Senior Pickleball TIPS- Meet the face and the man behind the Facebook Group

What happens when a “semi-retired” fundraiser from England accidentally builds one of the largest pickleball communities in the world?

In this episode of Kitchen Conversations, I sit down with Paddy Hunter-Murphy, the driving force behind Senior Pickleball Tips — a global community that has grown to well over 135000 engaged members across 60+ countries.

What started as a simple Facebook group that his daughter helped start  quickly evolved into something much bigger — a worldwide hub where players connect, share, learn, and support one another both on and off the court. Members come from over 60 countires with one shared passio; Pickleball!

As Paddy puts it, this isn’t just about pickleball — it’s about people.

“We want seniors to get out there to play… it changes lives.”

We dive into:
• The accidental creation of a global pickleball movement
• Why pickleball is uniquely powerful for seniors
• The social connection that keeps people coming back
• How strict community standards built trust at scale
• The future vision behind Senior Pickleball Academy

“It wasn’t really about the pickleball… it was about the people.”

This is more than a game. It’s connection, purpose, and community — one paddle at a time.

🔗 Live Links

👉 Senior Pickleball Tips (Facebook Group)

https://m.facebook.com/groups/31...

PLEASE NOTE- Link may not conect if using Google Chrome- please use Safari to connect

👉 Senior Pickleball Tips Website

https://seniorpickleballtips.com

👉 Senior Pickleball Tips Apple Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/po...

👉 Senior Pickleball Academy

https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about

🎯 Hashtags

#SeniorPickleballTips
#PaddyHunterMurphy
#PickleballCommunity
#PickleballLife
#PickleballSeniors
#KitchenConversations
#PickleballPodcast
#ActiveAging
#PickleballJourney
#PickleballFamily
#PickleballWorldwide
#StayActive
#HealthyAging
#PickleballStories

And that wraps up this episode of Kitchen Conversations.

If you enjoyed the conversation, be sure to follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone who loves the game as much as you do.

And if you want the full experience, including the visuals, head over to YouTube and watch the episode at

https://www.youtube.com/@KitchenConversationspodcast

Or search Kitchen Conversations Pickleball Podcast

That’s where these stories really come to life.

You’ll also find links and show notes in the episode description.

Until next time…

more than dinks, drops and drives…

these are stories from behind the paddle.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hi there. Welcome to the podcast. Welcome to Kitchen Conversations. I'm not a professional podcaster, and I just want to be up front about that. But what I am is a very passionate pickleball player. And the goal of the podcast, in quite simple terms, is hopefully we can inspire just one person per episode to pick up a paddle and try the game for the very first time. And to be frank, I couldn't have picked a better first guest to help me do just that. Patty Hunter Murphy is the founder of Senior Pickleball Tips. Now, this is a UK-based Facebook group page when, at time of recording, which is March of 2026, had an unbelievable 135,000 people following. It's quite a sight, and he's quite a guy. And I couldn't have picked a better first guest. He was patient, he was generous, and he was entertaining. I hope you enjoy meeting Patty Hunter Murphy as much as I did on this episode of Kitchen Conversations. So I appreciate this. I appreciate you being here. I know you have a million things happening in your day and your week and your month, and uh the chance to meet with you is uh is a real pleasure. So thank you.

SPEAKER_01 1:13

Oh Mike, it's my pleasure, really. Really is. Um we're we're podcasting pals.

SPEAKER_00 1:20

There you go. I love that. Well, you know what? I look at at Senior Pickleball Tips, Patty, more so than just the Facebook group page, whereas I I think the first connection I had to you was was through that. And subsequently, I've learned about your website and I've learned about your podcast and uh all that you have going on. And and I look at what you're doing more as a brand within the pickleball community than just a Facebook group or a website or a or a podcast. I'm interested in how you interpret that. But the success that you've had, I checked this morning on the Facebook group, and it looks like there's about 135,000 people that are part of that community. And and it's not just a bunch of people that have signed up and click subscribe and like. They're engaged. There's a lot going on there in the course of a day. So I'd like to start with that um in a moment. But before then, I'm I was kind of hoping, uh, Patty, that you wouldn't mind walking me through a bit of your background, uh, your working career, uh, your passion for sports. I mean, we'll get to the pickleball, so it's it's probably the core of the conversation today. But I'm really interested in what you did for work and and how you landed on pickleball. And I understand a little bit about your tennis background. So would you mind starting with that for me?

