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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.

So calling lines in pickleball for all players, but especially from Pros, has been a little controversial of late given that, they make their own calls, they can appeal to a referee. If the referee clearly sees it differently. They can overturn it and some tournaments allow a video replay. Interestingly only two or three years ago, most of them metal rounds, bronze and gold, silver matches had Slayer Volunteers who would sit on the court and little lawn chairs and make line cards in short order, the pros. Decided they can make better line calls themselves and most of the pros, especially, because they're traveling around the country. Seeing the same, the same people all over all the time, they don't want to get reputation for bad line calls. So in general, the line calls are pretty good. Compared with tennis pickleball is in its infancy at the pro level. There just simply isn't enough money in the game yet. For some significantly expensive technology to come in like Hawkeye in tennis and make the line calls for them. Hopefully that will come along in the coming years as the money continues to increase.

Line calls in pickleball have been controversial, especially for pros, as they usually make their own calls, and can appeal to a referee if needed, or have video replay in some tournaments. In the past, Slayer Volunteers would sit on court and make line calls, but now pros prefer to make their own calls to avoid getting a bad reputation. There is not enough money yet to bring in expensive technology, such as Hawkeye in tennis, to make the line calls for them, though this may change in the future.

In tennis the pros don’t call balls out, but pro pickleball players do. Should pro pickleball utilize line judges?

Controversy Surrounds Line Calls in Pro Pickleball - Is it Time for Line Judges?

The topic of calling lines in pickleball, especially among professional players, has sparked some controversy. Currently, pros make their own calls and can appeal to a referee if there is a disagreement. In some tournaments, video replay is allowed. In the past, volunteer line judges would sit on the court during metal rounds, but the pros decided they could make better line calls themselves. They want to avoid developing a reputation for bad calls, especially since they often encounter the same players in different tournaments across the country.

Compared to tennis, pickleball is still in its early stages at the professional level, and there isn't enough financial support yet for expensive technology like Hawkeye in tennis to be implemented. As the sport continues to grow and attract more money, it is possible that advanced technology for line calls may be introduced in the future.

In 2022 pickleball. Still play predominantly in the US. Canada has a good number of players Mexico. Costa Rica a lot of the resorts are attracting players down there and Europe England, France have pretty good scenes and down under Australia has a number of terrific players growing by the day. This past summer, I had a chance to join a group in Israel promoting. A ball as a part of the Maccabi games, the every four years Jewish Olympics. We taught a number of Israelis as well as participants from teams around the world. The Spanish players picked it up really fast. So pickleball is growing the world pickleball Federation is helping spread the game globally but right now pickleball is still played mostly in the US.

Pickleball is still predominantly played in the US, but is quickly growing in popularity around the world. Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Europe, England, France, Australia and Israel have all seen growth in pickleball. The World Pickleball Federation is helping to spread the game globally.

Is pickleball as popular in other countries as it is in the U.S.?

Pickleball's Global Growth: US Still Dominates

As of 2022, pickleball remains predominantly popular in the United States. However, there are growing communities of players in other countries as well. Canada has a significant number of players, and Mexico and Costa Rica have seen an increase in interest, particularly in resort areas. In Europe, countries like England and France have developed strong pickleball scenes. Australia also has a growing number of skilled players.

There have been efforts to promote pickleball globally, such as in Israel where it was included as part of the Maccabi Games, a Jewish Olympics held every four years. During this event, players from various countries, including Spain, quickly picked up the sport.

The World Pickleball Federation is actively working to spread the game worldwide. However, at present, pickleball remains most popular in the United States.

Are you able to raise your level of adrenaline in practice to the level you have in regular competitions? Nope, in my opinion, it's literally impossible. Actually that's one thing in my opinion. Swimmers cannot train really hard to train the adrenaline you feel in the come the regular competitions because during those meats you have That big crowd a lot of people screaming and you can simulate that in practice you practice you have a few swimmers your coaches. So and sometimes that big crowd can be really - you can be can be bad for you. Sometimes you can use to go a little faster sometimes or just investor it depends on each streamer. but in my opinion, if you race a lot, if you race in practice, if you race somebody that really challenges you in practice, He can raise your level of a journal a little bit and you can help you but definitely not the same level as you have in regular competitions.

It is not possible to raise your level of adrenaline in practice to the same level as in regular competitions. The closest you can get is to race against someone who challenges you in practice, which can help increase your adrenaline levels a bit.

Are you able to raise your level of adrenaline in practice to the level you have in regular competitions?

Unlocking the Adrenaline: Why Practice Can't Match the Intensity of Competitions

No, in my opinion, it's impossible to raise your adrenaline level in practice to the same level as in regular competitions. The atmosphere and environment during competitions, with a large crowd and people cheering, cannot be replicated in practice. In practice, you typically have a few swimmers and coaches, which is quite different. Additionally, the presence of a big crowd can sometimes have a negative impact on performance, depending on the individual swimmer. However, if you frequently race and have someone in practice who challenges you, it can help raise your adrenaline level to some extent. But it will never reach the same level as in actual competitions.

