better rating system - with which Rommie is heavily involved. VAIR does many things - including levelling up players of different ages. So seniors can now play people much younger than they are - on a levelled-up rating. Also there are ratings for gender, mixed and singles at both rec and competition play. Therefore, you don't have to worry about your rating dropping when playing rec play. VAIR is already being used for the US Wheelchair Pickleball Association, US universities and colleges and various other competitions. As Rommie says 'VAIR is fair'. Join for FREE below. Paddy and Rommie also discuss VAIR+ that analyses a 10-15 minute video from your phone and gives you analytics that describe what you do well, what you need improvement on and how to improve your game. Rommie describes other benefits of VAIR+ including some heavy discounts on pickleball gear and FREE health/accident insurance for when you're playing…

Paddy chats with Rommie Maxey - 6-times US National Champion, sits on six US national pickleball boards, involved in Olympic discussions, part owner of the Houston Hammers, coach to over 40 US national champions and over 14,000 recreational players. He is basically a 'Big Cheese in the Pickleverse' and (more importantly) a lovely gentleman. They talk about how Rommie became a national champion after playing for only a year and how the sport change his life and led him into a whole new world. But it's senior pickleball that drives him and they discuss its growth in US and worldwide, the Olympic issue and other interesting topics and important topics - such as 'why don't we have a pickleball emoji' ???!!! At the end Paddy could not resist in taking the opportunity to ask Rommie for his Top 3 Tips for senior pickleballers. So wait to the end and learn from a very experienced and wise man. IMPORTANT - in the next episode Rommie is talking about his involvement in a new free rating system called VAIR and how it…

Instant Strategies are things we can all do with our game, which do not involve improving shot technique, that WILL DEFINITELY ENSURE YOU WIN 20% MORE GAMES (if you endavour to undertake all of them). In the fourth part of the series we look at mindfullness and discover the importance of goldfish (!!??). Mindfullness sounds like a fancy word. But it's very simple - it's all about being present in the moment. Paddy goes through just how important mindfullness is in pickleball - but, more importantly, describes how we can all be more mindful when we play. He systematically goes through everything YOU need as a senior, to be more mindful on court and, basically, win more games. Here is your chance to declutter your mind when on court and allow yourself to play better, more freely and with far more focus. Learn to be a goldfish! Join the FREE Senior Pickleball Academy here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

If you want to improve the number of pickleball games you win - then take up these instant strategies to increase the games you win (pretty much overnight) by 20% - or even more! This week we look at five things that Paddy tells you NOT to do. You may love to do these things, but they are detrimental to the number of points you are winning. Each one may bring you the odd point and you may feel great undertaking them but, in the long-run, in the context of the whole game/match, they will lose you points. So get to understand what these 5 'don'ts' are - stop using them in your game - and at any level up to 4.0, you will win more games. NOTE - please don't think that Paddy says NEVER to use these shots - of course, to love a sport more we need to try everything that we can - but we are looking at these shots STATISTICALLY and solely in the context of winning more competitive games - not necessarily in regard to having fun in rec play! To check out our new (FREE) Senior Pickleball Academy click here:…

Instant Strategies are things we can all do with our game, which do not involve improving shot technique, that WILL DEFINITELY ENSURE YOU WIN 20% MORE GAMES. In the second part of the series, Paddy talks about the serve. How you NEED to have a consistent serve that goes in 99% of the time and a good default serve. He explains why this is necessary and, very importantly, (as seniors) how we can achieve this. Paddy also talks about an interesting observation whereas the serve is only really a weapon at the advanced beginner and low intermediate levels - listen to his thoughts on this. A must-listen for all senior pickleball players who want to win more games (that's ALL of us isn't it !!). Go and check out our (FREE) Senior Pickleball Academy here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

'Instant Strategies' are things that you can do, that do not involve shot technique or talent, but are workable aspects that you can bring into your game immediately. By undertaking these Instant Strategies you will increase the numbers of games you win by 20%. That is not a guarantee (!!!), but Paddy believes that if you bring all these into your game - you WILL WIN MORE GAMES - at least another 20% more games! But beware, you will have heard many of these before. The trick is to not just know about these - but to really LISTEN to them and take them in. (Many of us seniors hear things, but don't listen to them - Hearing is passive and happens without trying. Listening is active and needs focus and effort.) The first in this series is Consistency which should be the cornerstone for all of our pickleball. Paddy explores first what brings inconsistency into our pickleball, and then rounds up with 9 simple (but effective) tips and hints on how to tighten up your consistency. For extra help with your pickleball…

