The Pickleballers Podcast — hosted by Jared Paul and Dane Iliff, founders of The Kitchen (the largest media company in pickleball), alongside top-ranked pro Roscoe Bellamy — is your new go-to source for all things pickleball.From breaking news and spicy hot takes to hilarious banter and all-star guests, Pickleballers brings the energy. Tune in for celebrity drop-ins, pro insights, and a front-row seat to the fastest-growing sport in America.Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="nofollow">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/11/12/6/4d3ccd23-9310-42c1-8839-70466bcf9cc7_allyce_jones_audio.m4a

In this episode, Allyce sits down with Roscoe and Jared to tell how she went from teaching full-time to playing on the pro tour. They also cover the MLP season, why the juniors have been the surprise of the year, and what it takes to beat Anna Leigh Waters. Allyce opens up about how she found the game. COVID cost her volleyball club $40K, and her mom talked the family into trying pickleball in an empty high school gym. Then her husband booked her a lesson with Callie Jo Smith and told her, “I wanted you to see what I saw.” She trained at 4:30 a.m. before teaching, paid for her career out of her own salary, and made $800 from her first paycheck. After signing with the PPA Tour in 2022, she left teaching, and the goals on the vision board in her classroom came true. Allyce also explains why diving comes from 20 years of volleyball and isn’t for show. She separated her AC joint diving in Dallas, and she breaks down how reading a hitter’s shoulders helps her play defense. She shares why her daughter Leah turned down a tour contract at 12 so she could win a Challenger first, and the night Leah beat her for the first time. She also gives her theory on Anna Leigh’s dominance and her advice for parents who coach their kids. Pickleballers Hat: 🧢 https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pickleballers https://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleball https://instagram.com/roscoebellamy https://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps: 1:04 — How the MLP Season Is Going 1:30 — Do Owners Bid on Their Schedule? 3:18 — Why Six-Player Rosters Add Pressure 3:47 — The Juniors Stealing the Show 5:24 — 5:30 a.m. Workouts With Dad 6:34 — A 5&#39;2&#34; D1 Setter at Utah Valley 7:16 — 10 Years, Four State Titles, and a 250-Athlete Club 8:04 — Why She’s the Best Cheerleader on the Bench 9:34 — Where “Mighty Mouse” Came From 10:47 — Why Utah Is Pickleball Country 12:28 — Dirty Sodas and Swig 13:15 — Walking Away After a State Title 13:52 — COVID, a $40K Loss, and Mom’s New Game 15:06 — From Ladder Leagues to 5.0 Tournaments 16:13 — The Callie Jo Smith Lesson That Changed Everything 17:23 — Going Pro at 32 18:13 — Finding a Partner to Chase It With 20:39 — 4:30 a.m. Training, Then Teach All Day 21:46 — The First $800 Paycheck 22:35 — Why She Signed With the PPA Tour 23:10 — From Joola to CRBN 23:54 — Jared’s Most Painful Moment on Court 24:56 — PickleRoll and Finally Turning a Profit 25:27 — Quitting Teaching for Good 25:44 — The Vision Board That Came True 27:48 — The Mindset Switch to Attacking 29:21 — “You Are Annoying to Play Against” 30:11 — Why She Dives: It’s Volleyball, Not a Show 31:14 — Separating Her AC Joint in Dallas 33:39 — What Volleyball Gives You in Pickleball 34:30 — Reading Shoulders Before the Shot 35:13 — Learning Groundstrokes Without a Tennis Background 36:18 — Coaching Her Daughter and Elsie Hendershot 38:16 — The Allyce Jones Scholarship 39:48 — Why Leah Turned Down the Tour at 12 41:43 — Challenger: The Missing Path to Pro 42:50 — The Day Leah Beat Her Mom 45:00 — Mother-Daughter Teams and Leigh &amp; Anna Leigh 45:47 — Anna Leigh’s Bus vs. the Players Lounge 47:44 — Her Theory on Anna Leigh’s Dominance 50:06 — Chasing a Win Over Anna Leigh 51:04 — How Fahey and Bright Iced Out Anna Leigh 52:07 — Will Anna Leigh Switch Partners? 53:08 — Advice for Parents Coaching Their Kids 54:24 — How Pickleball Changed Her Life

Allyce Jones: The Truth About Being a Pro, Her Anna Leigh Theory, and Raising a Future Pro | S5 E6

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/11/5/4/2e280592-6e9f-4f32-afbf-a1603547f2db_connor_garnett_audio.m4a

In this episode, Connor sits down with Roscoe and Jared to walk through one of the most unlikely paths on tour, from hitting with Novak Djokovic at the US Open to clocking 92-hour weeks in banking. The conversation covers why he bet on pickleball, how he built a brand around his two-handed backhand, and what still stands between him and #1. Connor opens up about the yips that took over his serve, cost him confidence on the sport’s biggest stages, and helped lead to his MLP trade out of Columbus. He breaks down how he won a bronze with Alix Truong in the middle of it, then rebuilt his mechanics from the ground up with help from an unlikely source: Bryson DeChambeau’s approach to the golf swing. Connor also gets into the business side of the sport, including why he only needed to break even to leave banking, how his first Twoey hats landed right as he won the LA Open, and why investing in pickleball has put him in the rooms he used to sit silently in as an analyst. He gets honest about a slow start to the year, recommitting to training, and turning down a bonus because he didn’t feel he’d earned the #2 ranking. Pickleballers Hat:🧢 https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pickleballers https://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleball https://instagram.com/roscoebellamy https://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps: 1:05 — The Atlanta Run That Broke the #17 Curse 1:32 — Why the Work Finally Started Paying Off 2:24 — The Shy Kid From Bellevue 2:53 — 6 A.M. Practices and Brutal Tennis Punishments 3:36 — Pacing the Court With Novak at the US Open 4:11 — “You’re Late”: Novak’s First Words to Him 5:04 — How COVID Killed His Pro Tennis Plans 5:20 — The Forced Move That Led Him to Pickleball 5:48 — The US Open Connection Behind His First Game 7:19 — Silver in His First Pro Tournament 8:11 — Beating Hayden Patriquin and Wyatt Stoneman Right Out of the Gate 9:12 — Getting Humbled After Every Big Win 9:53 — Learning What Pro Pickleball Really Looks Like With Tyson McGuffin 11:16 — The Tyson Connection Nobody Knew About 12:11 — Just How Good Was He at Tennis? 13:35 — The Cutthroat World of Pro Warm-Up Partners 15:02 — Only Child Syndrome and the Coach Who Fixed It 16:17 — Winning on Sunday, Back at His Banking Job Monday 17:05 — The 92-Hour Work Week 18:11 — Why He Walked Away From Investment Banking 18:29 — The Childhood Racket-Stringing Hustle 19:23 — Why All He Needed Was to Break Even 20:02 — From Silent Analyst to Getting in on the Deals 20:28 — Why He Wrote for The Kitchen for Free 21:25 — When Men’s Singles Caught Fire 23:32 — The Atlanta Tournament That Changed Singles 24:44 — Why James Ignatowich Was So Electric 26:23 — The Worst Yips in Pro Pickleball History 26:51 — Winning Bronze With Alix Truong Through the Yips 27:32 — The Trade Out of Columbus 28:05 — Why Sports Expose Who You Really Are 29:04 — Rebuilding His Serve the Bryson DeChambeau Way 30:54 — The Clutch Second Serve That Made the Yips Worse 31:52 — Could the Yips Come Back? 33:26 — What Zverev’s Double Faults Can Teach You 34:10 — The Night Roscoe Forgot How to Hit a Backhand 36:15 — Saying Zero Words in a Three-Person Group Project 37:40 — Learning to Talk in a Room 38:58 — Taking on Your Weaknesses Head-On 39:12 — How the Shy Kid Became a Top Clinic Coach 41:13 — The Origin of the Twoey 42:13 — The Hat Drop That Hit at the Perfect Time 43:13 — The Free Hat Promise From Center Court 45:26 — Is Pickleball the New Golf? 45:39 — Katy Perry, Necker Island, and Where Pickleball Takes You 46:21 — What the Next Year Looks Like 47:41 — Locking Back In After a Business-Focused Year 48:05 — “You Either Got It or You Don’t” 49:19 — Warming Up the Mind Instead of the Body 50:22 — The Pro Pickleball Nickname Game 54:20 — Two Straight Hours of Dinking 55:14 — The Squat Stat Nobody Saw Coming 56:18 — Why He Passed on His #2 Bonus 56:55 — What’s Holding Him Back From #1 59:28 — Pickleball: Choose Your Own Adventure

