"Travis is a budget JW Johnson" - sh*t talking with Anna Bright

 

Anna Bright on Partnerships, Paddles and Pickleball Dreams

The fast-rising pickleball pro spoke openly about her on-court chemistry, equipment troubles, and what it takes to compete at the highest level.

As the pickleball world converges on San Clemente for the final event of the 2023 Major League Pickleball (MLP) season, all eyes are on one of the sport’s brightest new talents.

23-year-old Anna Bright first burst onto the pro scene last year, but she has quickly become one of the most dominant and creative players on the women’s tour. On the ‘Tennis Sucks’ podcast, Anna discussed her rapid rise, on-court chemistry with partners, the trouble with pickleball paddles and her big plans for the future.

1. Intro & When Graham Met Anna (00:00)

The podcast kicks off with host Graham D’Amico reminiscing on first meeting Bright at a Florida pickleball tournament, where a bold Graham tried convincing her to partner with Travis Rettenmaier.

“You were like - okay but I've gotten a whole lot of offers today I'll get back to you,’” laughs Graham. “Seriously so Savage of me,” admits a sheepish Bright. Little did they know this scrappy young player would soon be one of the sport’s biggest stars.

2. Drafting Rachel on the Orlando Squeeze (03:31)

A key part of Bright’s success has been her on-court chemistry with doubles partner Rachel Rohrabacher. Bright reveals she drafted the fiery Rohrabacher onto her MLP franchise — the Orlando Squeeze — based almost solely on watching a few of her matches online. “I knew of Rachel from junior tennis...she was so annoying, she was so loud,” laughs Bright.

3. Thoughts on Upcoming MLP Final (08:28)

With the Squeeze set to face the DC Tridents in the MLP Finals on December 4th, Bright is laser focused on solving the team’s kryptonite — sisters Jade and Jackie Kawamoto. “We have to beat the freaking Kawamotos... I can’t stand them,” she says, clearly relishing the matchup against her friendly rivals. Bright believes controlling the blazing speed of the Kawamotos is key: “It happens too fast — it needs to work immediately.”

4. PPA Invitational (10:10)

Bright also discussed innovations in the upcoming PPA Invitational event, where top players will be drafted All-Star style to compete in a unique team format. She was initially set to partner with arch-rival Riley Newman, but now will play mixed doubles with familiar partner James Ignatowich. “It would have been hilarious if Riley had picked me,” muses Bright, clearly disappointed not to have a shot at defeating her Dallas nemesis.

5. Partners for 2024 - Jack Sock? (13:05)

Looking ahead to 2024 partnerships, Bright admits even she is in the dark on where new male phenom Jack Sock will end up. She expects Sock to immediately jump into the Top 5 on the men's tour thanks to his explosive power, but believes it may take him longer to master the finesse skills needed to dominate mixed doubles with the women. As for Bright, it certainly seems she will be keeping partner James Ignatowich for the foreseeable future.

6. Now Training with Connor (15:02)

Seeking every edge possible on tour, Bright has now linked up with leading pickleball trainer Connor Derrickson. She hopes the mobility and strength work can add even 5% of improvement to her game. However, Bright confesses that she still hates the pain and exhaustion that comes along with intense physical training. “Lifting things up in the air and putting them down to me is like — it doesn’t spark,” she quips.

7. Anna’s Mental Game (17:51)

According to Bright, staying mentally locked-in during matches comes naturally to her intense on-court persona. She focuses on controlling her breathing rather than specific visualization techniques. In contrast, mixed partner James Ignatowich is nearly always seen wearing headphones and entering a deeply meditative state even between points, listening to “nonsleep deep rest” content. It seems the zen-like Ignatowich and intense Bright balance each other out perfectly on the court.