SPEAKER_01 2:29

Not at all, Mike. I'll be really happy to. Um I'm gonna go back quite a way because sports has been a really big part of my life. And in fact, sports kind of saved me a little bit. Um, my my parents lived abroad in places like Indonesia and Singapore and that. Um, and they decided, which you did in those days, we'll send our seven-year-old boy, me, to boarding school in England. So I went to boarding school in England at the age of seven, and I was dumb. I was really thick. I was bottom of the class. I was terrible for years and years and years, and also I was little too. So, you know, my confidence was shot. I was, it was just appalling. But I was good at sport. It was, you know, I anything I kind of did was pretty good. It was a big rugby school in southern England. Um, and I was always in the rugby team, first at scrum half and then and then later at fly half for the last three or four very important years. I was in the cricket team, I was in the tennis team, etc., and I loved my sport. And in parallel, my dad, who took up tennis very late, he took it up around about in his mid-30s, um, and I played tennis and he he taught me. I've never actually had a paid official tennis lesson, nor pickleball lesson for that matter. Um, but he taught me and I just loved my tennis. And honestly, I think if you can find a passion, whether it's sport or a particular sport, whether it's playing the violin or whatever, if you find that passion and that that sort of takes you through your life, I think it's a real fantastic thing. And that's what happened to me with sport. Um, I went on to become a teacher. I did teach sports as well as geography. Um, and then um I got into the charity world and started to work with charities, and I was quite good at the fundraising. Um, so I moved into the fundraising arena, and then um I went to Australia for three years with uh my then wife and then uh two small sons, and I got a great job at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and it was all going fantastic, played loads of tennis, loved Australia. And then when I came back to UK, I uh decided to become a fundraising consultant, and I was a fundraising consultant until very recently, indeed. I'm still doing a little bit. I call myself semi-retired, whatever that means. Um, and um anyway, I'm playing a lot of tennis, loved my tennis. I'm a member of Rygate Tennis Club here in southern England, big club, lots going on. Um, and then I started getting all these niggly injuries. Now I understand niggly isn't really a word for you guys.

SPEAKER_00 5:18

Well, it can be now. We can officially uh accept it as a word. Sure, I love it. Niggly. Yeah, it's kind of like nibble. I say to my wife, what are we doing for dinner? She, why don't we just nibble? You know, so I'm good with niggly.

SPEAKER_01 5:31

I'm yeah, I love it. Well, niggly is just little bits and pieces, niggly, little problems in my calves and stuff. And I I was just getting a bit fed up. You know how it is. You have a you have a bit of a calf strain, you take six weeks off, you get back on the tennis court, it happens again. I was getting really, really cheesed off. And then my friend, Sir John at the tennis club says, Paddy, why don't you come and play pickleball, old man? And I'm going, God, I don't know what that is. And I went along, went to the leisure center, where pickleball is still is mainly played here in the UK, and I just fell in love, like like all of us have done, like most people probably listening to this podcast. And um I've been playing pickleball uh just over two years, about two and a half years, and I bloomin' love it.

SPEAKER_00 6:22

Yeah, it's Patty, it's it's an it's uh it's something that I have a hard time putting my finger on, that immediate addiction. I'm I I mean I'm addicted to a lot of things in life. You know, I just started curling. I, you know, I'm into health and wellness and fitness, and uh, you know, uh, but there's something about this game, and it's so immediate. And one of the favorite moments that I have uh is volunteering at one of the local pickleball clubs, and husband and wife would come in looking to learn a little bit about the game. And, you know, I could tell immediately that the husband did not want to be there. You know, he was only at the club because the wife said, get in the car, we're gonna go see pickleball. So one of the things I love to do, Patty, was I'd say to them, you know, I'd answer any questions that that they might have off the top, of course. And and then I'd say, if you've got a minute, you know, kick off your shoes and uh I grab a couple demo paddles and I take them out in the court and we just dink back and forth and dink back and forth. And that moment when I knew that hubby had decided, hey, you know what, this is okay. And I loved it. And and I think there's some scientific connection. I've yet to find any evidence of this, but I think there's a scientific connection between the sound of the ball and the paddle connecting that triggers some kind of a dopamine or a serotonin release in your brain because it's just immediate. It literally is a matter of minutes before you become a fan of the game.

SPEAKER_01 7:40

Yeah, I I completely agree with you. And I I I've seen similar where people come on and just hit a few balls and suddenly, whoa. Um, and I think one of the I think for a lot of sort of new beginners and maybe people never played racket sports, it's almost, hey, I can do this. You know? I can I think I can do this. And and suddenly they're into it very quickly. Um, and uh, you know, I've I do see that. Um and and this is, you know, us at senior pickable tips, we want, you know, we focus on seniors, we want seniors to get out there to play. And it's so, so important for everyone, but I would say especially seniors. Um there's a lot of loneliness out there, there's a lot of uh people who aren't as healthy as maybe they could be. And to pick up a pickable paddle and have a go, it it you know, it does change lives.

SPEAKER_00 8:33

Well, I think there's some court therapy that happens, and it happens sort of subconsciously. We're not necessarily aware of it happening, Patty, but you know, we make friendships on the court and and it happens immediately. And then what normally has happened, at least in my experience in the couple years I've played, is you'll sign up for an open paddle play or a social play or a rec game. And subsequently from that, you make new friends, and all of a sudden you form your own little groups. And now, you know, the social game's Monday morning, but now you're playing in kind of a private game on Tuesday afternoon and and you become friends. And my wife had had met uh, I guess a half a dozen women through pickleball about a year and a half, two years ago. And she came home one day and she said to me, the girls and I were talking about going to Iceland on a trip. And I said, Well, that's lovely. And like most husbands, wasn't really listening uh and thought, well, that's just something people talk about. Well, gosh, if she doesn't come home a week later and say, Okay, so listen, I'm leaving on this date, I'm coming back on the and I said, What are you doing? And she said, I told you, I'm going to Iceland. I said, You just met these people. I just I know it's going to be great. And it was great. And they had a wonderful trip. So, you know, without pickleball, that trip doesn't happen. The friendship doesn't get formed. And uh, we're both playing this morning here in a couple of hours, and she's with that group of people. So yeah, there's a certain social side to it, certainly, Patty, that I think people don't necessarily appreciate when they're looking at the game from the outside in.

