Pickleballers

Jared Paul (founder of The Kitchen) and Roscoe Bellamy (pro pickleball player)
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The Pickleballers Podcast — hosted by Jared Paul and Dane Iliff, founders of The Kitchen (the largest media company in pickleball), alongside top-ranked pro Roscoe Bellamy — is your new go-to source for all things pickleball.From breaking news and spicy hot takes to hilarious banter and all-star guests, Pickleballers brings the energy. Tune in for celebrity drop-ins, pro insights, and a front-row seat to the fastest-growing sport in America.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 4 hr ago

    Brooke Buckner: From Stay-at-Home Mom to #4 in the World, and How to beat Anna Leigh Waters | S4 E8

    Brooke Buckner is the #4 women's singles player in the world and a former Division I tennis player at Michigan, known for some of the hardest ground strokes in the game, men or women. In this episode, Brooke sits down with Roscoe and Jared to trace her path from junior tennis and college coaching at Michigan, Yale, and UNC Charlotte to becoming a stay-at-home mom in 2020 and, almost by accident, one of pickleball's top singles players. They dig into her training with Mike Wolf, her run with the Dallas Flash, and her near-upset of Anna Lee Waters. Brooke opens up about walking away from a pro tennis track at her coach's advice, becoming a stay-at-home mom during COVID, and how her mother pushed her onto a pickleball court as a way to get her competitive again. She breaks down her jump from rec-league pickleball to the pro tour, admitting she barely trained for singles in the early days and got in "at the right time" before the women's field got deep. Brooke also shares the story of going up 9-4 on Anna Lee Waters before the match slipped away, why she thinks she'll beat her "once" before retiring, and what it's been like building a relationship with Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf through Joola, including the text Agassi sent her after a tough loss. She closes out on her new doubles partnership with Caitlin Christian, her goal of reaching a championship Sunday in doubles, and what she wants her legacy to be as a mom who kept chasing her career. Add us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pickleballers https://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleball https://instagram.com/roscoebellamy https://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps: 1:25 — Brooke joins the podcast 2:07 — Life with the Dallas Flash 5:15 — MLP vs. singles focus 6:04 — Rating her own singles and doubles game 8:35 — Growing up in Cleveland 9:50 — Junior tennis and going pro young 12:33 — Playing at Michigan 18:27 — Marriage, kids, and leaving coaching 19:53 — How her mom got her into pickleball 24:34 — First pro pickleball events 24:38 — Breaking into the top of women's singles 31:19 — Working with Mike Wolf 33:39 — Signing with Joola 32:45 — Relationship with Andre Agassi 33:48 — The Insane Anna Leigh Waters match 40:56 — The next generation of "pickle kids" 47:08 — Goals in doubles 53:38 — Legacy and what's next

    Brooke Buckner: From Stay-at-Home Mom to #4 in the World, and How to beat Anna Leigh Waters | S4 E8

  2. 9 Jul

    Dave Fleming: The Voice of Pickleball on Haters, Catchphrases, and Growing the Game | S4 E7

