10K Subscribers + June Half-Day Camps Are Back Athena Pickleball hit 10,000 YouTube subscribers this week, which honestly feels surreal considering that was my entire goal for 2026. What’s been most surprising isn’t the number itself, though. It’s how much building a YouTube channel has mirrored learning pickleball: you’re often wrong about what will work progress takes longer than you think consistency matters more than motivation and sometimes you just have to keep making one more ball So...
8 days ago • 2 min read
What To Do When Your Third Shot Drop Stops Working I referenced this mind-blowing idea in last weeks email, but lean in, because this one's wild: You CANNOT WIN a match if you cannot make a third shot. Ok, technically, if the other team misses eleven returns in a row... maybe. But statistically? Not a strategy I'd take to the bank. I was reminded of this the hard way at my last tournament. My drop was off for a full 3 game match. Same shot, same result, getting worse by the point. If you've...
15 days ago • 3 min read
5 Things a Humbling Tournament Weekend Taught Me This weekend I was the #1 seed in an amateur 5.0 event and didn’t even make it to a medal round. I usually play pro/open, and a small part of me was pretty certain I’d come out on top. Instead, I stumbled, and learned more about my own mental game than I have in months…which is simultaneously humbling and kind of the point. Here are the five lessons I’m taking with me that I hope can be useful to you. 1. Skill level and tournament readiness are...
22 days ago • 4 min read
Hey Pickle Fam, Last week, a student who's a solid 4.5 competitive player called me. She had a rough session that day and came off the court saying things like "I'm SO bad. I'm a terrible pickleball player. I just suck." She suggested maybe she actually was about 2 levels down from where she typically plays, and was frustrated and largely inconsolable. Sound familiar? I hear some version of this constantly. A bad game, a rough day of dinking, losing more games than they win, and suddenly...
29 days ago • 2 min read
Hey friend! This is something I think about a LOT in the course of my coaching, my Roman Empire, and it's one of the oldest debates in racket sports, with pickleball as no exception: Should you focus on technique first, or strategy, to improve? The typical answer is "both" — which is true, but not very useful. So here's my actual take after years of competing and coaching. Both matter to be sure. Technique is how you execute. Strategy is how you think. You can't have a complete game without...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hey friend! Happy to be back in your inbox and this time I want to talk about an important pattern. Everyone obsesses over the third shot drop. And yes, it's a HUGELY important shot. But in order to level UP, I want you to stop thinking of it as a standalone shot. Every shot we hit is a building block to what comes to us next, but I will often see players nail a beautiful 3rd shot and then completely miss out on an effective 5th. The 3rd shot is a vehicle, not a destination, and the point is...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Spectating PPA Newport: Middle-aged Baddie Gets it Done Friday I got to do something I don’t do enough.. just watch pickleball. I was courtside for the quarterfinal PPA matches, and the energy was electric. Loud crowd, insane points, and the kind of atmosphere that makes you remember why this sport has taken over our lives. I also got recognized 4 times (who's counting)...I have a couple coaching spots on PickleballTV that run on loop, plus this growing YouTube channel, and it's a very weird...
3 months ago • 2 min read
February 18, 2026 In this Newsletter: 👉🏼 Local 3.5+ ladies: A few spots left for this Sunday's Women's Doubles Strategy clinic!🎯 YouTube video: THE most important shot to go from intermediate to advanced⭐️ Upcoming half day camp schedule THIS SUNDAY: Women's Doubles Strategy Clinic! Sunday, February 22 | 9:00 - 11:30 AM Level: 3.5 - 4.0 Take your doubles game to the next level! This clinic at California Smash focuses on doubles strategy and tactics, including partnering & stacking techniques...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Where to hit your returns of serve (plus special Women's Dubs clinic in Feb!) Hi Friend! Let's talk about one of the most underutilized strategies in pickleball: where to place your return of serve. When you step onto the court, even if you have no idea who your opponents are, I want you to decide as a team: where are we returning the ball, at least initially. 🎯 This Week's Tip: The Deep Return to the Middle When you're returning serve, your first instinct might be to aim down the line or...
4 months ago • 3 min read