8. Sponsorship with Joola (22:03)

As her profile has risen, Bright has also attracted a high-profile sponsorship deal with paddle manufacturer Joola. She cites instantly connecting with their paddles from first touch, and wanting to represent the company in its early growth phase in pickleball. While Ben Johns has significant input into designing paddles tailored exactly to his game, Bright is content for now trusting Joola to craft custom designs for her as surprises.

9. Take on Paddle Testing (26:24)

Amidst swirling controversy around paddle testing standards and failures at key events, Anna expressed frustration at the inconsistent standards between events, mysterious changes seemingly overnight, and desire for more transparency in the testing process. “Just a more organized system with player representatives attending would really help us move on from talking about paddles so much,” offers Bright.

10. Talk Sh** About Travis (38:33)

Producer Luke Burton jumps in to ask Bright’s candid thoughts on outspoken co-host Travis Rettenmaier, absent from this episode. She compliments his consistency and court coverage skills, but feels he plays the game in a stiff, linear style more suited to a past era. “I kind of call him budget-JW Johnson,” jokes Bright. However, she cites impressive versatility from Rettenmaier in more casual tournament play, unleashing nasty shots and aggression unseen in his normal conservative pro matches.

11. Favorite Player on Tour (41:10)

When pressed to name favorites on tour, Bright showers praise on Jorja Johnson, she is “so great,” and Bobbi Oshiro for having “the most beautiful technique on tour” with creativity flowing through his compact, smooth strokes. However, she shocks co-hosts by naming low-key Graham as her personal favorite. Bright fondly recalls loudly cheering during his Cinderella run earlier this year. “I was going crazy — it would just be so funny if they won,” she laughs.

12. James and Anna Moving? (42:54)

Looking into the future, Graham probes on whether Bright and partner Ignatowich may consider moving away from their current central Florida pickleball community. She confirms they have discussed options, but will stay put in Boca Raton area for 2024. After that, Bright indicates an openness to relocating: “There’s not too many places where there’s genuinely good practice.” Sounds like a recruiting war for the sport’s hottest new power couple could be on the horizon.

1. 00:00: Intro & When Graham Met Anna
2. 03:31: Drafting Rachel on the Orlando Squeeze
3. 08:28 Thoughts on up-coming MLP Final
4. 10:10: PPA Invitational
5. 13:05: Partners for 2024 - Jack Sock?
6. 15:02: Now Training with Connor
7. 17:51: Anna’s Mental Game
8. 22:03: Sponsorship with Joola
9. 26:24: Take on Paddle Testing
10. 38:33: Talk shit about Travis
11. 41:10: Favorite player on tour
12. 42:54: James and Anna moving?

2023 PPA Tour Finals: Singles

 

0:00 Christian Alshon vs Jay Devilliers 37:26 Catherine Parenteau vs Yana Newell 1:38:04 Christian Alshon vs Connor Garnett 2:18:14 Mary Brascia vs Lauren Stratman 3:27:20 Tyson McGuffin vs Pablo Tellez 4:28:26 Mary Brascia vs Judit Castillo

8:43 Tyson McGuffin vs Federico Staksrud 35:53 Judit Castillo vs Lauren Stratman 1:28:24 Ben Johns vs Jay Devilliers 2:10:14 Anna Leigh Waters vs Judit Castillo 3:11:51 JW Johnson vs Federico Staksrud 4:16:36 Yana Newell vs Irina Tereschenko

Semifinals
Ben Johns vs Tyson McGuffin
Anna Leigh Waters vs Irina Tereschenko
Federico Staksrud vs Christian Alshon
Catherine Parenteau vs Mary Brascia

2:02 Women's Singles

Anna Leigh Waters

Catherine Parenteau

Mary Brascia

Judit Castillo

Lea Jansen

Jorja Johnson

Yana Newell Lauren Stratman

Irina Tereschenko

3:20 Men's Singles

Ben Johns JW Johnson

Christian Alshon Jay Devilliers Connor Garnett Tyson McGuffin Federico Staksrud Pablo Tellez

Ace Pickleball Club Founder Jay Diedrich Interview

 

Indoor Pickleball Revolution Underway with New Franchise Model

Ace Pickleball Club aims to build nationwide chain of climate-controlled pickleball facilities

The pickleball craze continues to sweep the nation, with millions of new players discovering the sport every year. But one major obstacle stands in the way of pickleball's further growth - lack of courts and indoor facilities. That's where Ace Pickleball Club plans to step in.

