Pickleball Partner - The Podcast
Welcome to the Pickleball Partner Podcast, your premier guide to mastering the court and the community.Whether you’re looking for the best courts in the country, planning your next pickleball trip, or hunting for the latest high-performance gear, we’ve got you covered. Join us as we dive into tournament schedules, gear reviews, and travel tips to help you play better and travel smarter.Don't just play the game—find your perfect match with Pickleball Partner.
Choose your favorite podcast player
Pickleball Partner - The Podcast
Welcome to the Pickleball Partner Podcast, your premier guide to mastering the court and the community.
Whether you’re looking for the best courts in the country, planning your next pickleball trip, or hunting for the latest high-performance gear, we’ve got you covered.
Join us as we dive into tournament schedules, gear reviews, and travel tips to help you play better and travel smarter.
Don't just play the game—find your perfect match with Pickleball Partner.
Recent Episodes
May 14, 2026
June 2026 Pickleball Tournaments
We map the 10 largest upcoming U.S. pickleball tournaments in June 2026 and follow the money from $5 grassroots brackets to $140 national events. We argue about what players are actually paying for and whether the sport’s growing price gap will eventually shut out regular competitors.
• June 2026 tournaments ranked by registration size and what that reveals about demand
• Spring holdovers that quietly carry the player base into early June
• The $5 local tournament as an access point rather than
• June 2026 tournaments ranked by registration size and what that reveals about demand
• Spring holdovers that quietly carry the player base into early June
• The $5 local tournament as an access point rather than
May 5, 2026
Your Paddle Is Not Made Of Bananas
We break down why pickleball rewards stillness, timing, and court geography more than brute force. We map the mechanics that help us control the kitchen line, neutralize hard hitters, and stay healthier while we play.• Using a continental grip to unlock faster shot transitions• Treating the serve as consistency plus a 10-second mental reset• Adjusting risk based on server one versus server two• Winning the real estate race created by the two-bounce rule• Hitting a deep return then moving fo
April 28, 2026
The Pickleball Elbow Epidemic: Are You Wrecking Your Arm?
We break down why pickleball elbow can be worse than tennis elbow, even with a lightweight paddle and a plastic ball. We connect the real cause to biomechanics, high-volume hitting, and sneaky tendon microtrauma, then lay out simple ways to protect your arm.• why we blame gear instead of technique• how paddle weight distracts from mechanics• what the kinetic chain does in tennis• why pickleball removes recovery time at the kitchen line• how chronic repetitive stress creates severe microtrau
April 24, 2026
The Shoe Mistake That Can Rupture Your Achilles In Pickleball
We break down how the wrong footwear can turn a normal pickleball shuffle into a sudden Achilles tendon rupture. We map the physics of why running shoes fail on hard courts and give a simple checklist for choosing safer court shoes.• running shoes engineered for forward motion rather than lateral movement• thick cushioned foam compressing unevenly under side load and tilting the platform• soft mesh uppers allowing foot slip and removing lateral containment• how the lever effect and off-axis
April 21, 2026
The Hundred Million Dollar Shot
We chase the real shortcut in pickleball by focusing on safe entry to the kitchen rather than swinging harder from the baseline. We break down the $100 million third shot drop with simple mechanics and footwork cues that turn a stressful moment into a repeatable pattern.• why the non-volley zone is the main objective• how no man’s land traps you in defense• what makes the third shot drop the “master key”• why the best drop feels like a delicate arc, not a drive• grip pressure as shock absor
April 18, 2026
May 2026 Pickleball Tournaments Ranked By Size
We rank the 10 largest pickleball tournaments happening in May 2026 by registration count and walk through what the numbers say about where competitive play is headed. We also dig into why entry fees swing so hard between regional value events and premium branded weekends, then leave you with the big question of who these prices are really for.• the 10 biggest May 2026 tournaments ranked by player registrations• where to find the tournament listings and why deadlines feel tight• the sharp con
Listen On