Golden Tate, athlete and Superbowl XVLIII champion, joins us to talk about his life, business ventures, and entrance into pickleball.

IG: @djyoungpb

43 7

James Blake, former professional tennis player with 10 titles who reached a career high of 4th in singles globally, joins us to dissect the levels of competitive racket sports and the nuances in pickleball and tennis.

IG: @djyoungpb

27 6

Callan Dawson, pro pickleball player, recounts his history as an athlete and entrepreneur, including one of his business ventures in the Cannabis industry.

IG: @djyoungpb

57 22

Pablo Tellez speaks on pickleball rage, his partner break up, and his transition from tennis to pickleball.

94 28

Caden explains his life as a normal 9-5 salaryman and the lifechanging event which influenced him to become a pro pickleball player.

IG: @DJYoungpb

35 1

Jimmy Miller, President of MLPs California Black Bears and King of the Court co-host, speaks on the drama in pickleball and which pros take his banter too seriously.

IG: djyoungpb

217 60

Augie Ge, Professional Pickleball Player, speaks on his past life as a Mathematician and Biostatistician along with the popping pickleball scene in Arizona.

105 19

Lingwei Kong, professional pickleball player, tells us about immigrating to the US and transitioning from a top tennis player to pickleball.

IG: @djyoungpb
Website: www.djyoungpb.com

24 4

Rich Sommers describes his transition from air traffic control to the real estate business and all of the unseen work and risks necessary to be successful.

ig: @djyoungpb

8 4

Nico Barraza, once a dedicated ultra runner and now a life coach, reflects on the lessons learned from career-ending injuries. He shares how these challenges reshaped his relationships, offering valuable insights from his journey.

IG: @djyoungpb

13 6

Tennis player turned Pickleball coach and commentator, Matt "McNasty" Manasse, speaks on coaching hollywood stars and gives his hot takes on the pickleball scene right now.

IG:@DJYoungpb
Website: https://www.djyoungpb.com/

30 16

Marta Morga, top 5 women's padel player, tells us about the next up and coming racquet sport for the USA. Can she convince DJ to start playing??

IG: @djyoungpb
Website: djyoungpb.com

12 2

Ernesto Russo, Model and Professional Pickleball Player, discusses his life pre-pickleball and the drama that lost him a sponsorship.

IG: @DJYoungpb
Website: www.djyoungpb.com

16 10

Professional Pickleball Player, Roscoe Bellamy, shares some hot takes on relationships on tour and emphasizes the effectiveness a big butt give in the sport.

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction to Rosco Bellamy and Pickleball journey
00:05:45 - Hayden Poops his Pants during Practice
00:07:10 Top 5 Funniest Pickleball Players
00:13:10 - Who Would Win in a Fight Amongst Pro Pickleball Players
00:18:13 - Big Legs Big Butt = Good Pickleball
00:19:15 - Best Trash Talkers
00:21:50 - Funny Celebrations on Court (Jay Devilliers and Julian Arnold??)
00:24:00 - Dating on Tour
00:27:25 - Sponsor
00:30:33 - GOAT of Tennis
00:49:54 - Fun and Appreciation

IG: @DJYoungpb
Website: djyoungpb.com

23 13

Jill Braverman, Pickleball pro and former CEO, dissects the current pickleball scene and the differences amongst professional pickleball leagues.

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introducing Jill Braverman, Pro Pickleball Player
00:04:50 - Golden Years of Pickleball
00:10:00 - Making Money from Pickleball Sponsorships
00:12:32 - Authenticity vs Bought Engagement
00:14:45 - Jill's MLP Days
00:17:30 - Production Quality in Pickleball/ MLP, APP, and PPA comparisons
00:28:00 - The Overlooked Players in Pickleball
00:31:06 - Siblings in Pickleball
00:34:38 - The Value of Product-Driven Sponsorships and Aligning with Brands
00:41:24 - Playing Pickleball in Your Head
00:55:28 - Starting Conversations with DJ

IG: @DJYoungpb
Website: djyoungpb.com

69 16

Emily Ackerman, professional pickleball player for the California Black Bears, speaks about the gen 3 ban and her MLP predictions.

Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction and Married Life
00:02:40 Places to live for Pickleball
00:03:30 California Black Bears Summit
00:05:33 Synergy in Doubles
00:07:29 Pickleball Partnership Durations
00:11:23 Dj Getting Captain of CA Black Bears and The Draft
00:15:58 Emily's Partnerships for Doubles
00:19:00 Relationship Dynamic of Pro Pickleball Player
00:20:46 How long will Emily Play Pro Pickleball?
00:21:26 Strengths and Weaknesses on Court
00:26:08 Thoughts on Gen 3 Paddle Ban
00:29:35 Predictions for MLP



IG: @DJYoungpb
Website: djyoungpb.com

17 9

Pat Rolfes, the owner of The Hub Pickleball, gives his takes on the evolution of Pickleball and the direction it's headed in.

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction and Pat's Start in Pickleball
00:11:16 - Pickleball Superstore vs Pickleball Central
00:13:45 - Steve Kuhn not being in Pickleball
00:17:14 - Paddle Technology and Direction of Pickleball
00:38:37 - Changing the Game of Pickleball?
00:40:30 - Accessibility of Pickleball $$$
00:46:27 - How long should a paddle last for an amateur?
00:50:25 - Sponsors and Ending Thoughts

IG: @djyoungpb
Website: djyoungpb.com

13 5

Jay Deviliers, Handsomest Man in the World and Pickleball Pro, talks about...

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Intro and Being a Hitting Partner For Pro Tennis Players.
00:02:00 - Playing Pickleball with Tennis Pros
00:03:20 - Going Straight to Washington From France For Tournament
00:07:11 - PPA and MLP schedule and Partners
00:10:19 - Thoughts on Jay's MLP Team
00:11:40 - Scoring in Pickleball
00:15:50 - Pat's Bloody Eye Injury and Implications on Safety in Pickleball
00:20:56 - Best and Worst Memories on Pickleball Court
00:27:34 - Difficulty of Reffing Pickleball
00:28:50 - Deciding Partnerships in Doubles and Finding Will to Play
00:33:13 - JW and Dylan Best Team in the World?
00:38:30 - Top 3 Leftside Players
00:45:50 - Two of Darrian's Favorite Pickleball Stories
00:48:50 - Sponsors and Ending Thoughts


IG: @DJYoungpb
Website:djyoungpb.com

432 8

Ryan Eveloff, Pro Pickleball Player, shares how the pickleball community aided in bringing him to the forefront of pro pickleball, beating the best players like JW Johnson.

Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:05:00 The Uplifting Pickleball Community
00:06:45 Ryan's Pro Pickleball Entrance
00:09:06 Diet and Training on Tour
00:13:30 Simple vs Fancy Drills
00:16:25 Huge Win Against J-dub!
00:17:50 How to Play at Your Highest Level
00:21:10 Playing Against Fed...
00:22:34 Dieting Now vs Then in Pickleball
00:27:18 Coaching in Pickleball / MLP Experience
00:32:05 Pro XR Paddle
00:33:15 Christian Alshon Paddle / General Paddle Talk

IG: @DJYoungpb
Website: www.djyoungpb.com

5 2

Alix Truong, pro pickleball player, joins DJ to speak about finding the right paddle to play with, the unfairness of the MLP draft, and finding the perfect doubles and training partners.

Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:00 Being able to play with better players after moving.
00:05:55 Getting Hooked up With Engage
00:08:10 Playing with the Best Paddle on the Market
00:13:57 Surprise MLP Pick
00:24:30 Finding PPA Partners
00:31:00 Training Routine
00:41:20 Ideal Training Partners

IG:@DJYoungpb
Website: www.djyounpb.com

104 25

Ryan Sherry, the man behind the scenes of pickleball, shares his life experiences and the role he has played in growing the sport.

