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Julie Johnson is a professional pickleball player and 5-time European Champion. She's a former US National Singles Champion and regularly competes in tournaments worldwide. She's been featured in multiple magazines and online media outlets. Johnson is passionate about the sport and works to inspire others to take up the game. She offers clinics and workshops for players of all levels and is dedicated to growing the sport. Her enthusiasm has made her one of the most respected pickleball players in the world.

Garrett Gosselin is the Founder of CRBN Pickleball, an innovative company revolutionizing the way people play. Born and raised in Idaho, Garrett has been a passionate pickleball player since he was a kid. He has dedicated his life to making the game more accessible and enjoyable for everyone. For over 15 years, Garrett has helped design and develop some of the best pickleball equipment on the market and his products have been endorsed by top players. With CRBN Pickleball, Garrett's mission is to provide the highest quality equipment while making the game more affordable and accessible. His products have been featured in several magazines and publications. Garrett is also a champion for pickleball growth and education, helping to grow the game in local communities and schools. His passion for pickleball has made him an inspiring role model.

Byron Freso grew up in Ghana playing sports at the top level, from volleyball to racquetball. After injuries forced him to stop playing racquetball, he and his wife, Marsha, discovered Pickleball. He has won countless medals as a pro player, is an IPTPA and PPR certified instructor, and is one of the top referees in the game. He was honored with ONIX's first ever Ambassador Emeritus title and serves as Head Referee on the APP Tour.

Chris Powers is a four-time Nationals Gold medal champion as well as a three-time silver medalist.  She competes around the country at the Super Senior Pro level in the Mixed Doubles and Women's Doubles categories.  She has competed in over 80 tournaments including Nationals in Indian Wells, CA, and the U.S. Open in Naples, FL.  She has won over 200 medals in the four years she has competed. Chris resides in Aiken, SC with her four horses, three dogs, and two pickleball courts.  She conducts lessons and camps at her farm called Two Sisters Farm.  She enjoys teaching and her students range from complete beginners to those who play competitively.  Chris also runs free pickleball retreats for women diagnosed with any type of cancer through her organization, Women Beyond Cancer.

Scott Moore is living proof that great players only get better with time. After 30+ years as a tennis player, he began playing pickleball competitively in 2013 and has since gone on to win the triple crown—not once, not twice, but six times. His aggressive playing style has earned him the fitting nickname “The Beast.” Widely regarded as the No. 1 senior male player in the world, Scott’s success expands beyond his age category. In 2018, he and his son Daniel won the 19+ division at the Northwest Regional tournament in Bend, Oregon, and less than a month later, he and his son Jon won the Italian Open.

Teresa Tarn is a former D1 College softball player that has become addicted to the fastest-growing sport across the country - pickleball. She travels the country competing as a senior pro, having won many medals in senior pro as well as at the US Open in Naples. Coaching and teaching are part of her DNA, and she enjoys teaching lessons, camps, and clinics. She graduated from Michigan State with a Bachelor of Science teaching degree in Exercise Science with an emphasis in sports psychology and kinesiology, and has since coached basketball, volleyball, softball, and baseball. Her sole athletic focus is now on pickleball.

Scott has been coaching for more than 30 years in sports such as tennis, skiing/ snowboarding, running, cycling, and triathlon.  Now, he is excited to go Back to the Future as he returns to the court to share his passion for Pickleball!  Scott is an IPTPA Level 2 certified pickleball coach and Director, a 5.0+ rated player, and ranked in the top 10 on the Senior Pro Tour.  Scott won a silver medal in Sr Pro men's doubles at the 2022 USA Pickleball National Championships.

So why is it called pickleball? There's two origin story theories. The first is that the Pritchards, one of the families that invented the sport, had a family dog named Pickles, and that Pickles would go and retrieve the ball when it went out of play. The second is that the mish mash of equipment-- from a badminton net to a wiffle ball to a paddle-- reminded the inventors of a crew term-- a term that's used in crew-- of a pickle boat, which is where leftover oarsmen paddle a boat. And in this case, you're using leftover equipment to play a sport.

Pickleball is called pickleball because either it was named after the Pritchard family dog, Pickles, or because the mismatched equipment used to play the game reminded the inventors of a "pickle boat," which is a boat crewed by leftover oarsmen.

