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Sr Pro Player and coach. I travel to coach

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.

All right, the question is, how do you celebrate your accomplishments with family and friends? And quite frankly, I don't think I do. You know, occasionally we'll do a toast or a cheers or something after I've come home from a long trip. But really the last thing I want to do with my friends and family is talk about skiing after I've been on the road for a month or two. And so it's always fun when I go home and I find out that a friend has been following our every move very closely. That means a lot to me. But we celebrate on the road if somebody does something good, has a career best race or just a breakthrough. We'll do a toast at dinner that night, a little team cheer, and celebrate then in the moment. So I don't feel like I need to go home and celebrate. Thank you for the question. Certainly on this team, there is a lot to celebrate. We have a lot of great results, but we just have a lot of great moments as a group of human beings, people supporting each other. Breakthroughs and workouts are sometimes worth celebrating. Technique changes are worth celebrating. But we celebrate those on the road. So when I go home, it's just recovering and doing non-skiing things. Thank you.

I don't usually celebrate my accomplishments with family and friends, but we do celebrate on the road. If someone has a breakthrough or career best, we'll do a toast or team cheer and celebrate in the moment. When I go home it's more about recovering and doing non skiing things.

How do you celebrate your accomplishments with family and friends?

Finding Joy in the Journey: Celebrating Accomplishments on the Road

When it comes to celebrating my accomplishments with family and friends, I don't think I do it in a traditional sense. After returning from a long trip, the last thing I want to do is talk about skiing with my loved ones. Occasionally, we may do a toast or cheers, but it's not a big focus.

I find it meaningful when I discover that a friend has been closely following my journey and accomplishments. That shows their support and means a lot to me. On the road, with my team, we celebrate in the moment. If someone achieves a career-best race or has a breakthrough, we'll do a toast and a team cheer during dinner.

I don't feel the need to go home and have a specific celebration. Instead, it's about recovering and engaging in non-skiing activities. Thank you for the question. While there is much to celebrate within our team, we do it on the road, acknowledging great results, breakthroughs in workouts, and technique changes.

Let's talk about the split step, one of the most important things that you can do in order to get, from intermediate on up to the next level. It's a footwork technique. Generally designed to get you balanced and ready for the next shot. So, let's talk about the timing of it. You have the time when the ball leaves your paddle, until the time, the ball is on your opponent's paddle, to adjust your court positioning. So, in this case, it would be moving forward towards the non-volley zone. Line. So you hit your shot again moving forward. When the ball is on his, or her paddle on the other side, we need to come to a brief pause and it's a split step, not a split stop. So I'm going to hit my shot move forward and then I'm going to do a split step that looks like this. I like to think of it as loading my Springs and I also think of it as split stepping on hot lava, I'm only going to be here for a thousandth of a second or I'm gonna burn my feet. Once the ball leaves the pitchers, Paddle of my opponent. I'm either going to move, right? I'm going to move left. I'm going to move forward or I'm going to move back. So the split step is a brief pause in order to be balanced and ready for the next show.

The split step is an important footwork technique used to get balanced and ready for the next shot. It involves a brief pause when the ball is on the opponent's paddle, after which you can move right, left, forward or back. It's important to think of it as loading your springs and only staying still for a thousandth of second, like standing on hot lava.

Master the Split Step: Elevate Your Game with Perfect Footwork

The split step is a crucial footwork technique that can elevate your game from intermediate to the next level. It is designed to help you get balanced and prepared for the next shot in pickleball.

Timing is key when executing the split step. From the moment the ball leaves your paddle until it reaches your opponent's paddle, you have the opportunity to adjust your court positioning. Typically, this means moving forward towards the non-volley zone line as you hit your shot. When the ball is on your opponent's paddle, it's time for a brief pause and the split step.

It's important to note that the split step is not a complete stop, but rather a quick moment of readiness. Think of it as loading your springs or as if you're split stepping on hot lava, where you only stay in that position for a fraction of a second to avoid getting burned.

Once the ball leaves your opponent's paddle, you can make your move. You may choose to move right, left, forward, or backward based on the situation. The split step allows you to pause briefly, regain balance, and be prepared for the next shot.

You will see 5.0 players and pros putting a healthy amount of spin on their serve, but maybe a little bit differently than you think. They're not as interested in side spins or cuts for the funny bounce benefit like you might see a 3.5 player do, which can be rather effective at that level. More so, the 5.0s and pros are looking to impart top spin on their serve. That allows them to hit a serve hard and deep with some comfort that that top spin will cause the ball to drop or dip before going beyond the baseline. Their mindset is frequently, what can I do to slow the advance of the returner toward the non-volley zone? That takes a little pressure off their third, giving them a look at the feet of the returner as they're in the transition zone. So high and deep serve, top spin helps with that. Go ahead and give that a try next time you're on the court.

50 level players and pros use topspin on their serve to slow the advance of the returner so they have time to transition and get a look at the feet of the returner. They hit the serve hard and deep with topspin, allowing the ball to drop or dip before going beyond the baseline.