Play in competition is quite different from rec play. The pressures are greater, the stress is enhanced, things sometimes spiral out of control. That's why we need an idea of etiquette - what's expected of us as senior competitive players. In this episode Paddy explains 13 tenants of etiquette while playing in competitive matches. He provides some examples from his own experience playing in tournaments, including asking his opponents if they want to be known as cheats or gentlemen! Find out what happened! Paddy explores mindfullness and how we can all benefit from understandng this a little more and bringing it into our game (and indeed our lives!). This is a must listen to all of us who love to enter competitions. Please join the (FREE) Senior Pickleball Academy Check us out at: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

The vast majority of us turn up to rec play (very, very few play solely competitively). So etiquette in rec play is SO important to understand. Rec play can be complicated, with 'paddle queues', local rules, understanding who plays with who - and when. So we need some courtesy with each other - and as seniors this shouldn't be too hard! Etiquette is the glue that sparks the magic of pickleball. It's what keep us grounded and enables all sorts of different people to play together and build community. In this episode Paddy goes through some of the key etiquette 'rules', sometimes with some examples from his own experience and sometimes from the experience of over 145,000 people on the Facebook group. To check out the Senior Pickleball Academy click here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

Susan Cohen is back and this time talks to Paddy about the importance of warming-up BEFORE playing pickleball and stretching-down AFTER playing. They discuss actual exercises you can do for both - even in your car on the way to playing (don't worry what other drivers think!) and after you get home. Just 5mins before playing and then 7-8 mins after, will make ALL the difference to you maintaining your body. Which will keep you injury-free - there is nothing worse (especially as a senior) than pulling a muscle or straining a tendon somewhere that keeps you off the court for 5-6 weeks. Arghhhh!! Listen to Susan, she has been helping people for over 26 years - she knows what she's talking about!! https://ptwithsusan.com/ AND - join for FREE the Senior Pickleball Academy here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

Tony Schneider has been the president of USSP for some 18 months and he chats to Paddy about how he got into the sport and his plans for the organisation. Tony describes USSP, its aims and its mission. Also listen to how he learnt the reset shot (the hard way!), what's in Paddy's coffee mug, the importance of partner communication and hear the two of them debate whether a little bit of 'nastiness' is possibly coming into the sport. If you're a senior, you play pickleball and you live in the US - you need to listen to this episode. AND you need to join USSP (see the link below) for only $20, which you can recoup by simply entering two or their seniors' tournaments (sounds good eh?). But, actually, even if you live elsewhere in the world - there is a good chance that USSP is coming to you soon! Join USSP here: https://usseniorpickleball.com/about/ Join our new (free) Academy here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

Paddy was in Malaysia a couple of months ago - and as always - when he travels he always has his trusty Friday pickleball paddle. Finding himself in Penang, Paddy hunted down some open play and joined in the fun. But what amazed him the most was the quality and dedication of the players. Malaysians have badminton and table tennis in their DNA - so pickleball is natural to them. So, Malaysia has taken to the sport instantly and spontaneously! Its been in the country for only seven years and it has taken off big time - and much of this was due to seniors introducing pickleball into their own communities - and it grew from there. Paddy meets up with Tommy Tan, a senior player, in Penang - and after playing, they talk about the phenomenal growth of pickleball in Malaysia (and Paddy asks him a cheeky question out of the blue!). Check out our new (free) Academy: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

This is the Story of one of our members - William Clelland - who dragged himself out of the Glasgow drug dens with the help of this amazing sport. Listen to his story of drink, trouble with the law, prison, heroin and deep dispair. Until one day, it all changed for him. Be patient with his strong Scots accent - don't worry, after 5 mins you'll get used to it! This is in total contrast to our episode a fortnight ago - when we met Lee Whitwell, the world #1 senior - but that is what Senior Pickleball Tips as all about. Pickleball is about PEOPLE - and William is one of those people - just like you and me. UPDATE - a month after this was recorded William won his first tournament against 23 others in an Americano tournament (what ever that is!). From heroin addiction to winning pickleball tournaments - what a guy! Check out our new Academy: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about Check out our 140,000-strong Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/315147621275194