SPEAKER_01 9:50

I I I completely agree with you. Uh, and but one thing I think that makes a real difference between pickleball and most other sports is that the games don't last very long. So you can go in, you can play a game, and it can be 11, 8 or something, and it lasts what, 15 minutes, something like that, 17, maybe 20 minutes at maximum. And then what happens? And then you get off the court and you sit down, people sit next to you, and you you got something to talk about. Oh, you know, that was a good shot. You hit to me, and I love the way you lob that ball. And suddenly there's that social connection. And this doesn't happen in other sports because I mean I played tennis for fifth over 50 years. You know, sets last a long time. You don't really get that uh communication. So I think that's a very, very important part of the sport, and I think that's one of the reasons why people get hooked.

SPEAKER_00 10:48

Yeah, no, I agree 100%. Can I can I draw into tennis for a moment, uh Patty? And that transition from tennis into pickleball, I think, um, and I've heard you on other interviews and podcasts mention that there still seems to be globally a bit of tension between the tennis group and the pickleball group, and I think we're all aware of that. Um, but my question is more so, what on a personal level, what was the toughest mental adjustment that you had to make? Was were you fighting it? Were you uh a tennis player that looked at pickleball and thought that's just not for me? Yet the injuries and sort of the the physicality of tennis were were kind of forcing you out of the game. Did did you struggle with that a little bit, Patty, and trying to make that mental transition into this is something I can do, do well, and enjoy?

SPEAKER_01 11:31

Personally, I I didn't have a problem at all with pickleball ever. I never sort of thought, oh pickleball. And I do have some friends at the tennis club who who who uh joke with me and say, oh, you know, when are you gonna play that kiddies sport? Um but it is joking. Uh but behind that there is that that feeling. There is that feeling. But personally, I never had it. Uh I just felt this is a sport that I can give a go, you know, give it a go. And uh I'm 67, I'm getting on a bit. And what I love, and I actually think a lot of older senior people love, I love learning new things. And it's so good for us to learn new things. And I saw pickleball as something, look, I've got some tennis skills, I'll I'll be able to get on court and pick it up pretty quick. Um, and you know, what what what do people say? Pickleball is is easy to easy to start but difficult to master. And that's a wonderful combination, and I have found that a wonderful combination. You know, um, I started probably at a 3.0, maybe a bit below. Um, I won a national singles tournament at 3.0. Would you believe it here in England? Um, that spurred me on. Uh, I've moved up to about 3.5, my dupe at the moment's 3.6. I'm I really want to get to that 4.0 at some point. Uh and for me personally, I like that competition, I like that challenge. That's not for everyone, and you don't have to be like that. But for me personally, I love that. But for a lot of people, especially seniors, just get out there, go to your regular group of people, and just have fun. And that's that's important in itself. And it leads, you know, you mentioned well-being earlier, it leads to well-being and friendship, so much great stuff.

SPEAKER_00 13:20

Well, there really is, uh, Patty. And I think uh the beauty of the game is that you can plug into it at whatever level of experience. And I like to use the word experience as opposed to saying better, you know, he or she are better. I like to say they're more experienced. And uh, but the reality is that uh a group of two fives or beginners can sometimes have more fun than a 4-0 game because the four-os are starting to take it far too serious. And uh I remember being at our club one night with a pro and and uh watching his game, and it was arguably some of the highest level pickleball that we have in our area. These are all very good players, but there was a group of beginners in the corner, and he looked at me at one point and said, you know, they're having more fun than we are. And I think that speaks to the beauty of the game, the chance to plug in, you decide how serious you want to take it or not take it. Um and I think that's that's part of the magic for it for sure.

SPEAKER_01 14:08

Uh I I completely agree again. I'm saying this a lot, I completely agree, and but I do. Um, but I think for me personally, I think for a lot of people, I like the competition, but also I like the rec play. I like that social thing. I'm perfectly fine playing with beginners. I don't have a problem with it. Um, and I will get something out of it. I'll sort of you know work on one particular shot or something like that. So I I like both. Uh, and I think a lot of people are are similar to me, and and I play differently when I play rec play than when I play sort of pure compet competitive play. But at the end of the day, we're there to have fun, and I try not to take anything too seriously in life, I'll be honest with you.

SPEAKER_00 14:55

Yeah, well, we're not saving the world, that's for sure. You know, we're we're enjoying our time and we're we're finding some value in the game. And and it's a great point because I think there are is a certain component of of the culture of the community, uh, Patty, within pickleball, that um if I have a pickleball pain point, that might be it. It might be that I find certain higher level players unwilling to invite, you know, a 4-0 is reluctant to invite a 3-0 into a game. And for that 3-0 to be invited into a 4-0 game is a thrill of a lifetime. And, you know, I think if there's something I'd like to advocate for, it's that more of the higher level players remember that they once, as you said earlier, started at a 2-0 or a 2-5, and maybe they've just had more time to practice and drill, and maybe they had some natural skill sets that lended themselves well to the game. But the chance to play down or level down as opposed to leveling up, there's tremendous value in that. Tremendous value uh in working on those stink shots or angle shots that you might not necessarily feel comfortable doing in in tournament play.

