Reanimating Open Play PLUS It's Normal to Take a Step Back

An episode of the Pickleball Therapy podcast, hosted by Tony Roig, titled "Reanimating Open Play PLUS It's Normal to Take a Step Back" was published on March 7, 2025 and runs 16 minutes.

March 7, 2025 ·16m · Pickleball Therapy

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Summary

Open play can be interesting with players of varying skill levels playing and enjoying the game together. But that's not always the case when dynamics of it set in and players advance in skill; exclusivity sneaks in and can lead to less inclusive play. In this episode we discuss the state of play in terms of how players at different levels interact with each other. This arose from our state of play event that we had a couple of weeks back. Here's the thing, we have more control over things than we may think and we do a couple of things when it comes to social play to help that such as; Trying to keep an open eye for dedicated players in lower-level courts and inviting them to join your group. Nurture a supportive community while working on specific aspects of your game. Step into the shoes of those playing at different levels by playing with them – it’s a great way to foster inclusivity. Become an organizer to mix different levels of players. Online tools and resources can simplify the process of organizing inclusive events and ensure everyone feels welcome and valued.And then I'm going to share with you a personal story about progress and taking a step back in terms of your journey as a pickleball player. Join our email list to get notified about the March open play event; https://betterpickleball.com/ or check out the event here; https://betterpickleball.com/spring-bootcamp/Find online tools and resources on Pickleheads; https://www.pickleheads.com/Bookmark episode; Mental Warmup: Prepare to Play Your Best; https://betterpickleball.com/1525-mental-warmup-prepare-to-play-your-best-bookmark-episode/

Episode Description

In this episode we discuss the state of play in terms of how players at different levels interact with each other. This arose from our state of play event that we had a couple of weeks back.

Here's the thing, we have more control over things than we may think and we do a couple of things when it comes to social play to help that such as;

Trying to keep an open eye for dedicated players in lower-level courts and inviting them to join your group. Nurture a supportive community while working on specific aspects of your game.
Step into the shoes of those playing at different levels by playing with them – it’s a great way to foster inclusivity.
Become an organizer to mix different levels of players. Online tools and resources can simplify the process of organizing inclusive events and ensure everyone feels welcome and valued.

And then I'm going to share with you a personal story about progress and taking a step back in terms of your journey as a pickleball player.

Join our email list to get notified about the March open play event; https://betterpickleball.com/ or check out the event here; https://betterpickleball.com/spring-bootcamp/

Find online tools and resources on Pickleheads; https://www.pickleheads.com/

Bookmark episode; Mental Warmup: Prepare to Play Your Best; https://betterpickleball.com/1525-mental-warmup-prepare-to-play-your-best-bookmark-episode/