Led by veteran entrepreneurs Jay Diedrich and his team who have years of experience building indoor trampoline parks, Ace Pickleball aims to construct state-of-the-art climate-controlled pickleball facilities across the country through a national franchise model.

1. The Future of Pickleball Show Episode 31 Trailer - Paul Olson introduces his guest Jay Diedrich and teases the indoor pickleball park concept (0:00)
   
   
2. Jay Diedrich Discovers Pickleball in 2020 - Jay talks about how he first discovered pickleball during the Covid shutdowns while living in Florida, instantly getting hooked on the sport. (0:40)
   
   

After getting beat badly by two septuagenarians his first time playing, Jay was determined to improve. He and his wife quickly became obsessed, playing multiple times per day.

3. Making the Leap into the Business Side - Seeing packed tournaments in his community, Jay recognized pickleball's explosive growth trajectory and infrastructure limitations, sparking the idea for indoor facilities. (2:48)
   
   

With courts constantly crowded and weather often interfering with play, Jay's wife challenged him to develop a solution. Combining his passion for pickleball with over 10 years experience building indoor active entertainment venues, a lightbulb went on for Jay.

4. The Origins of Sky Zone Trampoline Parks - Jay details his team's background developing indoor trampoline parks across the country. (3:56)

Recognizing similar real estate and spatial needs, Jay realized his skill set was uniquely suited to build dedicated indoor pickleball centers.

5. Constructing the First Location in Georgia - An in-depth look at timeline and specifics of Ace Pickleball's inaugural facility. (7:26)
   
   

With the first location in Roswell, Georgia opening in just 3 weeks, Jay explains how Ace Pickleball is set up as a full-service franchisor - controlling real estate, design, construction and operations for turnkey franchise units.

6. Explaining the Franchisee Model - Jay breaks down options for potential franchisees - single or multi-unit, new entrepreneurs or seasoned operators. (9:45)
   
   

From first timers to large multi-unit owners, Ace Pickleball has sold 32 franchises to a wide range of investors looking to capitalize on the booming sport.

7. Ensuring Premium Player Experience - Jay stresses Ace Pickleball's focus on high standards, quality control and attention to detail in their facility designs. (11:43)
   
   

Avoiding common pitfalls Jay noticed in existing centers, locations feature high ceilings, optimal court spacing and dedicated ball control to deliver best-in-class play.

8. Attracting Fellow Franchisees - Jay notes that former Sky Zone franchisee TK Herman will likely be Ace Pickleball's first franchisee opening. (12:21)
   
   

Leveraging their credibility in franchise circles has already paid dividends, landing an experienced former partner as Ace Pickleball's first franchisee.

9. Opening the First Franchise in Fort Wayne, Indiana - Jay expects the first franchise unit to open in Fort Wayne in December 2023. (12:59)
   
   

With their streamlined franchise model ready for rapid growth, Ace Pickleball has an aggressive timeline for franchisees to start opening locations across the country.

10. Providing Guidance on Finances - Ace Pickleball outlines estimated costs for potential franchisees. (13:41)
    
    

While stopping short of providing specific dollar amounts, Jay advises prospective franchisees to prepare for significant upfront investment to fund their first location build-out.

11. Typical Facility Size - The target footprint is 12-16 courts, expanding up to 20+ courts for larger markets. (14:18)
    
    

Given explosive player demand seen everywhere, Ace Pickleball favors building significantly larger facilities versus the smaller 4-8 court venues they've observed in some areas.

