The love of pickleball continues to grow, with the sport still booming in popularity nearly a decade after becoming more mainstream. Whether it’s the low barrier to entry — nearly anyone, regardless of their age or level of athleticism, can pick up a paddle and play — or the social effect, people everywhere are embracing the game.

More recently, the competition has been ramping up, with professional pickleball players getting increased recognition for their performance in elite competitive play.

Two such players are Hannah Blatt and Grayson Goldin. Blatt, 26, is currently signed on the Carvana PPA (Professional Pickleball Association) Tour and ranked No. 25 in the world in singles; Goldin, 30, is signed with the UPA (United Pickleball Association) and ranked No. 2 on the APP (Association of Pickleball Players) Tour in singles and No. 23 on the PPA. The two also happen to be dating.

As Blatt and Goldin are preparing to compete in the LT Open — Life Time’s inaugural national singles pickleball tournament — this October, they share how they made their way into the sport and what they’re doing to stay at the top of the rapidly evolving competitive scene.

Finding Community in Sport

Before picking up pickleball, Blatt played squash, another fast-paced racquet sport that’s played in an enclosed court with a rubber ball and a stringed racquet.

Squash made life colorful and dynamic for Blatt, who grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and traveled all over the world as a competitive junior Canadian squash player. This segued to competing on the Division I squash team at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pa., where she was captain of the team and set the record for most wins in a single season.

After graduating in 2021, Blatt pursued squash professionally and went on to represent Canada at the World Games and become a three-time medalist at the Pan American Games.

In 2023, at the highest level of a sport she’d dedicated most of her life to, Blatt found herself at a bit of a standstill. “I was burnt out,” she says. “I had hit a lull in my sports career, and I had to put a pause on it.”

At the time, she was training at a squash facility in Florida where she noticed the surging popularity of pickleball. Many of the people around her — including her parents and grandparents — were avid pickleball players. In a bid to make new connections, Blatt exchanged her racquet for a paddle.

“I’d never really thought much of pickleball because I was so involved with squash,” she explains. “But I wanted to make new friends while also finding a hobby outside of my sport.”

She joined a random game at a local court, and, to no surprise, the rhythm of pickleball came naturally to her. “I recall joking, ‘Oh, maybe I’ll just do pro pickleball!’”

Not long after, she enrolled in her first pro pickleball tournament in New York. She did “OK” at the event, but it reinvigorated her love of competing. It also provided community — something she craved in squash. “Pickleball allowed me to be social while still getting to be competitive,” she says.

Currently on the PPA Tour, Blatt has been competing professionally in pickleball for the last three years and has her eyes set on being a top-10-ranked player in singles. She’s also a full-time content creator on Instagram and YouTube, where she shares her life on the road as a pro pickleball player along with fitness and lifestyle content.

Is squash completely out of the cards for Blatt? “No,” she says, “but there’s just more opportunity in pickleball right now.”

Seeing the way pickleball has exploded pushes her to better herself, she says. “Even the pros who were really good four years ago aren’t the best anymore, because there are people playing now who have put in more time, more effort, and they want to be the best — it’s pushing everyone to get better.

“I’m very lucky with my timing in this sport,” she adds. “It’s cool watching the pro level grow, as well as the amateurs and the communities all around it. Plus, with all these new pickleball facilities opening up, everything is just funneling together.”

Revitalizing a Love of Competing

Like Blatt, Goldin didn’t pick up a pickleball paddle until a few years ago — his upbringing was dedicated to playing tennis.

Goldin’s ability to swing a tennis racquet with rapid precision got him noticed at a young age: At 16, he earned a scholarship to IMG Academy, a boarding school in Florida that provides elite training for athletes. Goldin rose to be the No. 1 junior tennis player in the United States and then continued to compete at the Division I level with both the University of Alabama and Florida State University.

In 2018, however, he decided to exchange the tennis racquet for a real-estate license and desk job. “I was pretty sick of tennis and burnt out — the love I had for the sport when I was young had just petered out.”

Goldin recalls encountering pickleball — or “this weird sport,” as he described it — around 2019, but he didn’t start getting into it until he saw how fruitful it could be for networking. “Every morning, I’d go to the country club and play with a group at 8 a.m. for real-estate leads,” he says.

Over time, Goldin began to learn more about the landscape of pickleball, discovering things like DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating) levels. “And that’s when I found out about the tournaments,” he says.

Goldin enrolled in two tournaments in 2021, one with the APP and the other with the PPA. He didn’t make it far in those tournaments, but it exposed him to a higher level of pickleball play. He still, however, continued to focus on his real estate career. “I put pickleball to the side and didn’t think about it; I had to work,” he says.