    In this episode, Dave sits down with Roscoe and Jared to trace his winding path to the pickleball mic — from calling high school sports in Memphis to ball boying and interviewing tennis legends as a teenager, and finally becoming the defining voice of the sport's biggest broadcasts. Dave breaks down his origin story in detail: growing up in a sports-obsessed family, his early TV career, and the chance golf cart conversation with Hank Haney that connected Tom Dundon and Connor Pardoe — a meeting that helped shape the modern PPA. He also shares how he almost missed his own start in broadcasting after years working outside sports media entirely. Dave also opens up about the craft behind the mic: where catchphrases like "snowman," "crooked number," and "floor is lava" actually came from, how he handles online criticism by blocking and moving on, and his predictions for which discipline — mixed doubles or singles — will be the one to break pickleball into the mainstream. Pickleballers Hat: 🧢 https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pickleballers https://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleball https://instagram.com/roscoebellamy https://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps: 1:02 — Meet Dave Fleming, The Most Listened-To Man in Pickleball 1:57 — Getting Recognized at Tournaments (And at a Concert) 3:10 — The Chris Collinsworth Comparison 4:18 — His Parents Met at a Copier in Pittsburgh 5:35 — The High School TV Station That Started It All 6:42 — Ball Boying Jimmy Connors, Then Interviewing Him Minutes Later 8:15 — Why Pro Tennis Wasn't in the Cards 9:21 — Choosing Marketing Over Sports Broadcasting in College 10:14 — Writing Periodontal Brochures for Delta Dental 11:01 — Blocking Out Steelers Scores on Championship Sunday 14:26 — Discovering Pickleball at 49 Through a Tennis Friend 16:34 — Meeting Adam Stone and Winning Their First Tournament 18:51 — The Email From Steve Dawson That Changed Everything 21:03 — The Golf Cart Ride That Connected Tom Dundon and Connor Pardoe 22:57 — Building the PPA From a Backyard Pickleball Court 26:28 — Introducing Tom Dundon and Connor Pardoe 29:15 — Finding His Voice as the Voice of Pickleball 31:02 — The Broadcasters Who Shaped His Style 33:20 — How Dave Handles the Haters 35:11 — Navigating Negativity in The Community 43:03 — The Loudest Roar He's Ever Heard on the Mic 44:47 — The Match That Gave Him Chills: Kalamotos vs. Waters/Bright 48:36 — What's Needed to Break Pickleball Into the Mainstream 51:21 — Is There a "Dinking Problem" in Pickleball? 53:25 — Mixed Doubles vs. Singles: Which One Breaks Through? 55:14 — What He Wants His Broadcasting Legacy to Be 56:29 — Breaking Down His Catchphrases: Snowman, Crooked Number, and More 59:07 — The Story Behind "Scratch My Back With a Hacksaw" 1:01:26 — What Dave Wants His Legacy to Be

    Dave Fleming: The Voice of Pickleball on Haters, Catchphrases, and Growing the Game | S4 E7

  3. 2 Jul

    Hannah Blatt: Pickleball's First Influencer, Marrying Her Doubles Partner, and Going Pro | S4 E6

    Hannah Blatt was one of the top squash players in the world before transitioning into professional pickleball, where she's now ranked 22nd in singles and become one of the most followed players in the sport on social media. In this episode, Hannah sits down with Roscoe and Jared to trace her path from elite junior and college squash to professional pickleball, and how she became one of the first players in the sport to build a following around her personal brand rather than just her results on the court. Hannah breaks down her rise through junior and college squash at Drexel, including a brutal sophomore season playing the number one spot where she lost nearly every match, and how that experience shaped her decision to eventually walk away from the sport and throw herself into pickleball instead. Hannah also opens up about becoming one of pickleball's first influencers before it was common, how a mixed doubles partnership with Grayson Goldin turned into an engagement, and her goals to crack the top 20 in all three divisions and eventually go pro at the highest level. Pickleballers Hat: 🧢 https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pickleballers https://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleball https://instagram.com/roscoebellamy https://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps: 1:13 — Meet Hannah Blatt 2:16 — Moving to Florida for squash 9:05 — What squash actually is 13:21 — Ivy League recruiting and Drexel 14:56 — Losing almost every match at #1 22:08 — Turning Pro in a Sport With No Money 26:23 — First time playing pickleball 27:37 — Building a following, going all in 33:38 — Becoming pickleball's first influencer 38:50 — The road to going pro in pickleball 44:03 — Cracking Top 22 in the World 46:16 — A Mixed Doubles Partner Becomes a Fiancé 51:02 — The Top 20 Goal and an Olympic Dream 52:26 — The Squash Backhand That Carries Over to Pickleball

    Hannah Blatt: Pickleball's First Influencer, Marrying Her Doubles Partner, and Going Pro | S4 E6

  4. 25 Jun

    Jared Paul: The Origin Story of The Kitchen and How It Became Pickleball's Biggest Community | S4 E5