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:03:10 - Pickleball in America
00:04:15 - 2023 PPA Masters
00:04:50 - MLP Team
00:11:42 - Ryan's Influence in Pickleball
00:17:00 - Ryan's Day by Day / Career
00:23:50 - Dating Life
00:29:00 - San Clemente Tournament
00:33:11 - Who would win against Anna Leigh?
00:37:00 - Misconceptions About Ryan Sherry
00:39:53 - Ryan's unspoken thoughts
00:42:00 - Ryan's Paddle of Choice
00:46:38 - Big 3 Things You Shouldn't Do in Life


IG:@DJYoungpb
Website: www.djyoungpb.com

32 21

Mitch Hargreaves, #1 Australian Male Pickleball Player, speaks on the exponential growth of pickleball in Australia and Asia.

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction/Becoming #1 AUS PB Player
00:02:20 - Playing In the USA
00:04:40 - Pickleball Opportunities in AUS/Asia
00:06:30 - Training in AUS
00:08:55 - Favorite Female Player to Watch
00:12:00 - MLP in Australia
00:17:34 - Discovering Pickleball
00:21:50 - Growing The Sport Worldwide / Creating a Stepping Stone
00:30:00 - Learning From USA Pros
00:34:45 - Paddle Wave in Australia

IG:@DJYoungpb
Website: www.djyoungpb.com

9 0

Dekel Bar, Professional Pickleball Player, speaks on his infamous serve and challenges the audience to send him a video when his serve is deemed illegal.

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction and Tennis Background
00:05:05 - Who was better at tennis? Collin or Dekel?
00:08:20 - Transition to Pickleball
00:17:25 - Sponsorships
00:19:52 - DJ's Mixed Doubles Story vs Anna Leigh and Tyler
00:21:20 - Hindsight on Pickleball's Popularity
00:25:18 - Pickleball Getaways & Pickleball 360
00:32:30 - Stacking
00:35:55 - The Future of Paddles in Pickleball
00:44:50 - Dekel's Serve

IG:@DJYoungpb
Website: www.djyoungpb.com

44 16

** Youtube cut off the last 7 minutes, the full podcast can be found on all other podcast streaming platforms, sorry for the inconvenience! **

Jack Munro, Professional Pickleball Player, shares the ins and outs of becoming a professional pickleball player and social media influencer.

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:09:30 - Social Media
00:18:27 - Authenticity in Social Media
00:27:45 - Playing with Julian /Who you look for in a partner
00:34:15 - Not Having Weaknesses in Pickleball
00:41:00 - Paddle Technology
00:54:07 - Road to pro

IG:@DJYoungpb
Website: www.djyoungpb.com

31 16

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:06:36 - Aj's 2AM Story
00:08:20 - Hawaii Livin' with Celebs and Billionaires
00:10:00 - Dealing with Injuries 🙁
00:15:15 - Blogging Pickleball Journey
00:19:05 - No more right and left in pickleball? / APP Partners
00:23:15 - Thoughts On New Vulcan Ball??
00:29:45 - Fining Players
00:34:25 - It Feels Right Podcast
00:35:15 - What Selkirk Paddle Rob Uses
00:35:40 - Rob in MLP
00:36:52 - Don't Compare Tennis to Pickleball
00:44:42 - Top Contenders in PPA?
00:47:00 - Do people change?
00:47:44 - Best Thing Pickleball Has Given Rob
00:48:42 - Getting better at pickleball?



IG:@DJYoungpb
Website: www.djyoungpb.com

20 7

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:06:46 - Mixed Doubles Struggle
00:08:40 - Going 5-0 in MLP / Dream Breakers
00:12:15 - Gendered Doubles / MLP Record
00:16:07 - If Pickleball Went to Olympics
00:18:48 - Best Pickleball Player Build
00:26:45 - Why not use same paddle as the best?
00:31:15 - Vulcan Ball
00:36:30 - Dylan Best in The World!

IG: @DJYoungpb
Website: www.djyounpb.com

25 7

Kyle Yates, Pickleball Professional and Pioneer, reflects on the evolution of the sport and gives insight on the best way pickleball should be played.