Wow! What a 50th episode we have for you! Paddy chats to Lee Whitwell, the world No.1 Female 50+ pickleball player, US Next Gen coach, businesswoman and all-round bloody amazing person. They discuss her early introduction into tennis then pickleball (in Gibraltar and England), what advantages are there to being a leftie, misogeny in the pickleverse (actually not that bad!), her book "The Third Space Effect: How Pickleball Became the Place We Belong" and her philosophy about the sport. Also we are SO lucky - because Paddy manages to get some seriously valuable tips for the 10 Essential Shots including... "I don't believe in hitting winners, I believe in setting up points" Lee shares a joke and a funny story (she likes to make people laugh), then describes her work founding GameChangeHER Events which helps all players but especially focuses on women 40+ and why she feels the community side of things is much more important than the pro tour, the medals and the cups. But she should know - she's done both! So…

Wow! What a 50th episode we have for you! Paddy chats to Lee Whitwell, the world No.1 Female 50+ pickleball player, US Next Gen coach, businesswoman and all-round bloody amazing person. They discuss her early introduction into tennis then pickleball (in Gibraltar and England), what advantages are there to being a leftie, misogeny in the pickleverse (actually not that bad!), her book "The Third Space Effect: How Pickleball Became the Place We Belong" and her philosophy about the sport. Also we are SO lucky - because Paddy manages to get some seriously valuable tips for the 10 Essential Shots including... "I don't believe in hitting winners, I believe in setting up points" Lee shares a joke and a funny story (she likes to make people laugh), then describes her work founding GameChangeHER Events which helps all players but especially focuses on women 40+ and why she feels the community side of things is much more important than the pro tour, the medals and the cups. But she should know - she's done both! So…

Okay, okay I know - this is OVER AN HOUR LONG!!!!! BUT - we've moved to high-intermediates (3.5) so there's more to to talk about. More ways to hit these essential shots. So many potential serves - which should I do? Do I do a 3rd shot drop or a 5th shot drop? What can I do if my backhand drive isn't as good as it should be? Is it good to 'Shake & Bake'? How do I prepare properly for a re-set shot? What do I need to do to try and get to 4.0? I was going to cut this into 2 or 3 episodes - but decided to keep it as one to avoid muddling it with the 10 essential shots for other ratings. So maybe listen to it in sections. Or, if you have that 'seniors'' patience - just go for the whole hour!! But, if you're a high-intermediate (like me) - you NEED TO LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE. Check out Coach Jeff at his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@limitlesspickleball Here is the ultimate guide to the 10 essential shots for intermediate senior pickleballers - for you to print out and keep:…

Okay, okay - yes, this is a full 45 minutes! Yes, it's long. But this episode is FULL OF AMAZING INSIGHTS AND TIPS for low-intermediate players (at around 3.0). Maybe listen to it in 2 or 3 stages - but listen to it you must! Coach Jeff (Limitless Pickleball) & Paddy go through the ten basic shots and what you should be doing at the 3.0 level. The serve, return, third shot, forehand & backhand drives, lob, dink, smash and the (all important) reset shot. They discuss each shot in some detail - what to do and what NOT to do! But don't worry it's not super-serious, they also have a bit of fun along the way! Hear Jeff's 'pearls of wisdom' and learn how Paddy deals with each shot (he has just gone up to the dizzy heights of being a high-intermediate player with a DUPR of 3.6 !). If you're at about the 3.0 level - this episode will certainly help you improve your pickleball. Check out Coach Jeff at Limitless Pickleball here https://limitlesspickleball.com/ Check us out here (it's FREE!)…

Karen Mitchell is an absolute star in regard to pickleball in England, and indeed throughout the UK. After starting to play the sport (beware putting your bins out in sleepy Sussex villages!!) she saw the need, together with Frank Arico, to organise pickleball in the country. So they started Pickleball England in 2018 to promote the sport, organised a tournament (with about 320 players) and, as they say, the rest is history. The last English Open (largest tournament outside North America) had 2,350 players - with senior categories in 5-year cohorts from 60+ upwards (Paddy played in the 65+ category in all three events). Hear how the sport is growing in the UK - thanks partly to Karen's efforts - and her views on global growth of the sport. Karen and her colleagues had their greatest victory when they won the right to be the National Governing Body - beating the (English) Lawn Tennis Association in that contest (yes that's right, the folks who organise Wimbledon every year and have millions £££££ !!!) - by…