SPEAKER_01 15:55

Uh yeah, absolutely. I mean, uh when I'm in rec play, what I do is I I think of usually one shot. So in a session, I might go for a two-hour session, and I'll just think of one shot. At the moment, it's the reset shot like for a lot of us, you know. Gotta nail that shot, and I'll just focus on that on that one shot. I wouldn't worry about anything else, just just get that, try and get that working. And something like that, I'm not I'm not banging it at anyone, I'm not being aggressive or anything like that, but I'm getting stuff out of it. Um and the players who may not be at my standard are also getting stuff out of it. Um so I think you can definitely play down and get a lot out of it, and hopefully not just enjoy it, but but uh share your enthusiasm and and and skills and knowledge as well, if people are willing and open to allow you to do that. And this is something that comes up in the Facebook group quite a lot. You get a lot of um you got a lot of mansplaining, um, you know, sort of dominant men telling women how to do things and what to do. And I think one has to be very, very careful when you're on the court. I mean, I I will say, look, you know, do you might shall I give you a few tips as we go along, or shall I just leave you to it? I always communicate. Yeah, or just leave it, you know. Um and most of the time, I've I've never had anyone say, Oh, no, no, no, please just leave me alone. I've never had that. Um, it's just a matter of communicating, being nice, and and and being open with people. So I think that that's an interesting dilemma, that sort of coaching on coaching your partner on court, you know, beware and be careful.

SPEAKER_00 17:51

Yes. Yeah. Well, and you could apply that lesson to a lot of things in life, Patty. A lot of people just don't want to hear it. Whatever it is, they just don't want to hear it. So listen, before we get specifically into senior pickleball tips in the world that that is that, um, what are your thoughts on paddle? And how do you see that game intersecting with both tennis and pickleball? And are you seeing much of that in your pro? I think it's much bigger in in where you are uh in the world than where we are. We don't have a single paddle facility in sort of this proximity where I am in in Kingston, Ontario. So curious what your thoughts are on how the three of those sports kind of intersect and work either together or against one another.

SPEAKER_01 18:31

Um, yeah, this is really interesting, Mike, and that's a very, very good question. Um and it's a qu it's something that I spoke at the Lawn Tennis Association about this um back in November or early December. Uh they invited me in as the pickleball expert, um, because one of my friends at the tennis club is on one of the uh LTA committees. Uh LTA are the people who will run Wimbledon, they're the they're the big cheese in tennis in the whole of uh of UK. So at the LTA, there was myself and there was a paddle expert, and we're asked that question. Um now, paddle, as you probably know, is bigger here in the UK, I think, than the States. And it's even much bigger in Europe. Um so but what the conclusion that we came to basically is that all three sports really can complement each other. Um so for example, at my fairly large um tennis club, Rygate, we have built two paddle courts. Um and I am playing a bit of paddle and I'm enjoying it. I hated it to begin with. I never liked squash, and that back wall drove me nuts. But I'm beginning to like it. Um and in May, which is you know a little while, uh, me and a couple of mates are going to be introducing pickleball to that club. This is just as an example. Um, and the club committee are perfectly fine with the three sports sort of going hand in hand. Um so my feeling is that yes, there is maybe some animosity from, might I say, the older, more established, conservative members of maybe private tennis clubs who who think this sport is, you know, for children and that sort of thing. But I don't think they are in the majority. I really don't. I think it's a very verbal, small minority who like to make a lot of noise. Um so yeah, I I think the three sports are compatible at my tennis club. There we will have all three sports come May, June, certainly by the summer, um, and uh and build it up from there. So I personally don't see a problem with it. Um I know some people at the tennis club who play all three sports. I play two. I've actually given up tennis uh to concentrate on what I call the new sports. Um and I'll be honest with you, I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

SPEAKER_00 21:15

Good. Yeah, well, I agree uh with all of that. And it's interesting. I'll be talking to the CEO of Tennis Clubs of Canada in a couple of weeks, Patty. And um, they build out a number of facilities across the country, uh, but they they're doing them with the structures, the domes, the bubbles, if you will. Uh and they're hosting tennis in one and pickleball in the other. It's a multi-sport type facility. They also have ability to set up volleyball nets and and that sort of thing. And and I think that's a direction that that the industry will go in some ways in in these sort of multi-sport kind of uh environments where they can cater to a broader range of clients and and and customers. And and I think paddle will become a bigger part of that here in Canada, certainly uh on a go forward basis. That's great. Appreciate your thoughts on that. So let's dive into The senior pickleball tips. I just I'd love for you to just run with this this morning because I it's overwhelming to me the success that you've had there. And as I mentioned earlier, the community, uh, it's one thing to have a lot of people that are kind of latched on to what you're doing, Patty, but it's another to have them latched on and engaged. And I think you've created something there that uh I'm not sure how you manage it. And I'd like to hear a bit about that as well, because it must be almost overwhelming at this point for you. But between the Facebook group page, the web site, uh, which I've spent some time on, uh, and obviously your podcast, would you mind just expanding on all of that and tell me where did it start, where is it, and where do you hope it goes? I'd be delighted to.