Connor Garnett: Leaving Banking for Pickleball, Yips That Got Him Traded, and Twoey Nation | S5 E5

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/10/29/3/1d3a94a7-c933-4840-b11f-32d7b955b0b8_aoki_audio.m4a

In this episode, Steve Aoki sits down with Roscoe and Jared for his first-ever pickleball podcast. The conversation runs from how his wife got him into the game to the DIY mindset that built his entire career, with plenty of honest takes on business, creativity, and whether pickleball is actually cool. Steve breaks down how HeroQuest went from a COVID-era album into a full IP with an anime, a trading card game, and collabs with Burton, Malbon, and Cressi. He explains why every product he drops needs a “collectible soul,” and how the JOOLA Hero and Hyro paddles come with HeroQuest cards, including serialized 1-of-1 chase cards hidden in the boxes. Steve also opens up about the punk and hardcore scene that taught him business at 15, starting Dim Mak out of his college co-op, and turning down a PhD to chase the label. He gets into running up $100K in credit card debt across 10 cards, why his father never funded him, and how DJing small LA bars dug him out and launched the next chapter of his career. Pickleballers Hat: 🧢 https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pickleballers https://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleball https://instagram.com/roscoebellamy https://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps: 1:07 — How His Wife Got Him Into Pickleball 2:09 — Losing 98% of Table Tennis Games to His Wife 5:37 — Trading the Skate Ramp for a Backyard Court 8:41 — The Phoenix Flames Deal That Fell Through 9:07 — How HeroQuest Was Born During COVID 11:56 — Why Every Product Needs a Collectible Soul 13:23 — Starting a Grading Company for Music 13:43 — The JOOLA x HeroQuest Paddle Drop 16:07 — How the JOOLA Collab Came Together 18:04 — The Mixtape That Changed His Life 22:13 — Straight Edge Hardcore and the DIY Code 27:30 — Flipping Thrift Shirts and Selling $3 Tapes 29:19 — Starting Dim Mak in a College Co-op 31:41 — Turning Down a PhD for The Kills 32:43 — $100K Deep Across 10 Credit Cards 32:59 — Why His Dad Never Funded Him 34:24 — DJing His Way Out of Debt 36:34 — Gaga, Skrillex, and the Dim Mak Scene 39:10 — Only Hiring People Locked Into the Lifestyle 41:03 — Finishing Hundreds of Remixes (and the Drake Flop) 42:28 — Nerves on Center Court at PPA Vegas 43:59 — The Aoki Foundation and Brain Health 44:40 — Bryan Johnson’s First Cold Plunge 46:17 — Why Racket Sports Are Good for the Brain 47:04 — Drafting a Celebrity MLP Team 49:43 — Harder: World-Class DJ or Pro Pickleballer? 52:02 — The $8K a Month Bar DJ Math 54:00 — Is Pickleball Cool? 56:47 — Main Stage Rush vs. Winning on the Court 57:17 — Why a Unicorn Exit Doesn’t Compare 58:16 — Fighting to Stay Relevant 1:00:16 — The Cake Finale

Steve Aoki: Why the World’s Biggest DJ Is Obsessed With Pickleball | S5 E4

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/10/22/5/931f8a19-74c0-4484-a40d-e8292acd3ff7_lacy_audio.m4a

In this episode, Lacy sits down with Roscoe and Jared to talk about her path from a small town in West Texas to the pro tour. They cover her aggressive, men’s-doubles-inspired game, her years in engineering, and the decision to walk away from a stable career to play pickleball full-time. It’s a fun, honest conversation with one of the most versatile players on the women’s side. Lacy opens up about her week at Mesa, where she and Jack Sock beat Jorja Johnson and JW Johnson 6 and 6. A couple of days later she was double pickled 11-0, 11-0 in 14 minutes by Anna Leigh Waters and Anna Bright, then came back the next day to win bronze. She explains what it actually takes to beat the best team in the world and why she thinks her forehand, when it’s on, is top of the pro game. Lacy also gets into her internships at JPL and Apple and the year she spent writing pros and cons lists about quitting Boeing. She describes coming off the bench for an injured teammate at the Newport MLP and the Mesa MLP weekend whose prize money gave her the confidence to quit her job on June 7, 2023. She also talks about the pressure of losing a backup income, her goal of cracking the top 5, and whether she’ll ever go back to aerospace. Pickleballers Hat: 🧢https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram:https://instagram.com/pickleballershttps://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleballhttps://instagram.com/roscoebellamyhttps://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps: 1:00 — The Backhand Flick Roscoe Tried to Copy 2:06 — The “Step Back King” and Living at the Kitchen Line 2:31 — Why She Plays Like a Men’s Doubles Player 3:29 — Beating Jorja &amp; JW Johnson With Jack Sock at Mesa 3:56 — Double Pickled in 14 Minutes by Anna Leigh &amp; Anna Bright 6:12 — Does the Score Line Matter? A Loss Is a Loss 7:51 — What It Actually Takes to Beat the Best Team in the World 9:23 — When the Forehand Is Cooking, Nobody Can Stop It 10:45 — Playing at 5&#39;4&#34; and the Wristy Game 13:19 — Growing Up in San Angelo, West Texas 14:38 — Mutton Busting Champion at Age Five 15:56 — Twin Sister, Every Sport, and Salutatorian 16:52 — The 8th Grade Quiz That Made Her an Aerospace Engineer 18:05 — Club Tennis and Engineering at USC 19:14 — Internships at JPL and Apple’s Classified Projects 20:45 — Graduating Into the Pandemic and Landing at Boeing 22:58 — Why Satellites Weren’t the Dream Job 23:59 — 11 Tattoos in One Day in Australia 26:13 — Learning Pickleball With Dad in 2015 27:02 — Finding the Memorial Park Crew in LA 28:08 — “You Should Try Going Pro” 29:03 — Off the Bench at the Newport MLP 31:36 — A Year of Pros and Cons Lists 32:56 — The Mesa MLP Weekend That Changed Everything 33:41 — Quitting Boeing on June 7, 2023 34:23 — Does an Engineering Brain Help on the Court? 36:06 — The Pressure of Losing the Backup Income 37:21 — The Most Respectful Young Players on Tour 38:51 — The Goal: Breaking Into the Top 5 39:42 — Why She Wants a Kawamoto Back 41:00 — Will She Go Back to Aerospace? 42:06 — Things People Don’t Know About Lacy 42:37 — Singles vs. Doubles: What’s Harder? 43:24 — Top Aerospace Engineer vs. Top Pro: Who Has It Harder? 44:29 — When Will Pickleball Be Played in Space? 45:53 — How Much Money to Never Play Again? 47:20 — Loud Partner or Quiet Partner? 49:38 — The One Shot She’d Steal From JW Johnson