    Jared Paul is the co-host of Pickleballers and the founder of The Kitchen Pickleball — the largest and most engaged pickleball community and media company in the world, with over two million cumulative members, followers, and email subscribers across platforms. In this episode, Roscoe flips the script and puts Jared in the guest seat for the first time, joined by Dane Illif, Jared's longtime co-founder and right-hand man at The Kitchen. Together, they trace the full origin story — from a broke music startup in Oakland to building the brand that helped define modern pickleball culture. Jared opens up about the winding road that led him to Austin: surviving 9/11 in New York, playing in a funk band called Frontline Theory, running a nonprofit in San Francisco, and finally landing at a digital agency where he realized he was unemployable and couldn't work on someone else's dream. The Kitchen didn't start as a business plan — it started as a Facebook group for Austin pickleball players during COVID, born out of a failed music company and a chance invite to play at a bar called Bolden Acres. Jared and Dane also get into the behind-the-scenes of how The Kitchen actually became a business — from a $1,000/month deal with an Amazon paddle brand, to producing an $8,000 Electrum commercial in Vegas, to landing an early partnership with Connor Pardus and the PPA before anyone else believed in them. They break down why they never bought a single follower, what made the kitchen impossible to replicate, and why Jared believes singles pickleball is the format that takes the sport to TV. 🧢 Pickleballers Hat: https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pickleballers https://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleball https://instagram.com/roscoebellamy https://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps: 1:09 — Jared in the Hot Seat 2:17 — Dane Joins the Story 4:29 — The Broke Oakland Music Startup 9:38 — Growing Up & Early Life in Atlanta 10:10 — Bombing the Interview, Then Getting the Job 12:34 — Seeing 9/11 from NYC Rooftop 14:19 — Playing in a Band Called Frontline Theory 16:07 — Quitting Sales & The Power of Now 17:18 — Building a Nonprofit in San Francisco 19:29 — Working at Salesforce & a Digital Agency 21:06 — Why the Early Companies Failed 22:18 — Community First vs. Product First 27:08 — How Pickleball Found Them During COVID 28:02 — The Kitchen Is Born 29:07 — Dane Create the Logo 32:23 — When It Became a Real Business 34:03 — Trying to Make a Pickleball (and Failing) 36:28 — The $8K Electrum Commercial in Vegas 38:21 — The Early PPA Partnership 39:44 — The Kitchen by the Numbers Today 43:51 — Never Buying a Single Follower 45:14 — Top Tips for Creators 48:10 — Most Viral Post of All Time 49:24 — Is the Pickleball Boom Over? 50:44 — Favorite Pickleball Events 54:24 — What Pickleball Has Given Them 57:33 — The Future of Pickleball & The Kitchen

    Jared Paul: The Origin Story of The Kitchen and How It Became Pickleball's Biggest Community | S4 E5

  5. 18 Jun

    Danni-Elle Townsend: Australia's Newest Pickleball Superstar Is Coming For The Top | S4 E4

    In this episode, Danni-Elle sits down with Roscoe and Jared fresh off a run to the MLP finals in Austin. She breaks down what it's like competing on American soil for the first time, why she's unapologetic about staying rooted in Australia, and why she believes the sport's next wave of talent is coming from the Asia-Pacific region. Danni-Elle opens up about her table tennis career — how her mom and dad met through the sport, how she rose to the Australian national team, and how it all ended with a cold email telling her "good luck with the rest of your life" after a contract technicality they used to push her out. She traces the unlikely path from that moment to playing pickleball on a wood floor on International Pickleball Day with "a bunch of old people" — and how a free-drinks tournament turned into a full-blown obsession. Danni-Elle also gets into the confidence and swagger she brings to every court, the moment she told Roscoe she's the best women's right-side player in the world, and her completely unbothered declaration that Anna Leigh Waters already knows she's coming for her crown. She shares why being told she "wasn't the look" sponsors were seeking only made her more committed to playing her own way — and why she's betting on herself to crack the top five within a year. Pickleballers Hat: 🧢 https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pickleballers https://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleball https://instagram.com/roscoebellamy https://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps: 1:10 — Welcome & Intro 1:38 — MLP Breakout and First Impressions 3:05 — Paving the Way for Australian Pickleball 4:01 — Joey Wild and the 1:20 AM Drive to Train 5:30 — Where Does She Rank Right Now? 6:28 — Why She's Staying in Australia 7:21 — Is Asia the Future of Pickleball? 12:22 — From Ping-Pong to Pickleball 13:08 — The Origin of the Name "Danielle" 14:06 — Growing Up in Australia with Three Brothers 14:55 — Table Tennis National Team — and Getting Kicked Out 16:27 — Discovering Pickleball on International Pickleball Day 17:33 — When Pickleball Gets Too Serious 19:40 — The Fun vs. Business Tipping Point 22:49 — Style Differences: Australia vs. the States 26:07 — What Gives Her That Energy on Court 27:09 — The Clown Incident with ALW 29:59 — Confidence, Competition, and the "Hell No" Mentality 33:14 — Theater, Brothers, and Where the Confidence Came From 34:47 — Jesse and the "I Don't Like People" Introduction 35:53 — Tennis vs. Ping-Pong as a Pickleball Prerequisite 39:27 — Most Underrated Player: Georgia Johnson 40:15 — Getting Told She "Wasn't the Look" 42:39 — Goals: Top Five in One Year, Best in Three 51:56 — Where Does Australia Rank Globally? 53:13 — Coming for ALW's Crown 55:03 — Dream Doubles Partner