Pickleball: A Sport Born from Dogs and Crews

The name pickleball has two origin story theories. The first theory is that the Pritchard family, who were among the inventors of the sport, had a dog named Pickles. Allegedly, Pickles would retrieve the ball when it went out of play, hence the name pickleball. 

The second theory is that the mishmash of equipment used in the sport, such as a badminton net, a wiffle ball, and a paddle, reminded the inventors of a crew term called a pickle boat. In crew, a pickle boat refers to a boat where leftover oarsmen paddle together. In the case of pickleball, the name may have been inspired by the use of leftover equipment to play the sport.

These are the two theories behind the name pickleball.

In the book that I wrote a couple years ago, called fundamentals of fast-swimming. Talk about four basic Sciences, not to, for the intersect in the sport of swimming there. All important one could say, Well, they're equally important, they may be but it depends on each swimmer. And what are those four basic Sciences? We got two of them. Perhaps one is the neurosciences the psychology that how the mind controls the body and one could easily argue. That's the most most important because if your mind isn't tough, you're not going to swim fast. The other three are the physiology, which is hugely important. And that's really your aerobic. Fitness level. How fit are you to be able to put your body through the rigors of a very strenuous race? But the other two also important one is kinesiology which is really the biomechanics. The pulling motion. What's the right pulling motion or kicking motion or body position to Effectively swim the fastest. The fourth was probably the most neglected and I think in some respects maybe it's the most important and that's physics. And when I seen, you say the word physics. People run the other direction because it's extremely complex, somebody, but not so much in swimming. It is basically basically Newtonian mechanics that controls our governs, how fastest runner goes, and it's really the three laws of motion. It's which pertain to the forces of drag, which are hugely compelling in this for starring, in water. It's the forces of propulsion which enable us to move forward. And then the law of inertia, which basically says, you know, once a body is in motion, it's more efficient for that body continue in motion, not to slow down. So of all of those. I would say that the most neglected and maybe the most important is physics, and I think all coaches out there need a little bit of a physics lesson. Understand how to apply it to swimming.

There are four basic sciences which are important to swimming: neurosciences, physiology, kinesiology, and physics. Of these, the most neglected, but perhaps the most important is physics, which involves Newtonian mechanics and forces of drag, propulsion, and inertia. Coaches need a good understanding of this science in order to help swimmers swim faster.

What’s more important, physiology or psychology?

The Neglected Science: Why Physics is Crucial in Swimming

In my book, Fundamentals of Fast-Swimming, I discuss the four basic sciences that intersect in the sport of swimming. While all four sciences are important, the significance of physiology and psychology may vary for each swimmer.

Neuroscience and psychology play a crucial role in how the mind controls the body. One could argue that this is the most important aspect because without a strong mindset, it's challenging to swim fast.

Physiology, on the other hand, is highly important as well. It relates to the swimmer's aerobic fitness level and their ability to endure the demands of a strenuous race.

Kinesiology, which focuses on biomechanics, is another essential science. It examines the correct pulling motion, kicking motion, and body position to swim most effectively.

Lastly, physics is often neglected but holds great importance. Understanding the principles of physics, such as Newtonian mechanics, helps swimmers grasp the forces of drag and propulsion in water. It also emphasizes the law of inertia, which highlights the efficiency of maintaining motion.

While all four sciences are significant, I believe physics is often overlooked but holds immense value in swimming. Coaches would benefit from gaining a better understanding of how to apply physics principles to the sport.

A really quick and easy drill to improve reaction time is actually go ahead and take a step into the nonvolley zone. That's going to put you and your practice partner 10, 11, 12 feet away from each other, which is closer than you'll ever be in an actual pickleball match. And practice keeping the ball in the air, volleying back and forth with each other at that super close proximity. You'll quickly find out that there's not a lot of time to guess whether it's a forehand or a backhand. As such, the best thing to practice from there, go ahead and commit to the backhand. The backhand is best for defending against a body shot. Really, you can handle a lot of attacks by using the backhand side of the paddle. So let's not guess. Commit to the backhand side. Stand relatively close to your opponent, a foot inside the nonvolley zone. And then when you actually play, things will slow down a little bit, and I think your reaction time will be all that much quicker.