Lacy Schneemann: She Quit Rocket Science for Pro Pickleball. Was It Worth It? | S5 E3

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/10/15/2/40c6c8cf-dc9d-4f5d-a991-633a66e97a81_fed_audio.m4a

In this episode, Federico sits down with Roscoe and Jared for a casual, wide-ranging conversation about his journey from a software company desk job to the top of the sport. They cover his blockbuster MLP trade, his reunion with Hayden Patriquin, the global growth of the game, and the mindset that keeps him reaching Sunday nearly every week. Federico breaks down the process that built him, starting with Simone Jardim teaching him that pickleball required real practice. He also talks about Johnny Goldberg telling him he could be #1 in a global sport, and about Beto pushing him to live like an athlete 24/7. He opens up about the late-deadline trade from the Orlando Squeeze to the New Jersey 5s, the pressure that came with the $400K price tag, and why Anna Leigh Waters is the most competitive person he’s ever met. Federico also gets into the miscommunication that split him and Hayden in 2025 and why the two reunited with one goal: beating Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio. He shares what it’s like to have 500 fans screaming at him in Vietnam and why he plays too many tournaments. He also makes a controversial case that MLP’s competitive problems fall on the players, not the league. Plus, Jared and Roscoe make a $5,000 bet on Anna Leigh’s future. Pickleballers Hat: 🧢 https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pickleballers https://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleball https://instagram.com/roscoebellamy https://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps: 1:00 — The Run to #1 in Men’s Doubles 3:04 — From Buenos Aires to College Tennis 4:38 — Walmart Paddle, First Pickleball Beatdown 6:31 — Simone Jardim Teaches Him to Actually Practice 8:17 — Messi and the Never-Give-Up Mindset 10:18 — Johnny Goldberg: “You Can Be #1” 12:07 — 6 AM Pickle, 9-to-5 Job, Night Singles 13:56 — Beto and the 24/7 Athlete Lifestyle 15:15 — No Backup Plan 16:24 — The Trade to the New Jersey 5s 19:05 — The $400K Price Tag 19:53 — Why Pressure Is the Reward 23:00 — Sprinting With No Finish Line 24:05 — Anna Leigh: The Most Competitive Person Alive 26:32 — Anna Leigh’s Superstar Workload 28:04 — Why He’s Back With Hayden 29:22 — The Miscommunication That Split Them 30:53 — The Plan to Beat Ben &amp; Gabe 32:12 — Chirping on Court, Friends Off It 34:17 — Working the Refs, Soccer-Style 35:49 — Can the Pickleball World Cup Go Global? 37:31 — Will China Compete in 10 Years? 38:19 — The $5,000 Anna Leigh Bet 39:47 — 500 Fans Screaming in Vietnam 42:05 — Bad Refs Overseas 44:57 — Rockstar Treatment in Asia 46:10 — Life of a Sunday Regular 47:35 — The Problem With Playing Too Much 49:10 — Prime Age and Playing Until 40 50:28 — Shots He Steals From Ben, Hayden, and Gabe 52:32 — JW Johnson Is Underrated 55:12 — Hype Guys vs. Stoic Pros 58:20 — Is MLP Better This Year? 1:03:05 — Most Likely To... on Tour 1:05:21 — The Street Fight Draft

Federico Staksrud: The $400K Fives Trade, Reuniting With Hayden, and Chasing Ben & Gabe | S5 E2

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/10/8/4/e638f7bc-de1f-4a55-931d-796c52199d92_gabe_tardio_audio.m4a

Gabe Tardio is the No. 2 player in the world and half of the best men&#39;s doubles team in pickleball alongside Ben Johns. He grew up in Bolivia chasing a tennis career and went from thinking pickleball was &#34;the dumbest game ever&#34; to one of the most feared right-side players on the PPA Tour. In this episode, Gabe sits down with Roscoe and Jared to open the Season 5 premiere. They trace his path from a COVID-shuttered tennis academy to his grandfather&#39;s pickleball courts in Florida, then to the Johnson family practice group that brought him onto the pro tour. It&#39;s a candid, funny conversation about strategy, partnerships, and what it takes to break into the top tier. Gabe breaks down the decision that changed his career: seeing that everyone wanted to play the left, so he committed to mastering the right. He explains how film study, thousands of backhand counters against JW Johnson&#39;s flicks, and deliberately borrowing shots from Ben, Anna Leigh, Tyson McGuffin, and Kyle Yates built the aggressive right-side style he&#39;s known for. Gabe also tells the full story behind partnering with Ben. He was nearly 80% set on leaving the PPA over a contract offer before Ben&#39;s Christmas text arrived while he was in Bolivia. That text helped him re-sign for almost 3x the money. He&#39;s honest about freezing up in their first tournaments in Mesa and how Ben&#39;s quiet belief got him back to his game. He also covers going from rivals to best friends with Hayden, life on the St. Louis Shock, and why he&#39;d still pick tennis. Pickleballers Hat: 🧢 https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pickleballers https://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleball https://instagram.com/roscoebellamy https://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps: 1:12 — The Quiet Kid With the Glasses 2:09 — Growing Up in Bolivia on the Tennis Court 3:03 — COVID Shuts Down His Tennis Academy 3:21 — Grandpa&#39;s Backyard Pickleball Court 6:38 — Giving Up the Pro Tennis Dream 7:54 — &#34;The Dumbest Game Ever&#34; 9:37 — Dad Saw the Future First 10:37 — Meeting Jorja at a Money Ball 12:14 — The Worst Player in the Johnson Practice Group 14:14 — Winning 5.0s and Turning Pro at 16 15:39 — $1,000 Money Balls at 15 16:27 — Watching Every Ben Johns Match 17:18 — Why JW Was His Idol 18:20 — No Pressure, No Problem 19:39 — The Split Personality 20:37 — The Right-Side Bet That Changed Everything 22:31 — How to Become an Elite Right-Side Player 25:04 — Reinventing the Right-Side Role 27:08 — Training His Brother Matias for the Pro Tour 29:25 — Every Shot Is Borrowed 32:34 — Hayden vs. Anna Leigh Trash Talk 34:28 — Anna Bright or Jorja Johnson? 35:33 — The Ben Johns Partner Sweepstakes 36:27 — Almost Leaving the PPA 37:54 — Ben&#39;s Text and a 3x PPA Raise 39:00 — Why Ben Picked Gabe 41:00 — The Christmas Text in Bolivia 42:07 — Freezing Up in Mesa 43:13 — Finding the Groove With Ben 44:17 — Collin Johns and the Biggest Threat 44:59 — What Ben Taught Him 46:13 — Inside Ben Johns&#39; World 47:07 — From Rivals to Best Friends With Hayden 48:27 — Life on the St. Louis Shock Super Team 50:37 — Ranked No. 5? His Response 52:58 — Dealing With the Keyboard Warriors 54:39 — Tama and the Next Generation 57:15 — Most Underrated and Overrated 58:28 — The Pro Player Animal Round 59:52 — Pro Pickleball Matchmaking 1:02:38 — Stranded on an Island 1:03:23 — Why He&#39;d Still Pick Tennis