In 2023, during a pickleball game centered around networking, Goldin’s opponent remarked that he should try playing professionally due to his high level of skill. The timing was perfect, as pickleball was skyrocketing in popularity.

In August 2023, Goldin purchased a ticket to see an MLP (Major League Pickleball) competition in person and saw firsthand the level of investment being poured into the sport. “After that, I was full-time pickleball,” he says.

“I had spent my whole life competing,” says Goldin. “But the break I had allowed me to reflect on my tennis career and where I came up short. Competing in pickleball feels like a second chance.”

Goldin is especially drawn to the energy he gets from the spectators. “My favorite thing in the world is to entertain, and to be able to compete at the highest level of something and say you’re playing the best in the world, while being one of the best in the world — it doesn’t seem real to me.”

As the No. 2 ranked player in singles in the PPA, Goldin is diligently striving for the No. 1 seat over the next year. He’s also documenting his journey through Instagram and YouTube with plans to launch a community group called Team Goldin to share his pickleball insights and tips. “I had to learn everything about the sport the hard way, and I want to share what I’ve learned with my community,” he says.

“The more tournaments I go to, the more junior pickleball players I see. I don’t know how big pickleball is going to get, but to be a part of its growth is so exciting,” Goldin says.

Prepping for the LT Open

October 2025 marks the launch of the LT Open, a singles pickleball tournament for elite players from all associations that is taking place at Life Time in Peachtree Corners, Ga. Hosted by Life Time in cooperation with the PPA, the tournament has an industry-leading $50,000 grand prize for each bracket and a $250,000 total prize purse.

“The LT Open is going to be huge,” says Goldin. “I think spectators are going to witness a lot of pressure, excitement, grit, and fight.”

Pickleball is known for being a partner sport, but singles play is quickly growing in popularity and attention, particularly at the elite level. Goldin says singles pickleball is a bit of a different game: “You get to use your athleticism a lot more in singles,” he says. “It demonstrates a player’s ball-striking ability, whereas in doubles, a player might be able to get away with not having drives.”

Singles is also a game of mental fortitude. “You don’t have a partner cheering you on,” he adds, “so you have to be a little more mentally tough and a little more gritty.”

Blatt is excited for the opportunity to hone her singles strategy and ball placement while preparing for and competing in the LT Open. “I’m very excited to play in a singles-focused tournament,” she says. “It’ll be tough, but I’m ready to compete.”

Leading up to the LT Open, Blatt is working on her groundstrokes, serves, returns, and passing shots — all of which are key in singles, she says. “Normally before tournaments I like to play more games rather than run drills to get into a rhythm and create patterns on the court,” Blatt says.

She also doesn’t go as hard in the gym to ensure her body is healthy and ready to compete. “Leading up to tournaments, my nutrition, sleep, and recovery are the priorities,” she says.

Goldin adds that he’s been waiting for an opportunity like the LT Open. “I love playing pickleball at Life Time clubs and I love the LT Pro 48 pickleball — it really is a good ball!

“When I first heard of Life Time potentially hosting a singles tournament, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I hope this actually happens,” he says. “I’m just excited for this chance.”

3 Pro Tips for Pro Pickleball Play

For those looking to get into the world of professional pickleball tournaments and more competitive play, Blatt and Goldin offer the following tips.

1. Lean on your support system.

Being a pro pickleball player means there’s rarely an off-season with touring: You’re often jetting from one tournament to the next, running drills, negotiating business deals, practicing, and more. Blatt and Goldin, who have been dating for more than a year, note that finding balance doesn’t come easy, but they lean on each other to fill the gaps.

“Pickleball has a strong community, but it can be lonely too,” says Blatt. “Having a partner competing at the same level as you allows for mutual understanding.” The two travel together, help refine the other’s technique, and show up at each other’s tournaments.

“When you’re on the court, there’s nothing like seeing a familiar face in the stands.”

2. Stay strong off the court.

What you do off the court is just as important as what you do on the court, according to these two pros. That means diversifying your activity. For Blatt, that looks like going on runs, incorporating mobility work, doing Pilates, golfing, and lifting weights.

“Sticking to a solid routine that focuses on my nutrition, rest, recovery, and practice, while keeping my mental state at its best is very important,” says Blatt. “I like to journal to keep track of my thoughts and progress and update my goals to hold myself accountable.”