Hi, Mark Milner here. I think it's fair enough to ask and expect a paddle, especially in today's crisis of what the pickleball paddles are going for, to have that expectation of lasting four to six months or longer. Problem is, is that the material of honeycombs will soon be breaking down and most of the paddles seem to be making with that. But as we continue to get better technology and other components into paddles, you will be seeing longer and longer duration times with the paddle. So I would say it was safe to say in the past that you needed to change paddles more frequently, but they are doing a better job of building paddles nowadays. So raise those expectations. Thanks very much.

It is reasonable to expect a pickleball paddle to last for four to six months, however, with the improvements in technology and materials used in paddles, it is likely that they will last even longer.

Am I the only one who expects a pickleball paddle to last more than 4 to 6 months?

Raising Expectations: The Future of Pickleball Paddle Durability

Hi there! I completely understand your expectation for a pickleball paddle to last more than 4 to 6 months, especially considering the cost of paddles these days. The issue lies in the material used for honeycombs, which tends to break down over time. However, as technology and paddle components continue to improve, we can expect longer-lasting paddles in the future. In the past, it may have been necessary to change paddles more frequently, but manufacturers are now doing a better job at building durable paddles. So go ahead and raise your expectations! Thanks for your question.

So what adjustment should I make if my backhand volley is stronger than my forehand volley? The first thing is obviously practice, practice, practice. It comes down to drilling and working on that forehand to make that forehand better than the backhand or at least equal to. And you'll say, well what do I do if my backhand is just better than that? So the next thing I would check is my technique, making sure that your technique is correct. So many people that are backhand heavy that like their backhand and have a stronger backhand generally tend to sit on their backhand, meaning that the paddle face is open and you're waiting for your shots in this position, paddle face open. So what I would do is make sure that your technique is correct. I would take the tip of your paddle and move it out to 11 or 12 o'clock, meaning the tip of my paddle is pointed at my target at 11 or 12. Moving my arms away from my body now is enabling me to open my paddle face up to that forehand side. So now I can take those forehand volleys and backhand volleys, keeping everything very small and compact out front. So A, check your paddle face. B, make sure that you're working on your technique and making sure that your arms are away from your body and you're able to open your paddle face. And C, drilling is the next best way to develop a better forehand volley.

To improve your forehand volley if it is weaker than your backhand volley, practice and make sure that you have the correct technique. Make sure the tip of your paddle is pointed toward your target at 11 or 12 o'clock and keep your arms away from your body to open up your paddle face and drill to develop a better forehand volley.

What adjustments should I make if my backhand volley is better than my forehand?

Mastering the Forehand Volley: Techniques to Match Your Backhand Strength

If your backhand volley is stronger than your forehand volley, there are a few adjustments you can make. First and foremost, practice is key. Dedicate time to drilling and working on your forehand to improve it and bring it up to the level of your backhand.

Next, check your technique. Many players who favor their backhand tend to sit on it, meaning they keep the paddle face open and wait for shots in that position. To address this, ensure that your technique is correct. Position the tip of your paddle at 11 or 12 o'clock, pointing it towards your target. By moving your arms away from your body, you can open up your paddle face to the forehand side. This allows you to execute both forehand and backhand volleys with a compact and controlled motion.

Lastly, drilling is an effective way to develop a better forehand volley. Regularly practice specific drills that focus on improving your forehand technique and consistency.

By following these adjustments - practicing diligently, checking your paddle face and technique, and incorporating focused drills - you can work towards improving your forehand volley and achieving a more balanced skill set.

My number one pointer, when it comes time to pick out a new pickleball paddle is to try a bunch of them, a couple different ways you can do that head to the courts. If you're already a player and hit up some of your friends and fellow players at the course, most of them are really happy to let you try their battle, you know, for 45 minutes or maybe, even the whole game next would be either a local or online pickleball retailer. Somebody like pickleball central.com that either has a nice generous return. Policy and or a great demo program where maybe you can get three or four paddles in your hands for a week or so and then just go ahead and pick the one that you like best. I would suggest at a minimum spending $75, get yourself a quality paddle that will last you a year or two. Ed, thanks for your question. You are more than welcome to try my paddle next time. I can get you out there on the course.

My number one pointer when it comes time to pick out a new pickleball paddle is to try a bunch of them. Head to the courts and ask your friends and fellow players for a demo or check out a local or online pickleball retailer that has a generous return policy or a great demo program. At a minimum, spend $75 on a quality paddle that will last you a year or two.

Any pointers on purchasing a good pickleball paddle?

Expert advice: Try before you buy any pickleball paddle!

When it comes to purchasing a good pickleball paddle, my top pointer is to try out several options. One way to do this is by heading to the courts and asking friends or fellow players if you can try their paddles. They are usually happy to let you test them out for a while.

Another option is to visit a local or online pickleball retailer, such as pickleballcentral.com. Look for a retailer with a generous return policy or a demo program. This way, you can get your hands on three or four paddles for a week or so and choose the one that suits you best.

I recommend investing a minimum of $75 in a quality paddle that will last you a year or two. It's worth spending a bit more to ensure durability and performance.

Thank you for your question, and if you'd like, you're welcome to try my paddle next time we're on the court together.