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:01:30 - Pickleball Beginnings
00:05:30 - Evolution of Pickleball Through The Years
00:08:35 - Favorite Zayn Affleck Story
00:09:30 - Not Playing USA MLP This Year???
00:14:29 - Thoughts on The Old Spin Serve
00:16:16 - The Pickler Indoor Facilities Changing the Game!
00:18:50 - Kyle Yates Paddle??
00:22:23 - What paddle should you play with?
00:24:00 - Who influences Kyle Yates' game?
00:24:50 - The "Kyle Yates" Shot?
00:28:10 - Greatest Point of All Time??
00:33:05 - What does the future look like for Kyle Yates?
00:38:10 - Why pickleball should be played indoors
00:42:21 - Vulcan Ball

IG:​⁠@DJYoungpb
Website: www.djyoungpb.com

61 15

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:07:06 - Dylan Frazier / What a Pickleball Player Looks Like
00:12:13 - MLP Australia Draft
00:13:40 - Living in Australia
00:15:27 - Changing Mindset
00:19:44 - Tips for MLP Aus Players
00:23:53 - Top AUS Players
00:25:40 - MLP Tour Around the World!
00:27:15 - Kyle's Fun Fact
00:28:10 - Training
00:38:08 - Paddle Technology / Best Selkirk Paddle / Selkirk Insights

IG: @DJYoungpb
Website: www.djyoungpb.com

0 0

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:06:55 - Finding Time to Manage Family / Work Life
00:10:00 - Putting Hawaii on the Map for Pro Pickleball!
00:15:00 - Finding a Sustainable Routine
00:16:58 - Speed Up Pickleball!
00:18:35 - Scheduling PPA Events with a Family and Networking
00:24:38 - How can you get more attention as an up and comer.
00:31:40 - Hiring Social Media Manager?
00:37:54 - Plans for the future.
00:41:20 - Possible Move to Cali?
00:44:43 - Athletic PB Goals
00:48:12 - Are Females more Ruthless than Males in Mixed?
00:52:12 - Jamie's game described.
00:54:58 - Best and Worst Tournament Experiences

0 0

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:03:50 - Transition from Other Racquet Sports to PB
00:06:10 - Moving to Play Pro in the USA
00:07:15 - Training
00:10:00 - Strengths and Weaknesses
00:16:00 - Winning MLP Australia / MLP AUS Draft
00:28:10 - Stand out Pickleball

0 0

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction / Liar's Dice
00:11:40 - Spin Serve
00:15:55 - Cheat Code in Pickleball Nowadays
00:16:31 - Serving Rules?
00:18:47 - Getting Drafted to Chicago Slice
00:20:00 - Building the Best Team Possible
00:23:35 - Chicago and Black Bear Beef
00:27:55 - Brendon's Graphic
00:29:30 - How PPA win changed Brendon
00:32:05 - Things to do to stand out
00:35:15 - Partners coming up / Anime Talk
00:39:18 - Gym Routine / Staying Healthy
00:45:40 - Video Games!

IG: @DJYoungpb
Website: www.djyoungpb.com

0 0

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction / Encouraging Pickleball Scene
00:10:05 - Cade's Fitness History / Strong Mom
00:18:00 - Goals for Pickleball
00:22:46 - Pickleball Paddles
00:26:15 - Dieting
00:31:37 - Evolution of Cade's Game / How to Grow As a Player
00:37:13 - Partners

IG: @Djyoungpb
Website: www.djyoungpb.com

0 0

Chapters:
00:00:00 - Introduction / Reminiscing
00:05:08 - Quitting Job and Taking a Chance on Pickleball
00:08:08 - End Goal of Pickleball for Connor / Increasing Skill Level of PB
00:13:45 - Ben and Colin or JW and Dylan, Who is Harder to Beat?
00:15:50 - What Connor Looks For in a Partner
00:25:45 - How the Twoey Nation Was Created
00:29:00 - Having Your Own Signature Paddle
00:34:35 - Sponsors
00:37:18 - Connor's Serve Yips
00:42:41 - How the Pickleball's Meta is Changing
00:52:00 - How Pickleball Should Be Played

IG:@DJYoungpb
Website: www.djyoungpb.com

38 2