Pickle Me This — Sharing the fun, friends & stories of rec pickleball play

About Pickle Me This — Sharing the fun, friends & stories of rec pickleball play

Sharing the fun, friends & stories of rec pickleball play. Whether you're a seasoned player or just picked up your first paddle, you'll connect with our diverse guests as they share their personal journeys—what drew them to the game, how pickleball has transformed their lives, and the meaningful connections they've made along the way. More than just a sport, pickleball is building friendships, community — and changing lives one dink at a time. Subscribe now to laugh, be inspired, and feel part of the worldwide pickleball family. #pickleball #pickleballstories #pickleballrecplay

Publisher

Deirdre

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

1 Mar 2025

Latest episode

30 May 2026

Latest episodes

36 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   30 May 2026

   S2 Ep. 15 — He almost quit PT but then pickleball changed everything (Reece)

   Reece didn't plan on pickleball changing his life — but then again, nobody does. What started as a reluctant 7am Sunday invitation turned into both a passion and a career pivot, as this physical therapist found a whole new purpose helping pickleball players stay healthy and on the court. In this episode, Reece gets honest about the moment he almost walked away from PT altogether, how pickleball gave his work new meaning, and what it's like to find your people on the court — including the pranks, the laughs, and the guys who just get it. Plus, he shares the warm-up and injury prevention advice that every recreational player needs to hear. Highlights The Sunday morning invitation that started it all — and why he almost said no How pickleball reignited his passion for physical therapy when he was ready to quit Why drilling matters more than most recreational players think The truth about playing through pain — and what to do instead His first pickleball patient, Candy, and how getting her back on the court made her feel like a kid again Why warming up properly before you play is non-negotiable (and how to actually do it) How pickleball has made him a better clinician and a better player @reecethepickleballpt is where you can find him on social media Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Pickleball and Personal Journey 02:19 Living life fully and filling his cup 03:53 When Rick asked him to try pickleball at 7 am on a Sunday 06:26 Running his tail off around the courts when he started 09:08 The Importance of Drilling and Skill Development 10:28 How motor memory factors in to getting better 12:10 When he almost left physical therapy altogether 15:07 How pickleball changed his outlook on physical therapy as a job 18:31 His advice to the players wearing a brace or having pain 20:11 Helping his first fellow pickleball player Candy - and how she felt like a kid again 24:02 The challenges of health care not covering PT 26:13 Giving PT advice for pickleball on social media 28:20 Finding his group of guys - ones that are in the same stage of life 30:53 Getting body bagged and pranking them 32:50 The importance of preparing your body before playing - and how to warmup 39:07 How pickleball has deepened his skills as a player and clinician 41:27 The meaning of pickleball - opportunity for him to help others

2. 

   11 Apr 2026

   S2 Ep. 14 — Flashlights, crushes, and finding her people on the pickleball court

   Shireen was just looking for a tennis court when pickleball found her — and nothing has been the same since. In this episode, she shares how the sport reignited a childlike joy she didn't know she was missing, and how showing up to open play led to friendships that now extend far beyond the courts. As a dentist, Shireen brings a fascinating lens to the game, drawing unexpected parallels between the focus required in her work and the mental presence pickleball demands. Highlights How stumbling onto a pickleball court while searching for tennis completely redirected her relationship with sport and play The vulnerability of showing up to open play as a total beginner — and why it was worth it The unexpected joy of playing outside again like a kid, and why that feeling matters What dentistry taught her about focus — and how it shows up in her pickleball game Using her phone flashlight to light up the courts for early morning sessions How being an outdoorsy person from New Mexico has influenced her love for the game Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:40 Stumbling upon pickleball when looking for tennis courts 05:04 Th first time at open play and not being able to play 09:07 Rediscovering the joy of playing outside again like a kid 12:21 Sizing people up to play 17:47 Finding community and connection during life ups and downs 20:27 Friendships that have moved beyond the courts 22:14 The thrill of a pickleball crush 23:45 Using her phone flashlight to light up the courts for early morning play 25:14 Blasting Sarah Landry on the courts 27:41 Pet Peeves in Pickleball 30:52 The Dentist on the Court 35:36 Lessons on focus from dentistry on the courts 36:58 How pickleball makes her feel so different than tennis

3. 

   4 Apr 2026

   S2 Ep. 13 — Building a dating app because pickleball kept bringing people together (Anneliese)

   Anneliese, CEO and co-founder of PickleMatch, didn't set out to build a dating app — she just needed a way to meet people after a big move and a breakup. Pickleball became her safe place, her social lifeline, and eventually the spark behind an idea that turned into a full-blown business. In this episode, she shares how the courts became her community and how that community became the foundation for PickleMatch, an app designed to help pickleballers find love, friendship, and connection. If you've ever felt like pickleball is more than just a sport, this episode will hit different. Highlights How pickleball helped Anneliese rebuild her social life after a move and a breakup The birthday party moment that made her realize something bigger was happening How PickleMatch started as a joke and grew into a real platform for connection Real dating success stories straight from PickleMatc How proximity is the secret ingredient to making new friends as an adult The court pet peeves we all secretly relate to (bad line calls, anyone?) How pickleball taught her that it's never too late to learn something new Chapters 00:00 Intro 03:44 After her move, pickleball was a way to meet new people 08:47 How pickleball became her safe place after the breakup 14:37 The realization at her last birthday party 18:51 A dating app for pickleballers - yes please. Meet Pickle Match 21:53 How PickleMatch started as a joke 23:12 Launching the app by hosting events & limiting geography 25:13 Dating success stories from the app 27:55 Playing pickleball obsessively every day 30:36 Being overly competitive and bad line calls - big pet peeves 34:39 When a bunch of Scorpios played together on the courts 35:26 Pickleball has made her realize she can always learn new things 37:05 Navigating dating and pickleball on the courts 38:28 How to meet new people is all about proximity Resources PickleMatch Website - https://picklematch.co PickleMatch Instagram - https://instagram.com/picklematchapp PickleMatch TikTok - https://tiktok.com/@picklematchapp

Who has been a guest on Pickle Me This — Sharing the fun, friends & stories of rec pickleball play

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Jack
• Diego
• Guy
• Stephanie
• Stefanie

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

6 ratings

Spotify

4.5 / 5

8 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 46 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

71

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51

Contact Pickle Me This — Sharing the fun, friends & stories of rec pickleball play

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.