If you're an advanced beginner (2.5) this is 38 minutes of pure gold. You're probably thinking "Whaaaat? THIRTY EIGHT minutes???" ... then remember you are a senior and (unlike many of our younger generation) you have the patience to do this...!!! Paddy and Coach Jeff (Limitless Pickleball) take advanced beginners through the 10 essential shots they need to know about - from the serve, return, third shot, through to the forehand and backhand drives, and then the dick, lob, smash and the (all important) re-set shot. All from the perspective of the Advanced Beginner. We know this is a long episode (and we did consider splitting it into two parts) but listen at your leisure - maybe in two or three goes. But listen to it you must ... to improve your game and enable you to have MORE fun. Coach Jeff goes through each shot with Paddy steering the conversation - but they have some fun along the way too!!! Check out Jeff's YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@limitlesspickleball For more tips, coaching and advice…

This is the episode for all beginners - especially those who are new to the sport. Paddy & Coach Jeff Gehm (Limitless Pickleball) systematically go through each of the 10 essential shots in pickleball, aimed specifically for new beginners. Starting with the serve, return of serve and the third shot, then moving on to the forehand and backhand drives, then the dink, the lob and the smash and ending with the tricky re-set shot. It's all here in one episode! So grab the dog for 'walkies' or maybe listen on your way to play - this will give new beginners the confidence to just give it a go! Oh - and we have a bit of fun along the way! For Jeff's YouTube videos click here: https://www.youtube.com/@limitlesspickleball For more our (FREE) Senior Pickleball Academy click here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about For a Beginners Guide click here: https://senior-pickleball-tips.kit.com/2f1f5a4d23

In this episode Paddy meets Karen Thomas from Seattle, who came to the sport 10 years ago (through her mother!), was the head of marketing at Pickleball Central for some time and is now the Marketing Director at US Senior Pickleball. They chat about everything pickleball - including the growth of indoor facilities in the States, the costs of membership and playing, the continual growth still of seniors playing the sport and the importance of spreading the message to as many seniors as possible to consider pickleball as part of their own on-going health and wellbeing. Paddy even mentions his pickle-related coffee mug! Karen explains what USSP is all about and what members can get for only $20/year (see notes below for more details) and her call-out for more USSP Ambassadors to spread the word - if you're interested contact Karen direct at USSP. So if you know of any seniors wanting a great new activity to make sure they 'use it, not lose it' - then get them to contact USSP Check out USSP here:…

In this last episode in the 'Singles Series', Paddy goes through the importance of having a 'mental edge' - having those steely nerves when the chips are down. The importance of the mental side of singles matchplay cannot be overemphasised. It is SO important. If you can become mentally strong in singles (and doubles!), you can win more competitative matches and maybe even tournaments as well. Most pickleball players are not mentally strong and this will definitely give you that 'edge'. Paddy explains techniques to help get mentally stronger - like breathing techniques and tricks to avoid distractions - everything YOU need to get better, win more competitative matches and enjoy your poickleball even more (AND win tournaments!!). So, if you're into singles, this is a must-listen podcast. For our (FREE) Senior Pickleball Academy click here ; https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

In part 3 of this 4-part series, Paddy explores the arsenal of shots that you need to focus on to win at singles. Surprisingly you don't need a whole aray of different fancy shots - but you do need some of the basics and you need to get them right technically. And you need to know when to play them. Serve, return, volley, 3rd/5th shot, lob, smash, re-set - all the usual suspects are there - but for singles it's about placement (even more so than for doubles!). Paddy goes through each one and explains their importance in the singles game - especially from a seniors' point of view! For our (FREE) Senior Pickleball Academy click here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

In the second part of this 4-part series, Paddy explains why the return of serve is (in his opinion) THE most important shot in singles pickleball - especially if you're a senior. He goes through all the options for the return of serve, including what to do and what NOT to do! Then Paddy talks about court positioning and the importance of predicting where your opponent's shot is going to go - and how to do this. He explains how, as seniors, we do NOT have to running around like complete idiots - how we use our experience of sport and life to enable us to be in the right place at the right time. Throughout the episode Paddy tells us about breathing techniques, using the timeout and gives all kinds of hints and tips to help YOU win on the singles court. For our (FREE) Senior Pickleball Academy click here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

