Is pickleball more of a sport, or more of a hobby?
Honestly, I’d call it an addiction. What makes this game so addicting?
There are so many answers. Meeting new people from different ages and backgrounds, exercising, the satisfaction of a perfectly placed shot, seeing your improvement?
All these aspects are the reason that we created ThePickleSports. We want to share our addiction to pickleball with like-minded people.
We wanted to take it to the next level and improve our understanding as well as sharing it on the internet for new or advanced players to read.
Come along for the ride!
Our goal with The Pickle Sports was to build more than a website with reviews and strategy, we wanted to build community.
Meet The Team
We are the founding fathers and mothers of ThePickleSports. Our team is built on having fun and educating others who love this game. We range from beginner to advanced players in Pickleball so that you as the reader can get a full range of advice, opinions, and reviews.
Kathy Matthews (Editor/Author)
Don’t let her obsession for Pink and that radiating smile fool you! Kathy has a wicked backhand and will run you up and down a pickleball court. She Has been playing local pickup games in Palm Beach Florida for the last 3 years. She is a 3.5 but she is improving fast! Kathy gives reports on reviews and style for women and men and loves to help people make the best decision possible.
Michael has been playing competitive racquet sports forever – from badminton to racquetball to squash to tennis. He has always enjoyed both the competitive and social aspects of the games. Pickleball has become his latest obsession, combining all the fun aspects of court games, plus the challenge of being a new set of skills for his mind and body. Michael is constantly trying to improve his game, through drilling, playing, watching YouTube for tips, and researching the latest equipment and strategies. You will find him looking for matches and new players to hit with all across Southern California or converting non-Pickleballers to Pickleballers.
Daniel Weiner (Author)
Daniel Weiner is a cook and writer from New York, where he plays pickleball with his family and friends. He’s currently a candidate in the nonfiction program at Oregon State University.
Daniel Hawk is a Northern California transplant from the Washington D.C. area. He grew up playing as much basketball as he possibly could while mixing in tennis, ping pong, and whatever other sports he could find that would get his heart rate going, test his reflexes, and fuel his competitive drive. He picked up pickleball in 2021 and has never looked back. Daniel is a 4.5 player who is constantly studying the game and working to improve. Daniel has been writing his whole life. His father is a professional editor who helped imprint the beauty and necessity of clear writing in Daniel at an early age. He studied English at the University of Colorado on Boulder and has written countless works of fiction and nonfiction since.
We are thrilled to have Daniel join us on the team!
Alex started playing pickleball in May 2021 and like so many other players got hooked right away. An avid ping pong player in high school and college, he instantly took to pickleball because, in the words of comedian George Carlin, it’s like “playing ping pong while standing on the table.”
Originally from New York City and based currently in Miami, FL, Alex often travels to different locations for months at a time with his wife who is a travel nurse, so he has become part of many pickleball communities in several states. He appreciates the social aspect of the game as much as the finer points of strategy and technique.
Brain Ragan (Author)
Brian is a California native who began his tennis obsession in Southern California where he was coached by Wayne Bryan, the father of the famous doubles players the Bryan brothers. He moved to Northern California later in life where he picked up his new obsession of pickleball back in 2015. Brian is a 5.0 pickleball player with a unique understanding of the game who has taught many former and current tennis players and even a few PGA Tour players this newfound sport. Brian has been a freelance writer since he was in college and is known for his fun, creative, and comical short stories that emblematize his humorous take on life. When not on the courts he can be found fly fishing in the Sierra Nevada Mountains or surfing somewhere along the California Pacific Coast.
(Far left: PGA Tour Pro Sahith Theegala; Middle: Brian Ragan; Second to far right: nine-time winner on the PGA Tour, Matt Kuchar)
Jacob Hoisington (Author)
Jacob discovered pickleball when he one day was biking past local courts and started a conversation with some players. He asked what they were playing and got invited to a beginner’s night where he got hooked on the game. As a long-time doubles’ tennis player, pickleball was a natural fit for Jacob. His first love of the game was trying different paddles as there were so many and ever since he has become obsessed with trying every paddle, he can get his hands on. Jacob appreciates that pickleball is accessible to anyone while still offering competition.
Jay Kelly (Editor)
Jay claims to be a jack of all trades but master of none. He’s played it all, but Pickleball is his latest love. He brings humor and flair to The Pickle Sports and loves adding his voice and funny, yet educating opinion to pieces
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