SPEAKER_01 22:41

So I started playing pickleball, and I'm I I get into things quite quickly, uh, a bit addicted. I got this sort of addictive personality. So I got into it, loved it, started telling all my friends, and my daughter Ella said, Dad, why don't you just start a Facebook group? Then your friends can just look at the Facebook group, and I said, Okay, fine. I don't know how to do a Facebook group. How do I? She gets the laptop out, shh, shh, shh, gets a photo of me. Right, okay, what do you want to call it? I don't know. Pickleballs, seniors, pickleball for seniors, old people. And she went, senior pickleball tips. Okay, fine, whatever, it's done. Press the button, it's done. I mentioned it to a few of my mates, tennis mates, and you know, just a few others, and family and stuff, and you know, I I I know some people in Australia and stuff like that, and I mentioned it around, and it just, you know, grew and grew. Um, mainly with people I knew. And then I wish I remember her name, but there was one woman who joined from Mexico, Amer American woman who joined from Mexico, and she was the first person I didn't know who joined. I thought, oh, this is good. And then it just it went it went nuts. It just crazy. The numbers just people were telling people, and I suspect, and the numbers were going nuts. Um, and I I was just dumbfounded. I I I don't know this technology. I'm I'm you know, I'm I'm a pen, I'm a quill and ink man, you know, from the olden days. And suddenly it is just growing and growing, and it reached sort of 50,000, 60,000, 70,000. And and uh, I know I phoned my brother Terry, who lives um near Brisbane in Australia, and I said, Terry, you know, this is amazing. And he said, Look, uh, I'll give you a hand. You know, I'm pretty much retired. Do you want a hand? I said, Oh, would you, yeah. So he came on board as the second admin to the Facebook group, and it was growing and growing, and then we we realized that um uh he's in Australia, I'm in UK, and I'll be honest with you, the majority of the members were coming from North America, okay, which you can see on the Facebook group. And so we needed moderators in North America because of the time, because of the times. Um uh we recruited um a couple of moderators, um uh we recruited three from sort of the three time zones, as it were, in mainland North America. Um and it all went swimmingly, and we got to 100,000, and it was just building and building. Now, you can ask, what why did it build so successfully? Honestly, I haven't got the full answer. I think it's because we had the niche of seniors. You know, we we it is seniors, it's about seniors, which is 50 plus on a pick on a pickleball court. Um so that's a pretty big cohort. Um and also uh pickleball people are fairly nice people. So someone comes on and said, I've just become a new member, I live in uh Atlanta, seven people would go, Oh hi, how are you doing? You know, I'm in uh I'm I'm down the road from you, maybe we could play. And it and it's that helped, has hugely helped. Um but one thing that we got to quite quickly was uh and this is quite interesting, is that Terry and I decided with the moderators we would be seriously strict with this Facebook group. Seriously strict, and we are, so there's no selling. Um people can talk about paddles, but if they put a discount code in there, they'll be banned. Okay. We don't we don't mess. We don't mess about we ban people we put I don't know how many people we ban a week, but we ban them. Um and interestingly, uh when it got to about 50,000, um I got a few PM messages, you know, uh is it private messengers on Messenger from some women saying, Look, uh we're just getting a bit fed up with this because there's a lot of men on there who are getting a bit aggressive and did it. And I said, Oh, send send me the the posts and comments. And we looked at all that. Um I spoke to my brother Terry and we banned about 35 men. Um and we put out a post and saying, look, this is just not acceptable, the mis this misogyny, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. We looked at our statistics and uh we realized, in fact, I kind of knew this beforehand, that that that we uh our demographics are 65% women on senior pickleball tips. So that's that's important. It's something that I I I find incredibly important. Um so we did that. So I I think we did, we've done the right things and we continue to be really strict. Um in the early days, you'd get a lot of sort of East European beautiful young women coming on board, you know, and saying, Oh, you know, I like pickleball spelt wrongly. Um and and some of the some of the comments were quite funny, I'll be honest with you. And you don't look 50, you know, and all this sort of stuff. What what beauty regime do you have and all this kind of stuff? But then we just started to ban them. Um and and uh I I think you have to be strict with um a pickleball, uh with a excuse me. I think you have to be strict with a Facebook group. Um and uh we've had we've had discussions about whether we should make it private or keep it public. Um I've always felt to keep it public. I've always felt it it's easier for people to join. And as long as we police it as well as we do, um, I think that will keep on the continual growth.

SPEAKER_00 28:55

Yeah. Well, Patty, it's certainly a and and credit to you for taking that that road. It's uh it's a tough decision, and it takes, I assume, a lot more work uh than if you just let it free flow. But uh I see a lot of sites and a lot of groups that uh either I've been part of or have left, you know, for many of those reasons. It it just spins out of control and it can happen quickly. So give me a sense of how many hours a week you and Terry and the other moderators are having to spend to manage a group that large.