Gabe Tardio: Playing With Ben Johns, Handling Pressure, and Becoming a Star | S5 E1

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/30/2/d96f93f6-fd86-4463-8fc7-19b6d0260850_jay_audio.m4a

Jay Devilliers, &#34;the Flying Frenchman,&#34; is one of pro pickleball&#39;s most accomplished veterans — a former Wichita State tennis standout who transitioned into the pro ranks in 2019 and has stayed near the top of the sport for over half a decade. In this season-closing episode, Jay sits down with Roscoe and Jared for a wide-ranging conversation tracing his path from a hyper-competitive French sporting family through Spanish tennis academies, Wichita State doubles, and into the earliest days of pro pickleball. They cover his partnership with Pat Smith, his rivalry with Ben Johns and Collin Johns, and how he&#39;s stayed relevant through injuries and the sport&#39;s rapid evolution. Jay breaks down his surreal run as a US Open hitting partner, including a 90-minute session with Rafael Nadal, strategically set up by Carlos Moya, that left his hands blistered and bleeding. He also details the six-month ultimatum his wife gave him in 2020 to prove himself in pickleball or go find a real job, a deadline COVID nearly wiped out before he committed to the sport full time in 2021. Jay also opens up about splitting from longtime partner Pat Smith after sponsor pressure pushed him toward a pairing with Tyson McGuffin, the epic finals battles with Ben Johns and Collin Johns that helped shape Riley Newman and Matt Wright&#39;s rise, and his philosophy on body bags, including firing one back at an opponent and the unforgettable moment Anna Leigh Waters caught him with one of her own. He closes out reflecting on raising four kids while grinding on tour and his goal to grow pickleball in Europe. Pickleballers Hat: 🧢https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram:https://instagram.com/pickleballershttps://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleballhttps://instagram.com/roscoebellamyhttps://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps: 1:44 — Welcome to the season finale 6:48 — Growing up the youngest of six in France 10:56 — Chasing tennis to Spain and Wichita State 13:07 — Becoming a dad as a senior in college 16:05 — Becoming a US Open hitting partner 17:39 — Practicing with Rafael Nadal 21:33 — Building a career after the US Open 24:01 — Finding pickleball at Chicken N Pickle 26:51 — The six-month ultimatum to go pro 27:53 — Wichita&#39;s early pickleball hotbed 33:31 — Cracking the code on Ben Johns 37:08 — Why he and Pat Smith split up 41:03 — Battling back from injury in 2024 45:03 — How the sport has changed since 2020 50:09 — Reinventing his game every year 51:48 — The body bag debate 53:56 — The Anna Leigh Waters body bag 55:31 — Tennis vs. pickleball: which is harder 58:22 — The &#34;Two Anna Leighs&#34; hypothetical 1:00:03 — The craziest moment: Zane&#39;s chainsaw serve 1:02:03 — Who talks the most trash on tour 1:03:24 — Legacy, longevity, and growing pickleball in Europe

Jay Devilliers: Figuring Out Ben Johns, Bringing Pickle to France, and The Body Bag Debate | S4 E10

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/23/3/8be478d1-f4dc-419a-8c23-76b6a8d42927_will_howells_audio.m4a

Will Howells is a former top-15 US junior tennis player and Notre Dame standout who switched to pickleball in 2023 and quickly climbed the ranks, now stepping onto the PPA and MLP tours as one of the newest faces on tour. In this episode, Will sits down with Roscoe and Jared to trace his path from junior tennis dreams and a Notre Dame ankle injury to grinding out results on the APP tour while still working full-time. They dig into his draft night, his rise as MLP&#39;s &#34;team of misfits,&#34; and the mindset that carried him through every step. Will breaks down his draft day call from Ryan Harwood, becoming &#34;the man&#34; on the APP tour after Andre, Gabe, and the Johnson 5 left for MLP, and the tough multi-month decision to walk away from APP entirely for a full PPA and MLP schedule. Will also gives his own retelling of the infamous Anna Leigh Waters vs. Hayden &#34;Big H&#34; sideline altercation. Delivered by @whiteclaw! Pickleballers Hat: 🧢https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram:https://instagram.com/pickleballershttps://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleballhttps://instagram.com/roscoebellamyhttps://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps: 1:53 — Growing Up in Richmond, Virginia 3:19 — Two Half-Siblings and a Full One 4:44 — Cracking the Top 15 in Junior Tennis 7:33 — Committing to Notre Dame 10:58 — The Ankle Break That Ended His Season 11:34 — A Friend Drags Him to the Park 12:49 — JW Takes Him Under His Wing 14:59 — Losing to Daescu Six Times 17:22 — Public Enemy #1 on the AP Tour 20:09 — The McDonald&#39;s Call That Changed Everything 23:26 — Betting His Career on the PPA 27:25 — He Popped the Question 28:35 — Lining Up Noe, Rachel, Megan, and Tyra 31:00 — Snapping His Ankle on a Passing Shot 36:41 — Shrinking the Court: Singles Reinvented 39:23 — The Best Beard in Pickleball 40:37 — Racing Motorcycle Life 44:00 — The Secret to Closing Out Matches 49:29 — Breaking Down Anna Leigh vs. Big H 51:46 — Inside the DAPS Shoe Deal

Will Howells: Leaving the APP, Teaming Up With Anna Leigh Waters, and His Cocky Mentality | S4 E9

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/16/5/eccf5d6b-e7b8-4a32-9edd-258e3e0bad5f_buckner_audio.m4a