How on earth did they do it? How did they get to the 3.5 (65+) English Open final? The largest pickleball tournament outside USA! And did they win? Listen to this episode and find out! And also discover how they both helped each other through it, how they communicated and how they changed tactics suddenly when they needed to. Go through their trials and triumphs on that day last summer. You might learn something. You might take something away that helps YOU in your next tournament - or just to improve your game. For our (FREE) Senior Pickleball Academy click here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

In this episode we meet Gustavo Alonso Gonzalez who was (un)lucky enough to be paired up with Paddy for the English Open 2025 3.5, 65+ doubles tournament. Having never met each other, they met one minute before their first match!!! Bearing in mind that the English Open is the largest tournament outside USA, this is quite a big deal! In this two-part podcast describing their journey in that tournament, we first meet Gustavo and get to know him a bit. He is the founder of Senior European Pickleball Players, plays as many tournaments as he can, is a qualified tournament referee and is basically all-round, bloody excellent bloke! In the second episode they go through the matches in the tournament, the mistakes they made, how they got on as partners, how they helped each other in every match and how they (somehow) got through to the final... ...and that is when you discover if they got the gold or not.....!!! Find Senior European Pickleball Players Facebook group here:…

Paddy starts his deep dive into pickleball singles. This is the first of four episodes to help YOU not just compete in singles, but to WIN in singles. Many seniors shy away from singles, but for many of us we love the independence of doing things for ourselves and the friendly competition with other similar 'singletons'. There is no doubt that singles attracts the more competitative player, so these episodes focus on strategy, tactics and especially the mental aspects of the game in regard to playing in competitions (for example, breathing techniques, how to avoid distratctions etc.). Paddy draws on his own experiences winning national gold and international bronze singles medals (for his age group). Doubles players would also gain from listening to these as well. In this first episode, Paddy argues againt the notion that 'singles is not for seniors' and explains why. Then he starts the ball rolling on the importance of the serve and why it's different from doubles, including the importance of the…

Paddy has found a segment from his interview with Coach John Gill (aka Aussie John Pickleball) where they talk about keeping safe from injuries and mishaps on the pickleball court. They discuss the main things like court shoes and eye protection, about what to do and (maybe more importantly) what NOT to do! You may feel you've heard this all before - but it is well worth a recap, to keep you on the court and playing. We've all witnessed on-court injuries and we know that they are 90% preventable - so listen up and keep yourself active and playing. https://www.youtube.com/@AussieJohnG For our (FREE) Senior Pickleball Academy click here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

Please find in this episode, 8 minutes of mindfullness and calm - to listen to before you go on court. Whether you're going to play for a bit of fun with your pickle friends or about to play in a major tournament - you may find it useful to have this 8-minute moment of peace, to help you focus your mind. Keep it with you wherever you go - play it in the car, walking to the courts or just before you warm up - you never know when you're going to need it! For our (FREE) Senior Pickleball Academy click here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

In this podcast Paddy chats to Steve Willis who is not only fanatical about pickleball, but is also highly involved with US Senior Pickleball. Discover Steve's story as he goes from swimming to pickleball, gets addicted (like a lot of us!) and what he does when he realises that he wants to put something back into the sport. USSP supports the development of pickleball for seniors throughout the United States - listen to what they can do for you... Join USSP here; https://usseniorpickleball.com/ For our (FREE) Senior Pickleball Academy click here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

In this episode Paddy talks through how to transition from tennis to pickleball. Although there are MANY advantages such as an understanding of footwork and court positioning, there are also disadvantages such as going for the sidelines and too big a backswing. Listen to Paddy as he goes through all this, while giving examples from his own transition - after playing tennis for 50+ years. So if you've come from tennis, this is a must-listen. For our (FREE) Senior Pickleball Academy click here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about Join thre waitlist for a 30% discount on the membership website: https://senior-pickleball-tips.kit.com/63394dc96f

In this episode Paddy talks to his doubles partner, good friend and pickleball coach Phil about partner communications. They have entered a 50+, 3.5 tournament together for the first time and discuss how they are going to communicate with each other before playing, during play and afterwards. The tournament is in two weeks' time, so it's important they 'get their act together'! Partner communication is not just about calling 'Mine' or 'Yours' (although these are incredibly important), it's also about keeping each other's spirits high, NEVER being negative (not until after the game anyway!) and being crystal clear in what you communicate and how you communicate it. They also talk about communicating with partners in competitative round robins - whom you may never have met before, as well as partner communication in informal, rec play. So give it a listen - your partners will thank you for it! For our (FREE) Senior Pickleball Academy click here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