SPEAKER_01 29:21

Um I'll be honest with you. I I don't spend a lot of time on the Facebook group. My brother Terry does. How much? I don't know, an hour a day, maybe something like that. Um we have two moderators in the states. Um and um I don't think they spend a huge amount. Jeff Gemm, who's a pickleball coach at Limitless Pickleball, and a guy called John Hamilton, who's part of U.S. Senior Pickleball, our moderators. Um I don't think they spend an awful lot of time on it. Uh Jeff is fantastic, he puts in loads of coaching tips, etc., etc. Um, so in terms of time, I think we we we have a fairly well-oiled machine right now. Um, and I'm very fortunate very fortunate to have my brother Terry in Queensland in Australia, who does put the time in. He does the sort of uh, you know, he does all the backroom work, um, which is the hard slog. Uh, and I and I take all the glory, you know, doing these sorts of podcasts and things. Um but what we are going to do is expand senior pickable tips. Um you mentioned the website. We have a website, senior pickable tips.com. Um, but we're looking, we are gonna be looking at a YouTube channel, and I can show you. I'm even moving away from I'm even moving away from screen and moving away from uh iPhone. I've got an old uh DLR Nikon camera here, and I'm getting into similar to you, the Rodel Link um uh microphones and all that. So I am on the verge of a YouTube channel. Um so uh we'll be looking at that uh and specifically for senior pickable. Um, yes, so that we really are gonna be looking at it. We're looking at our branding, it won't change too much, uh, but we're looking where we go into the future. Um, but you know, I'm really proud on how it's gone. Um I love what I do, I make no money from it, uh, but that's not the point. Uh made made some amazing friends um and uh you know all over the world. Um and and let me say one thing. I I I'm a great believer in the global aspect of pickleball. Um, although over 80% of our Facebook members are from the US, and then about another six or seven percent from Canada, um, I'm a great believer in growing the global aspect. Every year I go to Southeast Asia for a trip, um, and I take the time to play some pickleball, to interview some people, get to know pickleball in the c in that country, as well as in Australia as well. Um, so I I think the growth of pickleball, senior pickleball in particular, all over the globe is something very, very special, and it's something I keeping a keen eye on. Um, obviously, our main audience is North America, but uh I really, really want to build and grow uh the other as the other parts of the globe, and we are actually in 64 countries.

SPEAKER_00 32:55

Wow, Patty. Wow. Incredible numbers. The statistics are staggering. And you go back, and I love the way you explained how the how the Facebook page was physically built. It's just a matter of a quick chat and a couple of keystrokes from people that know what they're doing. I'm always impressed. I've got two two uh boys, 28 and 25, and they're my tech department. They're they've helped me beyond description. I, you know, at 59, I'm trying not to let the old man in, but the technology moves so quickly. And uh the way that you can reach around the globe today and have a connection. And and I'd like to make one quick comment on something you said earlier about the game itself and how I think it it's is certainly benefiting from the work that you're doing uh with senior pickleball tips. I think there's a lot of loneliness out there that we're not obviously aware of or immediately aware of when we encounter someone uh on a pickleball court. But I think what your community is doing is allowing people that maybe are a bit lonely to feel that they're a part of something and and that they have a voice. And I think that's an important part of it, that they have an opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings on the game or on something that may have happened this morning. I see a lot of comments uh in the group about that. You know, I was playing with so-and-so this morning and this happened, and how should I have handled it? And I think, you know, for those people to go home and know that they can sit in front of a uh a phone or an iPad or a laptop and and uh connect with the community, I think is probably the greatest service that you're providing, in my opinion. I think it's terrific.

SPEAKER_01 34:20

I mean, the the Facebook group is an amazing community. It is amazing. I mean, I'll tell you, there's so many stories I could tell you, but there was one story, there was a a woman in Wales here in the UK, and um she posted uh this is a while back, and I've got to know her quite well. Her name's Helen, and she posted a while back and said, Look, um I've never really played racket sports, but uh I'm I'm I'm thinking of going to the Leisure Centre maybe tomorrow and play pickleball, but I'm really nervous, I'm not too sure whether I should or not. Um you know, like that. She got over a hundred messages from people, you know, support it. Just do it, don't think about it. Pickleball people are great. And she went to that pickleball session and she came back and posted, you know, I just can't believe how nice these people are. I I just can't believe what how great this whole thing is. It wasn't really about the pickleball, it was more about the people. And then and then I know now that Helen is a complete pickleball addict and is doing really, really well. And is enjoying the game and actually got quite competitive, which is very different from that, you know, that first post that she put on there. And that's just one example. It is a very supportive community. You know, people people get on there and say, Oh, I've got this injury in this particular place. Can anyone help me? Um, and although people quite rightly say, I'm not a doctor, please take medical advice. But, you know, this is what I did, and it seemed to help. I myself have picked up a few really good tips. I I used to get, I still do get cramps in my calves really badly. A lot of it came from my early rugby days back in the day. And um, and I picked up a tip of you know of magnesium and turmeric tablets. Um so, you know, before I go and play, uh couple of hours I'll I'll pop in a magnesium and I'll pop in a turmeric tablet. And I don't know, is it psychological? It might be. I don't know, but it works. So it is a great group. It yeah, it works. So it is a great group. Um, and it's really supportive, and and and we are gonna keep it that way. You know, we're gonna make sure that it is, it it remains like that and it grows like that.