    Danni-Elle Townsend: Australia's Newest Pickleball Superstar Is Coming For The Top | S4 E4

  6. 11 Jun

    Hannah Johns: The Johns Family Origin, Growing The PPA, and Pickleball's Wildest Early Days | S4 E3

    In this episode, Hannah sits down with Roscoe and Jared to pull back the curtain on the Johns family, the wild early days of the PPA, and what it really took to turn pickleball into a legitimate professional sport. It's part origin story, part behind-the-scenes tour, and entirely worth your time. Hannah opens up about growing up as one of seven homeschooled kids on 12 acres, how Ben showed freakish hand-eye coordination before he could even talk much, and the moment the family realized pickleball might actually be something real — when the first major Franklin sponsorship came in and changed everything. Hannah also gets into the grind of being PPA Employee #4 — arranging player housing, getting screamed at when a pro peed in a host's garden, and the relentless skepticism from networks and fans who said tickets would never sell. She shares what she's most proud of: helping prove every single naysayer wrong. Delivered by @DoorDash! 🚪 Pickleballers Hat: 🧢 https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pickleballers https://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleball https://instagram.com/roscoebellamy https://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps: 1:14 — Welcome, Hannah Johns 2:09 — Why Hannah Stepped Away from Sideline Reporting 3:19 — Three Years, Zero Missed Tournaments 4:05 — Traveling the Tour with Ben and Colin 5:28 — How Ryan Sherry Got Hannah Into the PPA 6:00 — Living in the Czech Republic and the Rough Return Home 7:34 — Growing Up Johns: Homeschooled on 12 Acres 10:31 — The Siblings: A Family of Savants 12:24 — How the Johns Family Found Pickleball 16:13 — Who Had the X Factor Growing Up? 17:03 — Ben at Age 3: The Pool Cue Story 22:37 — When Pickleball Was Just Another Hobby for Ben 25:27 — Colin Signing with Electrum and the Early Sponsorship Era 26:04 — How the Johns Family Reacted to the Brothers' Rise 28:25 — Hannah's Goal: Not Being Known as Ben's Sister 30:04 — The Sideline Reporter Craft: Prep, Notes, and Questions 31:15 — Crying in Hotel Bathrooms Before Going on Air 32:12 — Crazy Stories from Tour: The Incident That Almost Sent Someone to Jail 34:20 — The Housing Program and the Garden Incident 36:35 — Misunderstandings About the Early Days of Pickleball 40:41 — The Real Milestones: Salaries, Ticket Sales, and Networks 44:15 — Hannah's Proudest Accomplishment 44:49 — Proving Every Naysayer Wrong 46:01 — The Moment Ben Started Getting Recognized in Public 49:12 — Could Hannah Go Pro? The Black Sheep of the Family 51:30 — The Best Sideline Interview Hannah Ever Did 52:24 — What Most People Misunderstand About Ben Johns 53:55 — Where Hannah Sees Pickleball in 5 Years

    Hannah Johns: The Johns Family Origin, Growing The PPA, and Pickleball's Wildest Early Days | S4 E3

  7. 4 Jun

    Grayson Goldin: The Pickleball Pro Who Survived Two Strokes at 30 and is Coming Back | S4 E2