To improve reaction time, practice volleying back and forth with your partner from one foot inside the nonvolley zone. Commit to using the backhand side of the paddle when defending against a body shot.

What drills do you recommend to improve reaction time?

Master reaction time with this simple pickleball drill

To improve reaction time, I recommend a simple drill in pickleball. Step into the nonvolley zone, which brings you and your practice partner closer together, around 10-12 feet apart. Practice volleying the ball back and forth at this close proximity. You'll quickly realize that there's very little time to guess whether it's a forehand or backhand shot.

To enhance your reaction time, commit to using the backhand side of your paddle. The backhand is effective for defending against body shots and handling various attacks. Stand about a foot inside the nonvolley zone when practicing this drill with your opponent.

By training in this close-quarters scenario, the actual gameplay will feel slower, and your reaction time will naturally improve.

There are a ton of tennis players coming in to pickleball which is a great background sport for the game. But however, many tennis players just simply hit the ball too hard take too much of a back swing. The problems with that have to do with the generally rudimentary equipment and the tiny court. The court is only 22 feet on the other side of the net, which is pretty tough to keep the ball in play. Combine that with the fact that the pickleball doesn't bounce very high. So often, we're hitting a ball 8, 10, 15 inches off the ground, which means you have to hit up over the net. And add to that, we're playing with a generally not very sophisticated paddle, especially, compared to a tennis racket with strings, felt on the ball, and all of those things. So it's difficult to impart enough spin to hit the ball hard and have that spin keep the ball in play. So my recommendation with tennis players is to take negligible minimal back swing and really embrace the soft game or the finesse elements of the sport. Thanks for asking the question, Wendy. I'll see you on the courts.

Tennis players coming to pickleball should take a minimal backswing and embrace the finesse elements of the sport, as it is difficult to impart enough spin with the rudimentary equipment and small court size to hit the ball hard and keep it in play.

What do you observe as the hardest habit to change when a tennis player starts learning how to play Pickleball?

The Hardest Habit to Break: Tennis Players' Need for Power in Pickleball

When tennis players start learning how to play pickleball, one of the hardest habits to change is hitting the ball too hard and taking a large backswing. This poses challenges due to the nature of pickleball, including the smaller court size and the lower bounce of the ball. With a court that is only 22 feet across and a ball that doesn't bounce very high, it becomes difficult to keep the ball in play.

Additionally, pickleball paddles are generally less sophisticated compared to tennis rackets, lacking strings and felt on the ball. This makes it challenging to generate enough spin to hit the ball hard while still keeping it in play.

To address this, my recommendation for tennis players transitioning to pickleball is to embrace the soft game and focus on finesse. Minimizing the backswing and adopting a softer touch will help players adjust to the unique demands of pickleball.

Thank you for asking the question, Wendy. I look forward to seeing you on the courts.

What is your can't live without recovery product and why? So I'm not a big product person. I never did recovery shakes or anything like that, but I will say, the two things I have to that things that I really, really liked was one getting massages. I, this is something that's why when I was little bit older, so when I was in college and then throughout my professional career, I would get a massage. I want to say like every other week and then depending on when it was in the season, if I could squeeze in one every week that was just such a huge help. So so getting a massage was something that I really, really liked. And then also just having a good mattress and like quality sleep. I cannot speak to how important that is. It's some point when I was swimming professionally, I decided to buy like a legit mattress. I'd had the same like old like hundred dollar horrible cheap mattress my entire life, and I got a nice mattress and it would suck such a nine-day difference. It was so amazing. I also do not sleep on couches. Like if I'm gonna nap first of all I napping to me is like you take napping very seriously. So if I don't have at least a two-hour window like I'm not going to waste my time. Like all that's going to do is just make me even more tired. So if I'm gonna take a nap, I need like a minimum two hours and I'm I'm like taking that seriously, like, I'm getting in bed turning the lights off. Pulling the the shades, though, the covers, you know, all the things. I'm not one of those people that just casually sleeps on their couch and like, Kinks their neck and no, no. Like I take sleeping, very, very seriously. And we are going to do this appropriately. So, yeah, but I would say having a good mattress. This is definitely key and helped my recovery a lot. So yeah.