Brooke Buckner is the #4 women&#39;s singles player in the world and a former Division I tennis player at Michigan, known for some of the hardest ground strokes in the game, men or women. In this episode, Brooke sits down with Roscoe and Jared to trace her path from junior tennis and college coaching at Michigan, Yale, and UNC Charlotte to becoming a stay-at-home mom in 2020 and, almost by accident, one of pickleball&#39;s top singles players. They dig into her training with Mike Wolf, her run with the Dallas Flash, and her near-upset of Anna Lee Waters. Brooke opens up about walking away from a pro tennis track at her coach&#39;s advice, becoming a stay-at-home mom during COVID, and how her mother pushed her onto a pickleball court as a way to get her competitive again. She breaks down her jump from rec-league pickleball to the pro tour, admitting she barely trained for singles in the early days and got in &#34;at the right time&#34; before the women&#39;s field got deep. Brooke also shares the story of going up 9-4 on Anna Lee Waters before the match slipped away, why she thinks she&#39;ll beat her &#34;once&#34; before retiring, and what it&#39;s been like building a relationship with Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf through Joola, including the text Agassi sent her after a tough loss. She closes out on her new doubles partnership with Caitlin Christian, her goal of reaching a championship Sunday in doubles, and what she wants her legacy to be as a mom who kept chasing her career. Add us on Instagram:https://instagram.com/pickleballershttps://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleballhttps://instagram.com/roscoebellamyhttps://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps:1:25 — Brooke joins the podcast2:07 — Life with the Dallas Flash5:15 — MLP vs. singles focus6:04 — Rating her own singles and doubles game8:35 — Growing up in Cleveland9:50 — Junior tennis and going pro young12:33 — Playing at Michigan18:27 — Marriage, kids, and leaving coaching19:53 — How her mom got her into pickleball24:34 — First pro pickleball events24:38 — Breaking into the top of women&#39;s singles31:19 — Working with Mike Wolf33:39 — Signing with Joola32:45 — Relationship with Andre Agassi33:48 — The Insane Anna Leigh Waters match40:56 — The next generation of &#34;pickle kids&#34;47:08 — Goals in doubles53:38 — Legacy and what&#39;s next

Brooke Buckner: From Stay-at-Home Mom to #4 in the World, and How to beat Anna Leigh Waters | S4 E8

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/9/2/a4939745-ac36-43d6-a6d0-348a427bc10f_fleming_audio.m4a

In this episode, Dave sits down with Roscoe and Jared to trace his winding path to the pickleball mic — from calling high school sports in Memphis to ball boying and interviewing tennis legends as a teenager, and finally becoming the defining voice of the sport&#39;s biggest broadcasts. Dave breaks down his origin story in detail: growing up in a sports-obsessed family, his early TV career, and the chance golf cart conversation with Hank Haney that connected Tom Dundon and Connor Pardoe — a meeting that helped shape the modern PPA. He also shares how he almost missed his own start in broadcasting after years working outside sports media entirely. Dave also opens up about the craft behind the mic: where catchphrases like &#34;snowman,&#34; &#34;crooked number,&#34; and &#34;floor is lava&#34; actually came from, how he handles online criticism by blocking and moving on, and his predictions for which discipline — mixed doubles or singles — will be the one to break pickleball into the mainstream. Pickleballers Hat: 🧢https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram:https://instagram.com/pickleballershttps://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleballhttps://instagram.com/roscoebellamyhttps://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps:1:02 — Meet Dave Fleming, The Most Listened-To Man in Pickleball1:57 — Getting Recognized at Tournaments (And at a Concert)3:10 — The Chris Collinsworth Comparison4:18 — His Parents Met at a Copier in Pittsburgh5:35 — The High School TV Station That Started It All6:42 — Ball Boying Jimmy Connors, Then Interviewing Him Minutes Later8:15 — Why Pro Tennis Wasn&#39;t in the Cards9:21 — Choosing Marketing Over Sports Broadcasting in College10:14 — Writing Periodontal Brochures for Delta Dental11:01 — Blocking Out Steelers Scores on Championship Sunday14:26 — Discovering Pickleball at 49 Through a Tennis Friend16:34 — Meeting Adam Stone and Winning Their First Tournament18:51 — The Email From Steve Dawson That Changed Everything21:03 — The Golf Cart Ride That Connected Tom Dundon and Connor Pardoe22:57 — Building the PPA From a Backyard Pickleball Court26:28 — Introducing Tom Dundon and Connor Pardoe29:15 — Finding His Voice as the Voice of Pickleball31:02 — The Broadcasters Who Shaped His Style33:20 — How Dave Handles the Haters35:11 — Navigating Negativity in The Community43:03 — The Loudest Roar He&#39;s Ever Heard on the Mic44:47 — The Match That Gave Him Chills: Kalamotos vs. Waters/Bright48:36 — What&#39;s Needed to Break Pickleball Into the Mainstream51:21 — Is There a &#34;Dinking Problem&#34; in Pickleball?53:25 — Mixed Doubles vs. Singles: Which One Breaks Through?55:14 — What He Wants His Broadcasting Legacy to Be56:29 — Breaking Down His Catchphrases: Snowman, Crooked Number, and More59:07 — The Story Behind &#34;Scratch My Back With a Hacksaw&#34;1:01:26 — What Dave Wants His Legacy to Be

Dave Fleming: The Voice of Pickleball on Haters, Catchphrases, and Growing the Game | S4 E7

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/2/0/62386833-6439-4e82-9103-f006d884a902_hannha_audii.m4a

Hannah Blatt was one of the top squash players in the world before transitioning into professional pickleball, where she&#39;s now ranked 22nd in singles and become one of the most followed players in the sport on social media. In this episode, Hannah sits down with Roscoe and Jared to trace her path from elite junior and college squash to professional pickleball, and how she became one of the first players in the sport to build a following around her personal brand rather than just her results on the court. Hannah breaks down her rise through junior and college squash at Drexel, including a brutal sophomore season playing the number one spot where she lost nearly every match, and how that experience shaped her decision to eventually walk away from the sport and throw herself into pickleball instead. Hannah also opens up about becoming one of pickleball&#39;s first influencers before it was common, how a mixed doubles partnership with Grayson Goldin turned into an engagement, and her goals to crack the top 20 in all three divisions and eventually go pro at the highest level. Pickleballers Hat: 🧢https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram:https://instagram.com/pickleballershttps://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleballhttps://instagram.com/roscoebellamyhttps://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps:1:13 — Meet Hannah Blatt2:16 — Moving to Florida for squash9:05 — What squash actually is13:21 — Ivy League recruiting and Drexel14:56 — Losing almost every match at #122:08 — Turning Pro in a Sport With No Money26:23 — First time playing pickleball27:37 — Building a following, going all in33:38 — Becoming pickleball&#39;s first influencer38:50 — The road to going pro in pickleball44:03 — Cracking Top 22 in the World46:16 — A Mixed Doubles Partner Becomes a Fiancé51:02 — The Top 20 Goal and an Olympic Dream52:26 — The Squash Backhand That Carries Over to Pickleball

Hannah Blatt: Pickleball's First Influencer, Marrying Her Doubles Partner, and Going Pro | S4 E6

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/6/25/3/415b9a4a-87cf-48de-b7b8-9e84703932c9_jared_audio.m4a

