1 More Game Episode 50: The Evel Knievel of Pickleball Shots
The Evel Knievel of Pickleball Shots
A Passionate Pastime for Busy Parents Who Make Time to Play
In the world of amateur pickleball, busy parents Matt and Abby Brandenberger have become unlikely ambassadors for the surging paddle sport, hosting the 1 More Game podcast while juggling five daughters and hectic day jobs. Though they don’t pretend to be experts among the growing legions of hardcore devotees, their infectious enthusiasm for family, fun and friendly competition has attracted a loyal following of listeners who identity with the hosts’ cheeky banter and never-ending quest to squeeze in one more game.
Introducing a Beloved Pastime Turned Obsession
What began as a beloved pastime to spend time together has slowly transformed into a passionate obsession for the Brandenbergers, not unlike so many other pickleball parents across the nation. As ardent fans of the inclusive, multi-generational game that has exploded in popularity, Matt and Abby playfully embrace their roles as amateur ambassadors, welcoming newbies and connecting hardcore players through their lighthearted podcast while modeling a healthy outlook that balances family, work and wellness.
Delving Into the Alluring Appeal of Pickleball Culture
During this episode recorded on location at the new Ace Pickleball Club studios, Matt and Abby dive into several topics of interest percolating throughout the pickleball community, including often overlooked shots like the fourth shot, essential footwork fundamentals like the split step, and debating popular tactics and techniques to try on the courts. The hosts’ authentic accessibility has cultivated an engaged following of listeners who appreciate their honest self-appraisal and hunger to continuously improve.
1. Mastering the Misunderstood Fourth Shot
The fourth shot is often described as the most underrated or overlooked in pickleball, partly since newer players focus first on serving, returning and volleying. While less glamorous than slamming a winner, the fourth shot sets up pivotal scoring opportunities. After an ideally deeper return and controlled split step, players can attack weak returns or play patiently, moving forward with dinks or driving to move opponents back.
2. Remembering to Split Step
Matt and Abby humbly admit their split steps need work to enhance balance and prevent injuries after watching others stumble around courts resembling “chickens with their heads cut off.” Mindful footwork and weight transfers are critical pickleball fundamentals, beginning with split stepping just before an opponent strikes the ball as a novice, precisely as they make contact as an intermediate, and quickly after as an advanced player.
3. Letting More Questionable Shots Go
The hosts discuss the merits of judiciously letting balls go to score outs rather than swinging defensively at drives with uncertain placement. While admitting some skepticism from frustrating experiences guessing wrong on apparent misses that landed in play, they reference stats showing 61% of questionable low drives do sail long and encourage tracking results to determine ideal selective approaches per player.
4. Lofty Goals to Improve Inconsistent Returns
In a candid moment of self-reflection, Abby confesses she has been enduring a protracted slump with her returns, a common pickleball struggle. Rather than stubbornly persisting, she wisely pledges improvement through purposeful practice to develop muscle memory, with a specific focus on adding loft to clear the non-volley zone more regularly until her timing and textures regain peak precision.
5. Coaching the Next Generation
Matt affectionately highlights positive lessons on coachability learned from his enthusiastic but inexperienced third-grade daughters now playing basketball, suggesting Abby could benefit from adopting their eager embracing of instruction. His amusing anecdote explains why cultivating humility to accept feedback serves athletes of all ages and stages well, imperative insight for the hosts constantly striving to model constructive growth mindsets.
6. Seizing Early Opportunities to Join New Local Venues
Enthusiasm springs eternal for the long-awaited Ace Pickleball Club soon opening to great fanfare in the region, promising 21 courts and unmatched community access. As coaching programmers and operations directors at Ace, Matt and Abby extol special founding membership packages available for a limited time. Composite construction courts will provide true ball bounce and lighting systems allow for ideal visibility along with accessibility for diverse player populations.
7. Appreciating the Rapid Rise of Pickleball
Matt and Abby express amazement at rocketing participation rates and industry growth, especially among other busy parents and mature devotees drawn to pickleball’s welcoming reputation. Still considered an emerging sport, they foresee continued increase in public courts, private clubs, tournament play and equipment innovations to meet exponential interest. The unlikely couple delight in contributing to this grassroots groundswell however possible through inviting more friends and family to grab a paddle and join friendly games when able.
8. Embracing Health Benefits Beyond Competing
While the competitive couple loves keeping score, they emphasize pickleball’s overall mental and physical health benefits beyond wins and losses. Players have described joyfully achieving cardio workouts camouflaged as good times reconnecting with others. Doctors tout injury reductions compared to similar sports given strategic substitutions. Seniors and kids alike relish smashing plastic balls together, giving the activity an intergenerational, family reunion-type feel appealing across ages and stages.
9. Bringing Levity to Life’s Challenges
Beneath the playful banter, Matt acknowledges this fun-focused session follows an unusually chaotic period trying to juggle five daughters aged six to fourteen, maintain his real estate sales business and support Abby’s bridge-building nonprofit leadership roles. Pickleball provides a therapeutic outlet allowing the harried hosts to unwind and gain perspective through laughter with friends against beautiful backdrops.