    In this episode, Grayson sits down with Roscoe and Jared to share the full story of suffering two strokes at 30 years old — how it happened, what those six days in the hospital were like, and what his road back to the court has looked like. It's one of the most raw and honest conversations the show has ever had. Grayson breaks down exactly how it unfolded: a chiropractic adjustment after a tournament left something feeling off, and nine days later he woke up unable to form sentences. He traces the moment on court when water started "pouring into his head," the frantic trip to the ER, and the doctor delivering the news that he'd had not one but two strokes — visible as two dark spots on his brain scan. Grayson also opens up about his path to pickleball — from being ranked number one in the country in junior tennis at 12, to selling life insurance after college, to stumbling onto packed pickleball courts in Sarasota and deciding to go all-in. He shares what it felt like walking into Atlanta and watching Federico and Hayden on center court, the moment he knew this was it, and why he still believes he can be number one in the world. 🧢 Pickleballers Hat: https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pickleballers https://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleball https://instagram.com/roscoebellamy https://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps: 1:03 — Welcome & Intro 2:28 — Two Strokes at 30: The Health Scare Begins 7:31 — Waking Up Unable to Speak 10:01 — Racing to the Hospital 14:49 — The ER, the Diagnosis, and Six Days of Tests 18:09 — What Actually Caused the Strokes 22:11 — Little Grayson: Born in Chicago, Raised on Tennis 25:06 — Ranked #1 in the Country at 12 30:07 — College Tennis, IMG, and Realizing It Wasn't Enough 34:11 — Life After Tennis: Insurance Sales and Real Estate 37:39 — Discovering Pickleball at the Country Club 46:14 — Flying to Atlanta, Going All-In 52:17 — The Infamous Mixed Doubles Point with Shelby Bates 1:04:49 — Power Tips and Branding Advice for Up-and-Comers 1:07:17 — What the Strokes Taught Him About Pickleball and Life

    Grayson Goldin: The Pickleball Pro Who Survived Two Strokes at 30 and is Coming Back | S4 E2

  8. 28 May

    JW & Jorja Johnson: MLP Drama, Signing Underwear, and Pickleball's Sibling Reign | S4 E1

    JW and Jorja Johnson are the most decorated sibling team in professional pickleball, known for transforming the game with the JW Johnson flick and the Jorja Johnson fire — two of the most talked-about weapons on tour. In this episode, JW and Jorja sit down with Roscoe and Jared to trace their unlikely path from Pittsburgh, Kansas to the top of the pro game. They get into the zero-pressure upbringing that made it all possible, the South Florida training culture they helped build, and what it actually takes to stay dominant in a sport evolving as fast as pickleball. Jorja breaks down what it was like to be stolen from the Dallas Flash in the MLP draft, landing on the New Jersey Fives alongside Anna Leigh Waters — a move nobody saw coming. JW also reveals he's never had a real conversation with Ben Johns off the court, and addresses for the first time whether a JW-Ben partnership has ever been on the table. Pickleballers Hat: 🧢 https://shop.thekitchenpickle.com/products/pickleballer-snapback?variant=58191198781521 Add us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pickleballers https://instagram.com/thekitchenpickleball https://instagram.com/roscoebellamy https://instagram.com/jpaulthechef Timestamps: 1:07 — Welcome & Introducing JW and Jorja Johnson 2:33 — Growing Up in Pittsburgh, Kansas 5:20 — How COVID Sparked Their Pickleball Journey 8:52 — Early Days: Bad Reps, Johnny Goldberg & First Tournaments 10:21 — The $300 Hilton Head Moment That Changed Everything 13:06 — Building the South Florida Training Scene 19:51 — Julie Johnson's Academy and the Rise of a Squad 24:43 — When the Money Started Getting Real 26:26 — Power Balance Scam, Franklin Deal & Seeing Your Face in Dick's 29:04 — Signing Underwear and Knowing You've Made It 34:46 — MLP, the Dallas Flash, and Becoming Stars 40:33 — The Draft Shock: Jorja Stolen to the New Jersey Fives 45:06 — Playing with Anna Leigh & What That Partnership Looks Like 47:26 — How They Stay Dominant: Film, Evolution, and the Tui 49:08 — JW's Hands: The Secret Behind the Fastest Reactions on Tour 54:22 — Life Off the Court: Padel, Cinnamon Bread & Movies 56:44 — Biggest Rivals and the Mindset Behind Not Having One 59:19 — Has JW Ever Thought About Teaming with Ben Johns? 1:01:09 — Greatest Moments

    JW & Jorja Johnson: MLP Drama, Signing Underwear, and Pickleball's Sibling Reign | S4 E1
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About

The Pickleballers Podcast — hosted by Jared Paul and Dane Iliff, founders of The Kitchen (the largest media company in pickleball), alongside top-ranked pro Roscoe Bellamy — is your new go-to source for all things pickleball.From breaking news and spicy hot takes to hilarious banter and all-star guests, Pickleballers brings the energy. Tune in for celebrity drop-ins, pro insights, and a front-row seat to the fastest-growing sport in America.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Jared Paul (founder of The Kitchen) and Roscoe Bellamy (pro pickleball player)
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    48
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Jared Paul (founder of The Kitchen) and Roscoe Bellamy (pro pickleball player)
  • Show Website
    Pickleballers
  • Provider
    Pickle Ballers

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