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#1041: What does a pickleball coach actually do for a pro who already has all the shots? Tracie talks with pro player and CityPickle coach Benjamin Grant about why coaching at the highest levels is often less about technique and more about what’s happening between the ears. He explains why even great players need another set of eyes on the court and — when he’s coaching a pro in a tournament — how he knows when to call a timeout, help manage momentum and nerves, and stay fueled through a long tournament day. Benjamin also explains why watching your own match film — and leaning straight into the parts of your game opponents keep exposing — is one of the fastest ways to improve.

#1040: What changes when you’re still obsessed with pickleball but you’re playing into your 70s? Tracie talks with legendary coach Deb “Picklepong” Harrison about how older players can stay competitive by playing smarter, not harder. They dig into surviving hands battles with younger players, knowing when to counter and when to reset, using “space not face” to make opponents move, and why a well-placed dink can be a much better weapon than raw power. Deb also shares practical advice for protecting your body, handling lobs safely, staying hydrated, choosing smarter targets, and continuing to add new tools to your game. Because getting older doesn’t mean lowering your expectations, it just means bringing a little more intention (and moxie) to the court.

#1039: Does gender really change the way you should play doubles? Tracie asks coach Mindy Yoder whether there is a difference between women’s doubles versus mixed, and discovers that yes, it matters. Mindy explains why in mixed doubles women tend to be the recipients of most of the balls, how to get your male partner more involved in the point, and why hitting to the middle can be smarter than going for those tempting wide angles. They also talk about the growing aggression in women’s pickleball, when it’s appropriate to speed things up in rec play, and why “reading the room” may be just as important as reading the ball. Plus, Mindy shares the three conversations every new partnership should have before play begins, especially if, like often happens with Tracie, you’re heading into a tournament with a complete pickleball blind date.

#1038: Lefties can make perfectly normal pickleball shots feel completely wrong. Tracie talks with coach James Moore about how to adjust: when to attack the middle, why targeting the less-dominant player’s paddle-side foot can create confusion, and what to do when both opponents have forehands in the middle. Plus, James explains why communication matters even more around lefties — and why learning to play with both hands might not be such a bad idea.

#1037: Bangers love one thing: a nice, juicy ball they can slam right back at you. Tracie is joined by IPTPA Master Pro Lisa Palcic, author of The Complete Illustrated Guide to Pickleball, to explain how to stop feeding the beast. Lisa breaks down the simple adjustments that can neutralize hard hitters at the 3.0 and 3.5 levels: serving and returning deep, aiming at the body and feet, resisting the urge to rush to the kitchen, and learning why where you’re looking matters more than you might think. Plus, why “serve and stay,” moving together with your partner, and finding your own perfect strike zone, can keep a banger from turning your game into target practice.

#1036: Tracie welcomes pickleball coach and competitive player Benjamin Grant to unpack the idea that may explain why people can get so thoroughly obsessed with pickleball: he calls it flow. Inspired by Benjamin’s article by that name in The Dink, they discuss what happens when challenge and skill line up just right on both sides of the net and you become completely immersed in a game—no phone, no busy brain, no thinking about anything except that little plastic ball coming back at you. Benjamin explains why pickleball makes it unusually easy to find that elusive flow state, how games with longer rallies where the players have a complementary skill level keep us chasing “one more game,” and why playing with stronger players can help push us into the sweet spot where real improvement happens. They also dig into the social magic of open play, the difference between flow and control at higher levels, and Benjamin’s 20-60-20 rule for choosing who you play with. Maybe pickleball isn’t an addiction after all. Maybe we’re just hooked on being completely, gloriously present. Read Benjamin's article in "The Dink" here: https://www.thedinkpickleball.com/pickleball-and-the-pursuit-of-flow/

#1035: Tracie and coach Leia Miller tackle one of pickleball’s most terrifying afflictions: the dreaded yips, when a serve you’ve hit a thousand times suddenly feels like your arm has been stolen by the gods. Why does it happen when the score matters most—and how do you get your brain and body working together again? Leia shares the simple serving ritual she uses with her students, from saying the score and taking a breath to slowing down, transferring your weight and remembering that the first job of the serve is simply to get the ball over the net. They also talk about pressure, unforced errors, why trying to hit the “perfect” serve can sabotage you, and the danger of convincing yourself that one missed shot means you’ve suddenly forgotten how to play pickleball.

#1034: Tracie welcomes her newest pro, IPTPA coach James Moore, whom she met by complete accident at PickleCon — and who turned out to be one of her best pickleball “blind dates” ever. James shares a brilliantly simple strategy he uses whenever a team gets stuck on a score: after two rounds of serving without scoring, stack. They talk about why changing positions can change the energy of a game, throw off your opponents, and even get you or your partner out of your own head. Plus, James explains why he calls it stacking on offense but switching on defense — and why understanding the difference between offense and defense may be one of the most overlooked skills in recreational pickleball.

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

#1032: Master pro Lisa Palcic talks about how 4.0 is an attainable skill level for some people and what it takes to get there — while Tracie discusses how there seems to be a trend for people in recreational play to call themselves 4.0 without going in tournaments using the Dupr rating or taking (the very difficult!) IPTPA skill test.

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

#1030: Coach Leia Miller and Tracie roll their eyes about heavy duty veteran lobbers, but instead of moaning, groaning and griping about players who barrage you with lobs, Leia suggests we take matters into our own hands! Better to find a way to "drive the bus" instead of being irritated about being jerked around by lobbers.

#1029: In tournaments it's a big decision whether or not to serve first (with only one serve but a chance to get on the board) or receive first when you'll have two serves? Coach Deb "PicklePong Deb" Harrison has medaled in hundreds of tournaments, so she has solid advice about all the elements to factor in to your decision — which can apply to rec play as well.

#1028: Wondering whether your kids or grandkids should be encouraged to play pickleball? Megan Fudge is the APP tour's all-time total career medals leader by any player (89) and is married to pro player Ryler DeHeart, with whom she traveled the circuit in an RV so their two kids, Lily and JR, could be with them off and on the court. They are living proof of her belief that pickleball is a welcoming entry to sports for all children.

#1027: Master Pro and former pro competitor Lisa Palcic explains why two right-handed players almost always stack in mixed doubles on the pro circuit (no matter how good the female player is). But when, why and how stacking might make sense for amateurs in rec play or tournaments is another story.