10. Paying it Forward After Cancer Comeback
Abby shares a worthwhile new volunteer role as Visionary of the Year candidate supporting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. She movingly recounts how the cancer journey of a local pickleball friend inspires increased awareness and fundraising in tribute to others still battling blood malignancies to access critical treatment and cures. Her platform can amplify advocacy efforts aligned with personal passions through this memorial campaign.
11. Modeling Good Guardrails for Teen Drivers
In a brief but poignant callout, the safety-conscious hosts thoughtfully endorse the Drive Alive initiative seeking to expand educational resources for parents of aspiring young drivers. Abby terrifyingly recounts an early lesson with her fourteen-year-old daughter, highlighting the dreadful dangers of distracted driving while emphasizing the dire importance of conscientious consistency behind the wheel, always.
12. Prioritizing Time Together Through Trying Times
Hectic schedules sometimes sideline the hobby hosts for weeks on end, but Matt asserts they will keep circling back as obsessed pickleball parents. After joking about nearly adopting another child and selling three houses, Abby confirms pickleball remains a centering sanctuary supplying much-needed stress relief amidst seasonal busyness. The sport both brings and keeps their family together while providing a constructive outlet able to override outside obligations.
13. Drilling the Fundamentals Fosters Growth
Revealing their manifold motivations, Abby believes Fort Wayne players specifically would benefit tremendously from dedicating additional time to drilling essential techniques like the speed-controlling third shot drops and tricky roll volleys. Matt wholeheartedly agrees their regional player pool possesses untapped potential, perhaps being slightly overconfident in skills versus more seasoned pockets of players producing greater proportions of gold medalists.
14. Apparel Matters Too
Living up to her nickname Earring Queen which somehow stuck years ago, Abby laughs that she only wears favorite pickleball-themed holiday earrings for a few weeks annually, but seizes opportunities to spark festive joy through flashy fashion statements on the courts. As avid yet amateur ambassadors for the sport they adore, fun flare like silly socks, novelty visors and ugly sweaters help engage others between points when friendly conversation invites newcomers into the community.
15. Gratitude Begets Generosity
Overflowing with authentic appreciation for creator support behind the scenes, Matt graciously spotlights podcast producer Nick Henny along with sponsors making their ambitious side hobby possible. The unlikely co-hosts consistently express gratitude, mostly for spouses who hold down home fronts, friends who revel alongside and this electrifying sport keeping life lively by promoting human connections centered on a little yellow ball.
Summery
Married co-hosts Matt and Abby Brandenberger share their passion for pickleball through a popular podcast and amateur competitive play despite the demands of parenting five daughters. This fun-loving couple candidly discusses drillwork to upgrade skills, creative tactics to outmaneuver opponents, and savvy techniques to balance their favorite paddle sport with family life.
In this episode, Matt and Abby explore mastering the complex fourth shot after an ideal deeper return, maintaining balance through advanced split-step footwork, and tracking stats on letting questionable drives go versus swinging defensively. Abby vows to break her returning slump by adding loft for increased control while Matt lauds their beginner basketball player daughters' coachability.
The enthusiastic pair also preview the heralded Ace Pickleball Club soon opening near their Midwestern hometown, urging listeners to seize advantageous early founding membership rates. They express awe at rocketing national participation numbers, expecting continued growth of public parks, private clubs and tournament play. While embracing fitness incentives playing pickleball offers, the hosts mostly appreciate treasured time together laughing through life’s challenges.
Abby shares a poignant new advocacy role raising funds after a local friend’s leukemia battle highlighted the need for increased cancer cure research. Matt stresses properly preparing teenager drivers through safety organizations like Drive Alive following a terrifying initial lesson with his 14-year-old daughter. Though forced to take podcasting hiatuses for weeks when things get truly hectic, the sweetheart co-hosts plan to keep playing their beloved sport as obsessed middle-aged pickleball parents!
Between tips to incrementally upgrade skills, the charming couple stresses having fun while modeling humility, coachability and work-life balance for listeners. They believe their Midwestern pickleball community possesses untapped potential through dedicated drilling that pays dividends over defaults toward overconfidence. The unlikely ambassadors delight in encouraging newcomers, spurring growth supporting diverse player populations across ages and stages.
How Much Do You Know About Pickleball Parents Matt & Abby?
What pressing issue did Matt and Abby ALMOST tackle in the chaotic period preceding this podcast?
a) Adopting another child
b) Selling their house
c) Declaring bankruptcy
d) Renewing wedding vows
Why does Abby plan to add more loft to her pickleball returns?
a) To pop them up easier for slam dunk smashes
b) To better clear the non-volley zone line
c) To be able to roll them with backspin
d) To set up wider cross-court angles
What basketball lesson did Matt appreciate learning from his beginner 3rd grade daughters recently?
No comments:
Post a Comment