Massage and a good mattress are two things I can't live without for recovery. Massages help me stay loose, while a good mattress helps with quality sleep.

What is your can't live without recovery product and why?

Discover the Key to Optimal Recovery: Massage and Quality Sleep!

My can't-live-without recovery products are not traditional products per se, but rather practices that have greatly helped me. First, getting massages has been incredibly beneficial for me. Throughout my college years and professional career, I would schedule massages every other week, and sometimes even weekly during intense periods. The physical and mental relief they provided was immense.

Secondly, having a good mattress and prioritizing quality sleep has made a significant difference in my recovery. Investing in a proper mattress was a game-changer for me. The improvement in sleep quality was remarkable, and I cannot stress enough how important it is for recovery.

When it comes to napping, I take it seriously. If I decide to nap, I ensure I have a minimum of a two-hour window to fully rest. I make sure to get in bed, turn off the lights, close the shades, and create a conducive environment for sleep. I don't casually nap on couches, as I believe in taking sleep seriously and giving it the attention it deserves.

While these may not be traditional recovery products, incorporating massages, prioritizing quality sleep with a good mattress, and approaching napping with intention have been essential elements of my recovery routine.

What are the keys to having a good coach athlete? Relationship, communication. That is going to be a huge huge Factor, but at the end of the day, I think the most important thing is respect, you have to have a mutual respect to the coach, but the coach also has to respect the athlete and I think sometimes especially the younger, the athlete as adults. We expect children to respect us, but we don't necessarily think that. Oh, I have to Peck this person back and it has to go both ways. So, my first advice is have that communication open. If you feel as if you were not being respected or heard as an athlete talk to your coach don't assume that they know everything or that their mind reader's and they know what you're thinking. Have those conversations, be honest with them. Say, I feel like I'm not being heard and I'm not being respected. The flip side to that is know that your coach's job, they were literally getting paid to make you do things. You don't want to You there literally getting paid to to be tough on you and, and truly most coaches really do have their athletes best interest at heart. Of course, there's always going to be different as a personality, but they are doing what they think is best. You may not agree with it and sometimes, you know, maybe it's not the best fit and maybe you do need to go somewhere else and swim for a different team. But I would always start with having those conversations be as open as you can. And if you still continue to feel like the coach isn't hearing you, You as an athlete, there's going to be somebody that you connect better with, but yeah, communication. Just like any relationship that you have, you know, no matter what that relationship is an athlete coaching relationship is a relationship and communication, first, and foremost. But also, I do believe that there has to be a mutual respect and know that you're not necessarily always going to see eye-to-eye but that's okay. A coach isn't doing their job. If they're not pushing you, if they're not challenging you, if they are not setting you or sending you to the limits of That you even think you can't do, they're not doing their job. So keep that in mind and know that they're always going to be hard on you. But you know, I would I would look at it and say, are they being hard on me because they have my best interest at heart.

The keys to having a good coach-athlete relationship are communication and respect. Both the athlete and the coach need to communicate openly and honestly, and have a mutual respect for each other. Additionally, it is important to remember that coaches are there to push athletes to reach their potential, and that sometimes this may involve being hard on them.

What are the keys to having a good coach/athlete relationship?

The Key to a Good Coach-Athlete Relationship: Communication and Respect

The keys to having a good coach-athlete relationship are communication and respect. Open and honest communication is crucial. If you feel that you are not being respected or heard as an athlete, talk to your coach and express your concerns. Don't assume that they know everything or can read your mind. Have those conversations and be honest about how you feel.

On the flip side, understand that your coach's job is to push you and make you do things. They are paid to be tough on you, and most coaches genuinely have your best interests at heart. While you may not always agree with their methods, remember that they are doing what they believe is best for your development. If you still feel unheard or misunderstood after open communication, it may be worth considering if there is a better fit elsewhere.

In any relationship, communication is key, and the coach-athlete relationship is no exception. Additionally, there needs to be a mutual respect between both parties. It's important to recognize that you may not always see eye-to-eye, but that's okay. A coach's role is to push and challenge you, even beyond what you think you can do. They are not doing their job if they are not pushing you to your limits. Keep in mind that their toughness is often a reflection of their commitment to your growth and success.