Pickleball Therapy

Anchoring to your “why” can shift your mindset and elevate both your performance and fulfillment. In this episode, I want to challenge you to define your true “why” for playing pickleball and explore how that clarity transforms your on-court experience. Move beyond wins and losses to focus on the deeper reasons—connection, growth, and enjoyment—that sustain your passion for the game. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/291-your-why-for-pickleball/ ‎

There's a challenge of managing intensity on the pickleball court, helping players find their personal “Goldilocks zone” between overexertion and disengagement. In this episode, we draw on real examples and mental performance principles to explain how both excessive emotional release and low focus can hinder performance. Listen in for practical strategies to maintain steady, effective intensity throughout play and elevate your consistency. Show Notes:

There's an often-overlooked superpower of recognition and it directly impacts your performance on the court. On this episode, we break recognition into three practical levels, from tracking your own shot execution to identifying opponent patterns and uncovering what’s holding your game back. Learn how strengthening this mental skill can guide smarter decisions and help you play with greater clarity and purpose. If you want me to be your Coach and Guide, send me an email at tony@betterpickleball.com and put the words "coach me" in the subject line. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/289-recognition-superpower/

What if failure wasn't the thing to avoid — but the fastest path to getting better? In this special episode of Pickleball Therapy, I sit down with Alec Martone, host of the Fail First Project podcast, for a conversation that goes well beyond pickleball. Alec shares his personal journey — from getting the yips as a baseball catcher, to navigating fear and regret, to building a platform where neuroscientists, pro athletes, and entrepreneurs all converge on one idea: fail first, learn first. Then we bring it home to pickleball. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/1537-special-episode-alec-martone-the-fail-first-podcast

Unrealistic expectations quietly fuel frustration on the court. In this special episode, we examine the “win or bust” mindset many players adopt. I challenge you to rethink how you define success in your sessions. Drawing insights from Pickleball Therapy, The Book, this episode offers a more grounded approach—one that accepts both wins and losses as part of the game. Listen in to reset your expectations and elevate your mental performance. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/288-setting-realistic-expectations/

What does it mean to fight to be seen as an athlete — not once, but across an entire lifetime? In this episode of Pickleball Therapy, guest host CJ Johnson — co-head coach at Better Pickleball and a professional skier and PGA golf professional — shares her personal story of navigating life as a woman athlete over five decades. From being called "son" on the ski lift as a child, to being redirected to the women's tees as a golf pro who outdrove most men, to receiving unsolicited advice on the pickleball court despite being a widely recognized coach, CJ's experiences paint a vivid picture of the toll that constantly being underestimated can take. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/287-guest-host-cj-johnson-navigating-the-obstacles-to-being-a-women-athlete

In this special episode of Pickleball Therapy, I sit down with Nikki Maldonado of Pickleball Nikki to explore a powerful mindset challenge: how players can rediscover joy as competition and expectations increase. Nikki shares how pickleball helped her reconnect with herself during a difficult time and explains the inspiration behind the Pickleball Joy Pledge—a commitment to keep the game uplifting, supportive, and fun. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/special-episode-refinding-the-joy-in-pickleball-with-pickleballnikki

In this episode of Pickleball Therapy, we explore the unique challenges of playing mixed doubles with your spouse or life partner. From creating a communication plan to embracing the reality of missed shots, learn practical strategies to strengthen your on-court partnership by turning “mixed troubles” into growth. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/286-mixed-troubles-playing-with-your-significant-other

Everyday comments and assumptions can impact confidence and belonging on the court. In this episode, we reflect on locker room banter, self-awareness, and community responsibility. The episode also includes a coaching reflection on handling conflict and a listener's question about the third-shot drop. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/285-hows-your-sister-doing/

There's something meaningful —something worthy of care, attention, and long-term commitment about pickleball. My personal hopes for you as a pickleball player—on the court and beyond is that you're building a lifelong relationship with the sport. Because pickleball can strengthen your body, sharpen your mind, and deepen your personal growth. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/284-my-hope-for-you/

Stress is not the enemy in pickleball—it’s the very fabric of the game and embracing it can accelerate your growth and transform your mindset on the court. In this episode of Pickleball Therapy, I want to challenge you as a player to rethink stress as a positive force that strengthens resilience and sharpens your performance. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/283-embrace-the-stress/

One-third of your improvement journey will feel uncomfortable and if you’re serious about getting better, struggle is not a sign of failure—it’s evidence of growth. On this episode, you'll learn how to navigate frustration, push beyond your comfort zone, and embrace the process that leads to real, lasting improvement. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/282-the-rule-of-thirds/

Are you converting all of the ability you have into performance on the court? In this episode, I'll use a solar panel analogy to explore how intentionality, clarity, and focus—especially on serves and returns—can dramatically improve results without adding new shots or techniques. Listen in to learn how to unlock more of your existing game. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/281-are-you-converting-your-game/ ‎

Pickleball doesn’t test us when everything is going well—it tests us when preparation, pressure, and performance don’t fully align. That’s exactly what happened during a recent tournament I played, and the experience offered valuable insight that I share in this episode, into how expectations, focus, and resilience work in competitive play. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/280-learning-from-personal-experience

One of the most overlooked performance skills in pickleball is focus. Mental distractions like the score, past mistakes, or partner reactions can quietly erode performance. Listen in to learn practical techniques to stay present, free mental bandwidth, and focus on what truly matters- the ball. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/279-the-ball-the-ball-the-ball/

Knowing when to say “no thank you” on the court and learning to celebrate effort beyond simple wins and losses is a powerful mindset shift. I challenge you to reclaim your agency, protect your experience, and rethink success in pickleball and sport. Listen to the full episode for a deeper perspective on healthy competition and mental resilience. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/278-saying-no-thank-you-and-celebrating-the-effort-in-pickleball

An “In and Out for 2026” mindset helps players reset how they approach improvement, partnership, and self-talk on the court. I challenge you as a player to remove what no longer serves you and replace it with intentional, growth-focused choices. Support yourself and others, and begin 2026 with clarity and purpose. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/277-in-and-out-for-this-year/

In this year-end episode of Pickleball Therapy, I invite you to think differently about your game by using pickleball as a canvas for growth in 2026. Beyond wins and losses, pickleball can challenge your mind, strengthen your body, and support personal development on and off the court. Listen in as you prepare to step into the new year with intention and purpose. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/276-your-2026-pickleball-canvas/

There's a powerful principle that limits many players without them realizing it: doing too much. From overly complicated mechanics and layered strategies to mental overload on the court, excess complexity creates inconsistency and stress. Listen in to discover why simplifying your shots, game plans, and focus can unlock better performance, calmer decision-making, and a more confident pickleball experience. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/275-do-more-with-less/

The win-loss metric tells you nothing about how well you actually played. In this episode, I break down how process-driven metrics lead to more meaningful improvement and I'll also offer a personal lesson in body awareness after a preventable back flare-up. Listen in to reshape your mindset and strengthen your pickleball journey. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/ep-274-winloss-tells-you-nothing/