Jared Paul is the co-host of Pickleballers and the founder of The Kitchen Pickleball — the largest and most engaged pickleball community and media company in the world, with over two million cumulative members, followers, and email subscribers across platforms. In this episode, Roscoe flips the script and puts Jared in the guest seat for the first time, joined by Dane Illif, Jared&#39;s longtime co-founder and right-hand man at The Kitchen. Together, they trace the full origin story — from a broke music startup in Oakland to building the brand that helped define modern pickleball culture. Jared opens up about the winding road that led him to Austin: surviving 9/11 in New York, playing in a funk band called Frontline Theory, running a nonprofit in San Francisco, and finally landing at a digital agency where he realized he was unemployable and couldn&#39;t work on someone else&#39;s dream. The Kitchen didn&#39;t start as a business plan — it started as a Facebook group for Austin pickleball players during COVID, born out of a failed music company and a chance invite to play at a bar called Bolden Acres. Jared and Dane also get into the behind-the-scenes of how The Kitchen actually became a business — from a $1,000/month deal with an Amazon paddle brand, to producing an $8,000 Electrum commercial in Vegas, to landing an early partnership with Connor Pardus and the PPA before anyone else believed in them. They break down why they never bought a single follower, what made the kitchen impossible to replicate, and why Jared believes singles pickleball is the format that takes the sport to TV. 🧢 Pickleballers Hat: https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pickleballershttps://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleballhttps://instagram.com/roscoebellamyhttps://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps:1:09 — Jared in the Hot Seat2:17 — Dane Joins the Story4:29 — The Broke Oakland Music Startup9:38 — Growing Up &amp; Early Life in Atlanta10:10 — Bombing the Interview, Then Getting the Job12:34 — Seeing 9/11 from NYC Rooftop14:19 — Playing in a Band Called Frontline Theory16:07 — Quitting Sales &amp; The Power of Now17:18 — Building a Nonprofit in San Francisco19:29 — Working at Salesforce &amp; a Digital Agency21:06 — Why the Early Companies Failed22:18 — Community First vs. Product First27:08 — How Pickleball Found Them During COVID28:02 — The Kitchen Is Born29:07 — Dane Create the Logo32:23 — When It Became a Real Business34:03 — Trying to Make a Pickleball (and Failing)36:28 — The $8K Electrum Commercial in Vegas38:21 — The Early PPA Partnership39:44 — The Kitchen by the Numbers Today43:51 — Never Buying a Single Follower45:14 — Top Tips for Creators48:10 — Most Viral Post of All Time49:24 — Is the Pickleball Boom Over?50:44 — Favorite Pickleball Events54:24 — What Pickleball Has Given Them57:33 — The Future of Pickleball &amp; The Kitchen

Jared Paul: The Origin Story of The Kitchen and How It Became Pickleball's Biggest Community | S4 E5

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/6/18/4/97268225-119d-4107-a219-065c1f55c263_dani_audio.m4a

In this episode, Danni-Elle sits down with Roscoe and Jared fresh off a run to the MLP finals in Austin. She breaks down what it&#39;s like competing on American soil for the first time, why she&#39;s unapologetic about staying rooted in Australia, and why she believes the sport&#39;s next wave of talent is coming from the Asia-Pacific region. Danni-Elle opens up about her table tennis career — how her mom and dad met through the sport, how she rose to the Australian national team, and how it all ended with a cold email telling her &#34;good luck with the rest of your life&#34; after a contract technicality they used to push her out. She traces the unlikely path from that moment to playing pickleball on a wood floor on International Pickleball Day with &#34;a bunch of old people&#34; — and how a free-drinks tournament turned into a full-blown obsession. Danni-Elle also gets into the confidence and swagger she brings to every court, the moment she told Roscoe she&#39;s the best women&#39;s right-side player in the world, and her completely unbothered declaration that Anna Leigh Waters already knows she&#39;s coming for her crown. She shares why being told she &#34;wasn&#39;t the look&#34; sponsors were seeking only made her more committed to playing her own way — and why she&#39;s betting on herself to crack the top five within a year. Pickleballers Hat: 🧢 https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pickleballers https://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleball https://instagram.com/roscoebellamy https://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps:1:10 — Welcome &amp; Intro1:38 — MLP Breakout and First Impressions3:05 — Paving the Way for Australian Pickleball4:01 — Joey Wild and the 1:20 AM Drive to Train5:30 — Where Does She Rank Right Now?6:28 — Why She&#39;s Staying in Australia7:21 — Is Asia the Future of Pickleball?12:22 — From Ping-Pong to Pickleball13:08 — The Origin of the Name &#34;Danielle&#34;14:06 — Growing Up in Australia with Three Brothers14:55 — Table Tennis National Team — and Getting Kicked Out16:27 — Discovering Pickleball on International Pickleball Day17:33 — When Pickleball Gets Too Serious19:40 — The Fun vs. Business Tipping Point22:49 — Style Differences: Australia vs. the States26:07 — What Gives Her That Energy on Court27:09 — The Clown Incident with ALW29:59 — Confidence, Competition, and the &#34;Hell No&#34; Mentality33:14 — Theater, Brothers, and Where the Confidence Came From34:47 — Jesse and the &#34;I Don&#39;t Like People&#34; Introduction35:53 — Tennis vs. Ping-Pong as a Pickleball Prerequisite39:27 — Most Underrated Player: Georgia Johnson40:15 — Getting Told She &#34;Wasn&#39;t the Look&#34;42:39 — Goals: Top Five in One Year, Best in Three51:56 — Where Does Australia Rank Globally?53:13 — Coming for ALW&#39;s Crown55:03 — Dream Doubles Partner

Danni-Elle Townsend: Australia's Newest Pickleball Superstar Is Coming For The Top | S4 E4

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/6/11/5/8076ee9c-6c0c-43ef-baa1-b894af24520b_hnnah_johns_audio.m4a

In this episode, Hannah sits down with Roscoe and Jared to pull back the curtain on the Johns family, the wild early days of the PPA, and what it really took to turn pickleball into a legitimate professional sport. It&#39;s part origin story, part behind-the-scenes tour, and entirely worth your time. Hannah opens up about growing up as one of seven homeschooled kids on 12 acres, how Ben showed freakish hand-eye coordination before he could even talk much, and the moment the family realized pickleball might actually be something real — when the first major Franklin sponsorship came in and changed everything. Hannah also gets into the grind of being PPA Employee #4 — arranging player housing, getting screamed at when a pro peed in a host&#39;s garden, and the relentless skepticism from networks and fans who said tickets would never sell. She shares what she&#39;s most proud of: helping prove every single naysayer wrong. Delivered by @DoorDash! 🚪 Pickleballers Hat: 🧢 https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram:https://instagram.com/pickleballershttps://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleballhttps://instagram.com/roscoebellamyhttps://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps:1:14 — Welcome, Hannah Johns2:09 — Why Hannah Stepped Away from Sideline Reporting3:19 — Three Years, Zero Missed Tournaments4:05 — Traveling the Tour with Ben and Colin5:28 — How Ryan Sherry Got Hannah Into the PPA6:00 — Living in the Czech Republic and the Rough Return Home7:34 — Growing Up Johns: Homeschooled on 12 Acres10:31 — The Siblings: A Family of Savants12:24 — How the Johns Family Found Pickleball16:13 — Who Had the X Factor Growing Up?17:03 — Ben at Age 3: The Pool Cue Story22:37 — When Pickleball Was Just Another Hobby for Ben25:27 — Colin Signing with Electrum and the Early Sponsorship Era26:04 — How the Johns Family Reacted to the Brothers&#39; Rise28:25 — Hannah&#39;s Goal: Not Being Known as Ben&#39;s Sister30:04 — The Sideline Reporter Craft: Prep, Notes, and Questions31:15 — Crying in Hotel Bathrooms Before Going on Air32:12 — Crazy Stories from Tour: The Incident That Almost Sent Someone to Jail34:20 — The Housing Program and the Garden Incident36:35 — Misunderstandings About the Early Days of Pickleball40:41 — The Real Milestones: Salaries, Ticket Sales, and Networks44:15 — Hannah&#39;s Proudest Accomplishment44:49 — Proving Every Naysayer Wrong46:01 — The Moment Ben Started Getting Recognized in Public49:12 — Could Hannah Go Pro? The Black Sheep of the Family51:30 — The Best Sideline Interview Hannah Ever Did52:24 — What Most People Misunderstand About Ben Johns53:55 — Where Hannah Sees Pickleball in 5 Years