In this episode Paddy talks with Ron Ponder who is the Director of Officiating at the Global Pickleball Federation and all-round great guy. They talk about how he got into pickleball and then got into refereeing while helping with DUPR and expanding the sport into the far reaches of this planet. For example, how Ron got to officiate in Madagascar's first national tournament after explaining to about a dozen enthusiastic players how to play! Ron is very knowledgable about pickleball and shares some of that knowledge with us. He discusses issues such as refereeing and how to get into it, why pickleball is so popular around the world, it's phenomenal growth in Asia and the inevitable topic of needing ONE international body to get our sport into the Olympics. But don't think that this is a boring interview - Ron is an engaging and erudite guest, willing to share his colourful pickleball journey with us, and we are privileged to be a part of it. https://globalpickleballfederation.org For our (FREE) Senior…

Remaining with the important theme of listening to our bodies, Paddy talks to Bill Reif about his book 'Treat Your Own Pickleball Injuries' out with Amazon. With 45+ years experience of being a physical therapist, he started playing pickleball five years ago and found himself looking after more and more pickleball players. So, on retiring, he wrote this very useful book. Listen to Paddy and Bill discussing the particular injuries that come from pickleball's 'side-to-side' movements and what to do about them. More good stuff about preventing those injuries from happening in the first place, but also what to do when they (inevitably) arrive! Bill has worked with the Olympics, Special Olympics and even in Hollywood - so he knows what he's talking about. Also, if you're not from Britain, discover what a 'niggle' is! [IMPORTANT NOTE: If injuries or pain persists ALWAYS go and see your doctor/physician] Order the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Treat-Pickleball-Injuries-Step-Step/dp/B0F8P2DV49 For our (FREE)…

In the second part of this episode Paddy and Susan (from Pro Motion Fitness) discuss the importance of having some kind of a daily routine to stretch our muscles and tendons and to help us gain some physical strength. This can help all of us with our pickleball game (and our lives in general!). A 10- or 15-minute routine is good (or even longer if you can bare it!), but at least a 5-10 minute stretch is highly advisable. Whether it is yoga, pilates or the Canadian Air Force exercise regime (yes, there is one - my dear mum used to do it every morning!), just about any kind of movement can only help. And we'll learn how you can even incorporate the exercises your phyiso gave you into your own bespoke routine (why not eh?). We'll also learn about how good it is for us to (wait for it....) stand on one leg! So give this episode a listen - and remember to S-T-R-E-T-C-H.......! Check out Pro Motion Fitness here: https://ptwithsusan.com/about/ For our (FREE) Senior Pickleball Academy click here:…

In this two-part episode Paddy talks to Susan Cohen from Pro Motion Fitness about keeping injury-free. Part one will cover the five most common pickleball injuries that occur with seniors and in part two they discuss about how all of us should have our own bespoke, personal daily routine so we can stretch and strengthen our muscles for 10-15 minutes every day. So, in this part-one episode Susan goes through the five most common injuries that affect our: Shoulders Elbows Lower Back Knees Ankles & Calves And for each of these she and Paddy discuss what we need to do to keep us from injuring these parts of our bodies. (Paddy is used as a sort-of guinea pig as he relates the problems he always has with lower back pain and cramping in his calves). So give it a listen and this episode may well be the best thing you do this week/month/year!! Check out Pro Motion Fitness here: https://ptwithsusan.com/ For our (FREE) Senior Pickleball Academy click here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

In this episode Paddy continues with his story about winning a gold medal in the English National Singles Championships (3.0, 65+). Listen to how he played against a 'giant' at 6'8" and then very much hoped that he didn't come across Nigel again (who beat him in the round-robin). And, you've guessed it, of course he did! Paddy explains what worked for him in this tournament - both his game strategy and how he kept strong mentally. At the end he summarises with some pointers that could help YOU in tournament play (or indeed any kind of pickleball play). Also - listen out for the Labrador puppy! For our (FREE) Senior Pickleball Academy click here: https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about