SPEAKER_00 36:47

Well, that's wonderful. How how does a website as it stands today, Patty, and uh ultimately the podcast, how do those two integrate into the group page? How do you see those three kind of interacting with one another? And what's the vision uh perhaps for the website and the podcast going forward? You've mentioned you're gonna create a video version of the podcast, which I think is great. I think a lot of research out there that, you know, we talked earlier today about uh access to information and just uh it seems to be the direction that podcasting is going. You may as well do a video while you're doing the audio, and and people love to see your face. And uh how do you see uh those two integrating into your overall brand? It's uh it's a good question.

SPEAKER_01 37:25

I mean, uh I like you, uh yeah, I'm a new podcaster, you know, um, but I did a bit of reading and et cetera. Um I mean, I I just threw myself into it in an amateur way, and then I've been learning on the job. Um, and as I say, uh my 49th podcast episode comes out in about two weeks' time. Um, and um uh I might have some exciting news about the 50th episode, so ask me that question a bit later. Um yeah. How does it stand by? How does that integrate? How does a podcast integrate into the Facebook group? I mean, we mention it. Um I'm forever putting in episode links, so um somebody would say, Oh, I'm an advanced beginner and I got some real problems with my backhand drive. Well, I did a podcast about the back-hand drive, you know, about a year and a half ago. So I'll I'll put a link in for that, to that person, and hopefully other people will see it and it will grow from there. Um so the podcast is a mixture of interviews with people, but also me simply talking about particular strokes, particular aspects, like um, for example, game strategy and mental strength, for example. I did a couple of episodes on that. Um so giving examples, my own examples of um how somehow I managed to be successful and winning a this gold medal in my singles, and how from 50 years of competitive tennis, how I deal with um dealing with my own mental strength within that. Um so yeah, it it is that. But also I do look at particular shots. So there's episodes about the serve, there's episodes about third shot drop or drive, etc. So, and I want to develop that. Now, the direction that I want to go in is to start a YouTube channel and develop that into videos, into more videos, um, on court looking at that. Um, I actually do have now my first level one coaching badge. Um from thank you from Pickleball England. So um I do have a tiny bit of coaching cred, so that's good. Um so yeah, I want to do that um at the tennis club. When I start pickleball at the tennis club, I will be telling people about your coaching them, uh, the beginners about how to do this, that, and the other. Having said that, all of them are tennis players, so they should pick it up fairly quickly. Um, so I yeah, there is that. Um, but one thing I am quite excited about, which no one knows, but I'm going to mention it to you here, um, is that I'm looking at we're keeping the senior pickleball tips brand for the Facebook group, but we're looking at another brand, which is Senior Pickleball Academy. Um and the Senior Pickleball Academy will be just that. It will be an academy uh beyond just tips and advice, but uh a bit of coaching, a bit of how to get or do things for seniors by seniors. Um so that's what we're looking at. That that's the direction we see ourselves going, and maybe the YouTube channel getting into that brand, which would be Senior Pickable Academy. And uh we'll see how that goes.

SPEAKER_00 41:06

Amazing, Patty. Amazing. Do you not find, though, that as you know we we get into these endeavors and and and we learn new things, that more and more doors seem to just open for us. It's my biggest struggle is is you know, trying to not get out of bed at four o'clock in the morning because my brain is just racing with all kinds of ideas and thoughts. And you can certainly, you know, find yourself going down a lot of rabbit holes. And and uh, and I think it's exciting. I think I think, you know, in retirement for me, it's been a blessing to have uh found the game and subsequently the podcast and subsequently you this morning to hear your story has been absolutely amazing. I'm watching the clock, so I'm gonna wrap up here quickly for you. Just have a couple of sort of final questions. I love your thoughts and insight on. Uh, and I guess primarily, uh Patty, what what concerns you about the future of pickleball in a broad sense? And what I mean by that is we're seeing a lot of advances in paddle technology, uh, we're seeing a lot of changes to sort of the interpretation of the game and pro money and professional leagues. And do you worry that, you know, when it all started all those years ago, uh, you know, with a couple of guys trying to entertain their kids uh and this game was developed, uh, do you do you have some fear for the game? Do you worry about the game in any regard when it comes to that sort of stuff, the technology and the pro? And I I guess my fear is when big money starts getting involved, does it shift the game in a positive way? Does it help the game? Or I'd love to know your thoughts on that.