Hannah Johns: The Johns Family Origin, Growing The PPA, and Pickleball's Wildest Early Days | S4 E3

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/6/4/3/f61ecd01-fa01-4ec9-bfad-0e7744c42c05_grayson_audio.m4a

In this episode, Grayson sits down with Roscoe and Jared to share the full story of suffering two strokes at 30 years old — how it happened, what those six days in the hospital were like, and what his road back to the court has looked like. It&#39;s one of the most raw and honest conversations the show has ever had. Grayson breaks down exactly how it unfolded: a chiropractic adjustment after a tournament left something feeling off, and nine days later he woke up unable to form sentences. He traces the moment on court when water started &#34;pouring into his head,&#34; the frantic trip to the ER, and the doctor delivering the news that he&#39;d had not one but two strokes — visible as two dark spots on his brain scan. Grayson also opens up about his path to pickleball — from being ranked number one in the country in junior tennis at 12, to selling life insurance after college, to stumbling onto packed pickleball courts in Sarasota and deciding to go all-in. He shares what it felt like walking into Atlanta and watching Federico and Hayden on center court, the moment he knew this was it, and why he still believes he can be number one in the world. 🧢 Pickleballers Hat: https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram:https://instagram.com/pickleballershttps://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleballhttps://instagram.com/roscoebellamyhttps://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps:1:03 — Welcome &amp; Intro2:28 — Two Strokes at 30: The Health Scare Begins7:31 — Waking Up Unable to Speak10:01 — Racing to the Hospital14:49 — The ER, the Diagnosis, and Six Days of Tests18:09 — What Actually Caused the Strokes22:11 — Little Grayson: Born in Chicago, Raised on Tennis25:06 — Ranked #1 in the Country at 1230:07 — College Tennis, IMG, and Realizing It Wasn&#39;t Enough34:11 — Life After Tennis: Insurance Sales and Real Estate37:39 — Discovering Pickleball at the Country Club46:14 — Flying to Atlanta, Going All-In52:17 — The Infamous Mixed Doubles Point with Shelby Bates1:04:49 — Power Tips and Branding Advice for Up-and-Comers1:07:17 — What the Strokes Taught Him About Pickleball and Life

Grayson Goldin: The Pickleball Pro Who Survived Two Strokes at 30 and is Coming Back | S4 E2

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/5/28/4/99274244-f233-4abb-8839-b3724e9f65b9_jw_jorja_audio.m4a

JW and Jorja Johnson are the most decorated sibling team in professional pickleball, known for transforming the game with the JW Johnson flick and the Jorja Johnson fire — two of the most talked-about weapons on tour. In this episode, JW and Jorja sit down with Roscoe and Jared to trace their unlikely path from Pittsburgh, Kansas to the top of the pro game. They get into the zero-pressure upbringing that made it all possible, the South Florida training culture they helped build, and what it actually takes to stay dominant in a sport evolving as fast as pickleball. Jorja breaks down what it was like to be stolen from the Dallas Flash in the MLP draft, landing on the New Jersey Fives alongside Anna Leigh Waters — a move nobody saw coming. JW also reveals he&#39;s never had a real conversation with Ben Johns off the court, and addresses for the first time whether a JW-Ben partnership has ever been on the table. Pickleballers Hat: 🧢 https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram:https://instagram.com/pickleballershttps://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleballhttps://instagram.com/roscoebellamyhttps://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps:1:07 — Welcome &amp; Introducing JW and Jorja Johnson2:33 — Growing Up in Pittsburgh, Kansas5:20 — How COVID Sparked Their Pickleball Journey8:52 — Early Days: Bad Reps, Johnny Goldberg &amp; First Tournaments10:21 — The $300 Hilton Head Moment That Changed Everything13:06 — Building the South Florida Training Scene19:51 — Julie Johnson&#39;s Academy and the Rise of a Squad24:43 — When the Money Started Getting Real26:26 — Power Balance Scam, Franklin Deal &amp; Seeing Your Face in Dick&#39;s29:04 — Signing Underwear and Knowing You&#39;ve Made It34:46 — MLP, the Dallas Flash, and Becoming Stars40:33 — The Draft Shock: Jorja Stolen to the New Jersey Fives45:06 — Playing with Anna Leigh &amp; What That Partnership Looks Like47:26 — How They Stay Dominant: Film, Evolution, and the Tui49:08 — JW&#39;s Hands: The Secret Behind the Fastest Reactions on Tour54:22 — Life Off the Court: Padel, Cinnamon Bread &amp; Movies56:44 — Biggest Rivals and the Mindset Behind Not Having One59:19 — Has JW Ever Thought About Teaming with Ben Johns?1:01:09 — Greatest Moments

JW & Jorja Johnson: MLP Drama, Signing Underwear, and Pickleball's Sibling Reign | S4 E1

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/5/7/5/1bb9789d-6139-4f1c-973c-7e462567e3df_tama_audio.m4a

Tama Shimabukuro is a 15-year-old professional pickleball player who became an overnight sensation after reaching the singles final at the Atlanta Slam, finishing fourth in men&#39;s doubles, and earning the full-throated backing of an entire crowd that couldn&#39;t stop chanting his name.In this episode, Tama calls in with Roscoe and Jared just days after his historic Atlanta run to break down what that week actually felt like from inside the storm. They cover the crowd moments, the mental game, and how a kid from Hawaii ends up on the sport&#39;s biggest stage. 🧢 Pickleballers Hat: https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram:https://instagram.com/pickleballershttps://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleballhttps://instagram.com/roscoebellamyhttps://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps:1:00 — Tama on life after Atlanta1:34 — Was it an out-of-body experience?2:09 — The crowd, the chants, and the chaos4:03 — The MJ shrug explained6:25 — Messages flooding in after the run6:56 — Breaking down the Fed match8:48 — Is he actually that calm, or just built different?10:14 — Was the breakout a surprise?11:15 — Background: skateboarder to pickleball12:36 — Self-taught: 10 hours of rec a day14:16 — Life on the road with Mama Tama17:08 — Sponsorship and partnership questions18:19 — Pros he studies, dream doubles partners20:41 — Fan Q&amp;A22:19 — Advice for young players23:48 — Toughest opponent so far24:26 — Message to new fans

Tama Shimabukuro: Pickleball's Newest Superstar on the Atlanta Run That Changed Everything

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/4/9/4/6d94910c-4ddc-4ccd-87c1-c6b0a1a1d7ca_ab_audio.m4a

