Podcast
Pickleball Therapy
Hosted by Tony Roig · EN
The podcast dedicated to your pickleball improvement. We are here to help you achieve your pickleball goals, with a focus on the mental part of your game. Our mission is to share with you a positive and more healthy way of engaging with pickleball. Together let’s forge a stronger relationship with the sport we all love. With the added benefit of playing better pickleball too. No matter what you are trying to accomplish in your pickleball journey, Pickleball Therapy is here to encourage and support you.
49episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Ep. 292 - Lessons for All from the 2026 US Open
Apr 2400:18:32Tap to summarizeIn this episode, I reflect on lessons from the 2026 US Open with a special emphasis on how a calm mind leads to better performance on the court. Whether in competition or rec play, celebrate small victories along the way. Mindset, physical readiness, and perspective can elevate both your enjoyment and your level of play. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/292-lessons-for-all-from-the-2026-us-open
Transcribe →Ep. 291 - Your Why for Pickleball
Apr 1700:19:31Tap to summarizeAnchoring 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/
Transcribe →Ep. 290 - Find Your Intensity Goldilocks Zone
Apr 1000:15:38Tap to summarizeManaging intensity on the pickleball court helps 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: https://betterpickleball.com/290-find-your-intensity-goldilocks-zone/
Transcribe →Ep. 289 - Recognition SuperPower
Apr 300:17:53Tap to summarizeThere'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/
Transcribe →Special Episode - Alec Martone The Fail First Podcast
Mar 3100:37:04Tap to summarizeWhat 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
Transcribe →Ep. 288 - Setting Realistic Expectations
Mar 2700:11:35Tap to summarizeUnrealistic expectations quietly fuel frustration on the court. In this special episode, we examine the “win or bust” mindset many players adopt to rethink how we define success in our 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/
Transcribe →Ep. 287 - Guest Host CJ Johnson - Navigating the Obstacles to Being a Women Athlete
Mar 2000:15:23Tap to summarizeWhat 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
Transcribe →Special Episode - Refinding the Joy in Pickleball with PickleballNikki
Mar 1700:17:56Tap to summarizeIn 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
Transcribe →Ep. 286 - Mixed Troubles Playing with Your Significant Other
Mar 1300:13:52Tap to summarizeIn 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
Transcribe →Ep. 285 - How's Your Sister Doing?
Mar 600:28:24Tap to summarizeEveryday 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/
Transcribe →