Playmaker Pickleball

Back in my early days of playing pickleball, I was determined to become a brand rep. I’ve always been a gear junkie —growing up skiing, I was fascinated by anyone who represented a company. That passion naturally followed me into pickleball. I filled out ambassador applications for various brands, but Diadem was one of the only companies that actually reached out to me. That made the decision easy: I proudly became a Diadem Rep and started playing with the original Diadem Warrior as my daily driver. The original Warrior was unlike anything else on the market at the time. While most companies were releasing paddles in 14mm or 16mm thicknesses, Diadem was the first to introduce a 19mm paddle , breaking new ground in both design and feel. It was also very heavy,  weighing in at 8.5+ ounces with a swingweight of 127, which is extremely high by any standard. A friend of mine jokingly called it “The Club.” Eventually, Diadem released the Warrior V2 , which became my go-to paddle for an...

In my opinion, there are two main ways to become a great player: Be the best at one thing. Be really good at everything. At first glance, both seem like solid goals. But if you ask me, option two is the more reliable and sustainable path —being well-rounded. Let’s talk about option one first: being the best at one thing. This can absolutely work—if you can consistently dominate a specific skill, like having elite hand speed at the net, then that one skill can carry you far. For example, if you win 90% of your firefights, you should try to turn every point into a firefight. Why wouldn’t you? You’re playing to your strength and forcing others to play your game. However, unless your name is Ben Johns, you're eventually going to run into someone with equal—or even superior—skills. That’s why it’s in your best interest to have a wide variety of shots and strategies at your disposal. The more tools you have, the more likely you are to find the clearest path to victory. This ...

Pickleball players and coaches often put a huge emphasis on the third shot—serve, return, and then the all-important drop or drive. It's a popular topic, and for good reason. But what rarely gets talked about is the fourth shot —the ball played immediately after the third shot. Whether it's a counter to a drive or a response to a drop, the fourth shot can actually be one of the most important weapons in your arsenal. When you are about to hit a fourth shot, you and your partner should be established at the kitchen line. If you aren't, refer to my previous blog .  There are several smart options for how to handle the fourth shot , and your choice depends entirely on the type of third shot you receive: 1. If you receive a third shot drop into the kitchen: Dink it cross-court. This is often the safest and smartest response, especially if your opponent hits a solid drop and you’re unsure of a better option. It keeps you on point and resets the rally. Or Attack a hig...

This past weekend, I was at my friend Bonnie’s mixed doubles tournament at the 3.25–3.5 level. They went 6–0 and won the whole thing—no one even came close to beating them. Safe to say, it might be time for them to move up to 3.75 or even 4.0. But while watching that level of play, one thing kept standing out—something I see over and over again as both a coach and a player: the returning team’s built-in advantage is being completely overlooked. Pickleball is literally designed to favor the returning team in point construction. Even though they can’t score, they’re handed a golden opportunity—one player is already at the kitchen, and the returner simply needs to hit a solid return and charge up to join their partner. Meanwhile, the serving team is stuck behind the baseline, trying to fight their way forward. Yet somehow, that advantage keeps going to waste. So here’s the challenge—and the opportunity—for the serving team: if the returner doesn’t come up to the kitchen, don’t let them o...