Do most 5.0s put a lot of spin on their serve?

Unlock the Secrets: How 5.0 Players Master Serve Spin

Most 5.0 players and professional tennis players do put a significant amount of spin on their serve, but it may be different from what you expect. They are not primarily focused on side spins or cuts for unpredictable bounces, as you might see at a lower level of play. Instead, they aim to generate topspin on their serve.

By using topspin, they can hit a powerful and deep serve while having confidence that the spin will cause the ball to drop or dip before going beyond the baseline. Their goal is to slow down the returner's advance towards the non-volley zone, giving them an advantage in the subsequent shots. This strategy allows them to observe the returner's positioning and potentially target their feet as they transition towards the net.

So, if you want to emulate the serving technique of 5.0 players, try incorporating topspin into your serves. Aim for a high and deep serve that utilizes topspin to create a more challenging return for your opponent. Give it a shot the next time you're on the court!

I think as you continue to play in advance your skill, you're seeing that the game has changing and the fact that the concept of when you first started don't make mistakes, Dink, keep the ball short, keep the ball low and playing very conservatively. And now we're seeing the approach, especially from the top level down, of taking some more risks and taking balls that you would think are una taxable and they're finding ways through flicks and spins and things of attacking these balls that once were thought to be un attachable. So as you gain more and more confidence and more and more skill, you're able to attack balls that otherwise, in your previous skill set would not be attacking those.

As your skill level increases, you will be able to take more risks and attack balls that used to be unattackable.

How has your approach to pickleball changed over the years as you've gained experience and skill?

Pickleball Pros Reveal Game-Changing Strategy for Advanced Players

As I've gained experience and skill in pickleball, my approach to the game has evolved. Initially, the focus was on avoiding mistakes, playing conservatively, and keeping the ball low and short during dinking exchanges. However, as I've witnessed changes in the game, especially among top-level players, a more aggressive approach has emerged. Players are now taking calculated risks and finding ways to attack balls that were once considered untouchable. Through flicks, spins, and creative shot placements, they are able to find openings and exploit opportunities. As my confidence and skill have grown, I have become more comfortable attacking balls that I wouldn't have attempted before with my previous skill set.

One great way to adapt your game to windy conditions is to Simply embrace the challenge. Make it fun. It's just part of pickleball. Got a breezy day today out here and so I'm going to be adapting my game throughout the day. So make it fun light-hearted. That's a great way to start. And then, you know, specifically, I shrink the court, whether it's, you know, a for aft wind or a side wind. In my mind, I bring the lines in a little bit and if I Of a chance. I'm going to aim down the middle for most of my shots, not flirt with the sidelines and not flirt with the Baseline. So that's my number one and two tip today. Embrace it be light-hearted have fun with it. And then shrink the court came down to me.

Embrace the challenge of windy conditions and make it fun. Shrink the court in your mind and aim for shots down the middle instead of the sidelines or baseline.

How do you adapt your game in windy conditions?

Mastering the Wind: Embrace the Challenge and Shrink the Court

To adapt your game in windy conditions, the first step is to embrace the challenge and make it fun. Remember that playing in the wind is just a part of the game. Approach it with a light-hearted attitude.

In terms of specific strategies, one effective technique is to mentally shrink the court. Whether the wind is blowing from the front or the side, imagine the court lines being brought in a bit closer. If possible, aim for shots down the middle rather than risking shots near the sidelines or baseline.

So, the key tips for adapting your game in windy conditions are to embrace the challenge, maintain a light-hearted mindset, and mentally shrink the court to focus on shots down the middle.

How do I defend against a left-handed player? The number one recommendation is recognizing where that player is all the time on the court. Generally, the left-handed player serves first, so that's usually easy to see because that means that their forehand is in the middle. So I am going to go behind them. I'm going to hit balls to their backhand to hopefully get them to pop balls up. Generally, your backhand is weaker, and that's included on the right-hand player and the left-handed player. So now if that left-handed player moves over and stays on the opposite side, meaning the non-serving side, that means their backhand is going to be to the middle of the court. So now I can take balls to the middle of the court knowing that I'm going to be hitting to their, his or her backhand. So the number one thing for me is recognition, always knowing where that left-handed player is so I know where my target is.

Recognize where the left-handed player is on the court, and try to hit balls towards their weaker backhand.

What’s the best way to defend against a left hand player?

Mastering Tennis Defense: The Key to Defending Against Left-Handed Players

To defend against a left-handed player, the key is to constantly be aware of their position on the court. Typically, left-handed players serve first, which means their forehand will be in the middle. In response, I would position myself behind them and aim to hit shots to their backhand, hoping to force weaker returns. This strategy applies to both left-handed and right-handed players, as the backhand tends to be a weaker shot.

If the left-handed player moves to the non-serving side, their backhand will be in the middle of the court. In this case, I can target shots to the middle, knowing that I will be hitting to their backhand.

Overall, the most important aspect is recognition and always being aware of the left-handed player's position on the court. This awareness allows me to adjust my strategy and target the appropriate areas.