Anna Bright is the #2 ranked women&#39;s pickleball player in the world, an MLP champion, and one of the sport&#39;s most magnetic personalities — a Cal Berkeley graduate who went from Pacific Crest Trail solo hiker to professional athlete in under a year. In this episode, Anna sits down with Roscoe and Jared to pull back the curtain on her journey from junior tennis to the top of pickleball, the business decisions that defined her career, and the personal dynamics that come with competing at the highest level. The conversation is candid, funny, and surprisingly raw — exactly what you&#39;d expect from someone who&#39;s never been afraid to say what she thinks. Anna breaks down the story behind &#34;The Girlies&#34; — her viral brand partnership with Rachel Rachel Rohrabacher — and what it was like to walk away from one of pickleball&#39;s most beloved duos. She opens up about the game-theory moment that led her to reach out to Anna Lee Waters, including the part nobody knew: she&#39;d already said no once before. Anna also gets into the tension between her fiery on-court persona and the content creator she&#39;s becoming off it, why yoga and breath work have quietly transformed the last six months of her life, and what she actually thinks about the yelling controversy that made this podcast feel like it might never happen. Delivered by @DoorDash! 🚗 Pickleballers Hat: 🧢 https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram:https://instagram.com/pickleballershttps://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleballhttps://instagram.com/roscoebellamyhttps://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps:0:00 - Start1:02 — Welcome Anna Bright1:46 — Clearing the Air: The Kate Twitter Moment4:01 — Growing Up in Fort Worth &amp; Junior Tennis8:42 — Fractured Back at 13 &amp; High School Reset12:50 — The College Recruiting Process &amp; Choosing Cal Berkeley17:42 — The Pacific Crest Trail: Solo, 2,500 Miles, 113 Days24:19 — How Pickleball Found Her30:49 — Meeting James Ignatowich36:25 — Building a Brand: The Rise of The Girlies46:19 — How Playing Full-Time Changes Your Relationship With the Sport52:04 — The Game Theory Decision: Leaving Rachel for Anna Lee1:01:27 — What It&#39;s Like Playing With the Greatest of All Time1:07:02 — Biggest Threats on Tour1:09:24 — Pickleball in Asia &amp; the Sport&#39;s Global Future1:13:53 — Most Entertaining Players to Watch1:15:47 — What She Wants From the Sport Long-Term1:22:57 — Fan Q&amp;A: Box Breathing, Yoga &amp; Staying Injury-Free1:25:56 — The Power 50 Ranking Reaction

Anna Bright: Saying No to Anna Leigh, Girlies Breakup, and Pickleball's Biggest Personality | S3 E10

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/4/2/6/fac4e4d9-77b2-44d4-bd69-b3037c8213cc_roscoe_pod_audio.m4a

Roscoe Bellamy is the co-host of The Pickleballers and a professional pickleball singles player currently ranked #6 in the world. A product of a tennis dynasty — his father founded Tennis Channel and his mother was a pro player — Roscoe rose to become the number one nationally ranked junior in the United States before a series of devastating injuries derailed his path to the pro tour. In this episode, Roscoe sits down with Jared and longtime friend Wesley Burroughs for a rare look at the man behind the mic. The conversation covers Roscoe&#39;s full journey from tennis prodigy to pro pickleball player, the mental shift that unlocked his best pickleball, and what it actually takes to compete at the top of the sport while running one of the game&#39;s biggest media brands. Roscoe opens up about the two years he lost to a stress fracture at fifteen — a period that stripped him of his identity as a top junior and sent him through a grueling rehab circuit alongside the likes of Anthony Davis and Mike Trout. Two hip surgeries in college effectively ended his pro dream, and it wasn&#39;t until a Hawaii trip with Hunter and Yates Johnson that pickleball entered the picture — leading to a sandbagged Pickleball Slam alongside Matt Manassie just two weeks into the sport. Roscoe also gets into the mental transformation that fueled his breakout 2025 run — winning his first PPA gold in Lakeland, reaching finals in Vegas, and finally finding the &#34;dog&#34; in his game that singles pickleball demands. He shares details on his new paddle deal with Luzz, his plans to launch the Pickleball Collective instructional platform, and his goal of finishing 2026 in the top three in the world. Pickleballers Hat: 🧢 https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram:https://instagram.com/pickleballershttps://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleballhttps://instagram.com/roscoebellamyhttps://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps:1:10 — Introducing Roscoe &amp; Wes2:20 — Growing Up in a Tennis Family5:00 — Becoming #1 in the Nation at 129:12 — Competing Internationally &amp; the Pro Dream12:01 — The Back Injury That Changed Everything14:24 — Scholarship to UCLA &amp; Hip Surgeries17:22 — Mom Discovers Pickleball20:34 — Going All In on Pickleball22:35 — Beating Agassi and Roddick for $10k25:15 — First Pro Tournament in Cincinnati27:46 — Signing During Tour Wars29:50 — The Mental Shift That Unlocked His Best Pickleball32:35 — Finding the Dog: Singles Is a War35:19 — Goals for 202638:32 — Balancing Pro Play, Content &amp; The Podcast45:46 — Breaking Down the Competition53:13 — New Paddle Deal with Luzz54:53 — Life at Home, Family &amp; Girlfriend

Roscoe Bellamy: His Dream Was Gone. His Identity Was Lost. Then Pickleball Changed Everything | S3E9

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/3/31/3/f47809e6-d45e-47a3-adc7-ba1c68c33e69_james_ignatowich_audio.m4a

James Ignatowich is a former top professional pickleball player turned paddle company founder, best known for creating RPM — one of the fastest-growing and most talked-about paddle brands in the sport. In this episode, James joins Roscoe and Jared virtually from Shenzhen, China, where he&#39;s living full-time and running RPM&#39;s operations on the ground. They get into why James has zero regrets about leaving the tour, what it actually takes to build a paddle company from scratch, and why being in China is the biggest competitive advantage in the game right now. James opens up about his PPA termination, calling it suspicious given RPM&#39;s early success, and shares a telling detail — he was already mentally checked out of pro play before it happened, more excited about the company than any upcoming tournament. He also reacts to Ben Johns calling him the most talented player he&#39;s ever faced, and why that compliment doesn&#39;t quite land the way you&#39;d expect. James also gets into the RPM playbook — how they sold 35,000 paddles without enough covers, why dropping the Q2 and V2 simultaneously was a calculated bet, and where he thinks paddle technology is headed. Pickleballers Hat: 🧢 https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram:https://instagram.com/pickleballershttps://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleballhttps://instagram.com/roscoebellamyhttps://instagram.com/jpaulthechef

James Ignatowich: The PPA Termination, Building RPM from China, and the Future of Paddle Tech

The Pickleballers Podcast — hosted by Jared Paul and Dane Iliff, founders of The Kitchen (the largest media company in pickleball), alongside top-ranked pro Roscoe Bellamy — is your new go-to source for all things pickleball.From breaking news and spicy hot takes to hilarious banter and all-star guests, Pickleballers brings the energy. Tune in for celebrity drop-ins, pro insights, and a front-row seat to the fastest-growing sport in America.<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.