12. Nationwide Applicability - Jay sees virtually no geographic constraints, with the model viable in any US market. (15:04)
    
    

Crunching demographic data state-by-state, Jay found pickleball's participant base spans all ages, income levels and regions - giving Ace Pickleball confidence in coast-to-coast expansion.

13. Timeline for New Franchisees - From initial outreach to securing real estate, Jay lays out process for getting new locations set up. (16:13)
    
    

Once engaged, Ace Pickleball takes the driver's seat - identifying sites, negotiating leases and securing financing so franchisees can focus on operations, marketing and programming.

14. Ace Pickleball's Secret Sauce - Asked what separates Ace Pickleball from potential competitors, Jay points to proven team's development expertise. (19:00)
    
    

With intricate construction needs and costly missteps to avoid, Jay emphasizes that Ace Pickleball's industry-specific experience in large format builds is a vital competitive edge.

Summery

The pickleball revolution is sweeping the nation, but lack of dedicated courts and weather issues are holding back further growth. Enter Ace Pickleball Club, a new indoor pickleball facility franchise aiming to solve these infrastructure challenges.

Led by entrepreneur Jay Diedrich, Ace Pickleball leverages over a decade of experience building indoor active entertainment venues like trampoline parks. Seeing pickleball's exploding popularity but limited court access firsthand in 2020, Jay assembled a team to adapt their skillset for indoor pickleball.

With their first location in Georgia opening in just three weeks, Ace Pickleball serves as a full-service franchisor. They control the entire process for franchisees - real estate, design, construction, operations and more. Offering a proven turnkey setup, Ace Pickleball has already sold 32 franchises to enthusiastic investors despite minimal marketing.

Jay promises premium player experiences, emphasizing high standards and attention to detail regarding court spacing, height clearances and ball containment. Avoiding common downfalls observed in existing facilities, Ace Pickleball intends to raise the bar for indoor play.

While costs vary based on specific location needs, Jay confirms significant capital is required upfront to fund the first venue. But long-term profit potential is immense given massive pent-up demand for pickleball courts.

The target footprint is 12-16 courts, but facilities can expand up to 20+ courts in some markets. And with pickleball's near universal demographic appeal, Jay sees virtually no geographic constraints on viability. Whether a state-of-the-art build-out in a vacant big-box store or ground-up construction, Ace Pickleball has the team to make it happen coast to coast.

Once engaged, Ace Pickleball takes the reins on real estate, design, permitting and financing so franchisees can instead focus on marketing, operations, programming and growing their customer base. It's this proven end-to-end franchise expertise that Jay views as their "secret sauce" versus rival concepts.

With unprecedented pickleball demand and inadequate infrastructure, the table seems set for rapid growth.

In closing, Jay touches on long-term visions like youth programming, creative tournament formats and community engagement. With unprecedented demand for places to play, Ace Pickleball is confident they've cracked the code on finally giving pickleball the dedicated infrastructure it deserves. If early momentum holds, we may be witnessing the emergence of indoor pickleball's first national juggernaut in Ace Pickleball Club.

YouTube Time Code

1. 0:00 - The Future of Pickleball Show Episode 31 Trailer
2. 0:40 - Jay's Diedrich's pickleball background
3. 2:48 The leap from playing with old people to creating indoor pickleball parks
4. 3:56 Sky Zone Trampoline Parks
5. 7:26 Time line on construction, How the franchisee rights works
6. 9:45 - Addressing the player experience on the court
7. 11:43 Sky Zone franchisees and pickleball
8. 12:21 Fort Wayne, IN - First Franchise Opens Dec. 2023
9. 12:59 - The standard financial model
10. 13:41 Average Square Foot Model
11. 14:18 Geographic Limitations
12. 15:04 Timeline, Finances
13. 16:13 - Why should people reach out to Ace Pickleball Club
14. 19:00 - Jay's future for pickleball