SPEAKER_01 42:32

It's a really good question. Um in regard to paddles, when um it's the PPA, isn't it? Are they in charge of paddles? When when the authority said, Oh, these paddles, we can't have these because uh they they you can hit the ball harder, and we're not gonna allow that. I was totally in favor of that. Totally in favor of that. Um because personally in the pro in the pro area, but also in rec, um I don't think power should become the primary aspect of pickleball. And I go back to tennis a little bit on this. I think tennis needs to learn a lesson on this, because tennis allows the technology in the rackets and the strings to allow for power play. Um, and for me, other than one or two players, including Carlos, um, you know, who does have an all-court game in tennis, um, you know, you just get people bashing the ball from the back of the court. And if paddles are just allowed to become power, power, power, um, you know, that soft game is gonna get less and less. And and I think that is happening now. When I started playing two and a half years ago, we always thought about. About the third shot drop. It was always third shot drop, third shot drop. Now, about a year ago, it was should third shot drop or drive. And now most people are driving third shot and maybe doing a fifth shot drop. So we're seeing with the paddle technology. I'm I'm a great believer in in um stopping that technology getting better and better. So that that is a worry for me. One thing I do quite like, and do tell me if I'm wrong about this, is the PPA and other bodies do look at pros and amateurs quite differently. As I understand it, you know, some of the the slight changes in the rules for pros as opposed to amateurs, etc. So, and I think that's quite good. I think that's quite good. Um, so you know, that kind of that. One thing that does worry me is as people get better and more competitive, and I'm seeing this with our group with the you know, 100,000, 130,000 plus people who who comment and that is that there are definitely more and more arguments and difficulties on court from two years ago. Definitely, I think. Um one could argue, well, this is just human nature, more people are playing, more people are getting competitive. It it is something I kind of worry about. You know, we started this podcast episode saying pickleball people are just the most fabulous people in the world, and I think that is the case. But but you know, I used to talk about the 1%. I used to say to people in pickleball, 99% are just lovely, but you still get that 1%, you know, who are just a pain in the butt. Um, maybe that one percent might now be 1.5%. I don't know. And I worry about that a little bit, I must admit. Um, in terms of the global aspect of the sport, I think it's absolutely phenomenal and fantastic. Um we talk about this a lot in terms of the pickleverse, you know, the the uh international bodies of pickleball have got to get together, so we get to the Olympics, um, and that seems to be happening. Mergers are taking place. So the global aspect of pickleball I think is fantastic. It's getting easier and easier to for me to go to Italy and be in a tournament or Sweden or whatever and just you know play in these tournaments is just fantastic. Um I love it how pickleball has a really good seniors aspect to it, you know. So in major tournaments, there's a 50 plus aspect to it, and I think that's really fantastic and really important. Other sports don't do that. Um, so I hope that that remains. I really, really do hope that remains. So I don't have a lot of worries. Um, I suppose it's just human nature, and it's up to you and me and others in the pickleverse and the uh doing the media to spread the word and say, guys, be nice to each other and let's just play and have fun.

SPEAKER_00 47:23

Yeah, well, you know, Patty, uh, my wife and I have always said to the two boys, you know, um, when when you put uh profit before people, it never ends well. And so if I have a concern, just to sort of latch on to some of your thoughts, which were terrific, by the way, thank you. I think that uh I'm just hopeful. I'm hopeful that, you know, as the game continues to grow globally, uh, and uh people will see opportunities to profit from the game. And I just hope they do it in a uh mature and meaningful way and that they don't uh allow any of that to create more friction uh uh for the game in just a broad sense. And um, so I appreciate your thoughts on that and I agree a hundred percent. Well, listen, this has been beyond uh exceptional. Thank you for this this morning. And uh I've loved meeting you and I'd love to stay in touch, and I hope we do. And I wish you nothing but the best in all these new endeavors that you've got coming up. I'll certainly link back to all of your uh sites and uh connection points uh in the show notes uh for sure. And uh been a real pleasure chatting with you this morning. Thank you for carving it some time for me.

SPEAKER_01 48:26

Mike, that's absolutely brilliant. I have one more thing to say. Please. You were gonna ask me about my 50th episode on my podcast. Do you want me to ask you about that?

SPEAKER_00 48:37

I'd love to.

SPEAKER_01 48:39

Yes, please. Ask me the question.

SPEAKER_00 48:42

What's going on in the 50th episode of your podcast, Patty?

SPEAKER_01 48:47

Well, I'm looking at having a phenomenal guest who is the world's number one female senior player, Lee Whitwell. No. And I'll be interviewing her. And um, she's a lot of fun. She's originally from Gibraltar, she lives in America, she's doing wonderful things with pickleball, especially pickleball for girls and women. Um, and uh I've met her once or twice. She's a fabulous person and a phenomenal pickleball player. Um, so I'm really looking forward to that. That's my 50th episode, which hopefully be coming out quite soon. So watch out. Oh, good for you.

SPEAKER_00 49:25

On a personal level, do you get a little bit nervous when you are about to record a podcast? I know this morning for me coming in knowing I was going to talk to you, I was just walking on broken glass almost. I I haven't done a lot. This is about my third one, maybe my fourth one. So um I I get nervous. I I'm wondering, do you know I don't.

SPEAKER_01 49:45

I wow, I just like chatting to people. I just I just like talking and I like chatting and I like listening. Um, like you, I just love people. I love to know their stories, see what makes them tick. Um, so I I don't I don't get that nervous. Maybe I should.

SPEAKER_00 50:03

Maybe there's something wrong there. No, maybe I should not, and maybe there's a lesson in that. So, well, Patty, thank you for this. Um, I really appreciate your time this morning. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 50:14

Mike, thanks for everything you're doing. It's been an absolute pleasure, and you take care of