Goldin also tries to hit the gym as often as possible along with partnering with a personal trainer and chiropractor, which he says is key to preventing injury. “If your muscles get overworked, you start overcompensating,” he explains. “I’m not trying to hit PRs every time with weightlifting; I’m trying to maintain healthy muscle so my body won’t fatigue and break down.”

3. Prioritize self-care when possible.

While cycling between training weeks and tournaments, both Blatt and Goldin make time to prioritize rest and self-care. For them, this could mean a multitude of things, like cooking at home after a week on the road, using the sauna and cold plunge (Blatt’s personal favorite) for muscle recovery, or simply just going on a date.

“It can get crazy being on the road all the time,” says Blatt. “Competing is a privilege, but it’s important to take the time for self-care too.”

The traditional way of playing pickleball is doubles — two-on-two is an easy way to learn the game when starting out, plus it’s social. But experts say singles pickleball — or playing one-on-one — is where they’re starting to see the level of the game grow in players’ skills and abilities, the level of challenge, and overall excitement, especially at an elite level.

“Singles pickleball is more physically demanding than doubles,” says Max Green, lead pickleball pro at Life Time PENN 1 in New York, N.Y. “Points are shorter but more intense, with both players sprinting to the kitchen and around the baseline to cover the court.”

Singles pickleball often favors former tennis players, Green notes, due to the number of shots and aggressive baseline points. There also tends to be less emphasis on soft game and more weight on speed and power.

“Playing one-on-one pickleball is an excellent cardiovascular workout and gets your heart rate up more than doubles does,” says Green. “The independence on the court is also something that people gravitate toward because they’re in full control of the match.” Singles play can improve stamina, footwork, and shot accuracy.

If you’re looking to improve your singles pickleball skills, Green provided seven drills to try, all of which can be performed with a ball machine or a drilling partner.

1. Forehand Target Precision Drill

“This drill works on your precision and the depth of your shot,” says Green.

• Stand across the court from a ball machine or a partner.
• When the ball comes to you, use your forehand to hit the ball crosscourt three times in a row.
• Then, hit the ball down the line three times in a row, continuing to use your forehand.
• Repeat as many times as you’d like.

2. Backhand Target Precision Drill

“This drill is similar to the forehand target precision drill except we are focusing on our backhand,” says Green. “It’s important to work on both because they are two separate shots. In a singles match, you’ll be hitting forehand and backhand shots throughout the game.”

• When the ball comes to you, use your backhand — both hands gripping the paddle — to hit the ball crosscourt three times in a row.
• Then, hit the ball down the line three times in a row, continuing to use your backhand.
• Repeat as many times as you’d like.

3. Kitchen Movement Drills

“These drills focus on improving your lateral movement across the kitchen line, while also helping to improve your speed,” says Green. “There’s a ton of lateral movement in singles pickleball as you move across the kitchen to cover passing shots hit by your opponent.”

Right Side of Court

Left Side of Court

• Stand at the kitchen line with a ball machine that’s able to oscillate or a partner across the court on the baseline of the right side of the court.
• Move laterally at the kitchen line to receive the drops the ball machine or your partner hits to you. Work on sticking volleys and keeping them deep.
• Receive at least 10 balls.
• Move the ball machine, or have your partner move, to the left side of the court, staying on the baseline.
• Repeat the drill for three to five minutes on each side of the court.

4. Serving Drill

“Serves and returns are crucial in singles pickleball because most points are won or lost on serves and returns,” says Green. “Setting targets to practice depth on serves is a great way to improve.”

• From the right side of the court, practice serving across the court to a partner or target. Focus on the depth and power of your serve.
• Continue practicing through an entire bucket of balls.

5. Serve Receive Drill

“It’s crucial to hit effective returns in pickleball, otherwise you’re at risk to start the point at a disadvantage,” says Green. “We want to practice hitting deep returns to keep the opponent back and to give yourself more time to advance to the kitchen.”

• Stand a few feet behind the baseline and prepare for a serve to come from a partner or ball machine (Green recommends using a partner for this drill if possible).
• Stay low and keep your contact point in front of your body as you return the serve back to your partner or ball machine.
• Repeat as many times as you’d like or aim to work through one bucket of balls.

6. Footwork Ladder Drills

“This drill works on foot speed and agility,” says Green. “It also enhances the speed at which you can change direction which is crucial for singles pickleball.”

• Set out a flat exercise ladder.
• Hop on one foot down the whole ladder.
• Hop on your opposite foot on the way back.
• Next, hop with both feet inside of the ladder, then outside of it, continuing for the length of the ladder.
• On the way back, hop with both feet inside every square of the ladder.
• Next, step quickly in each square of the ladder, swiftly alternating your right and left foot before moving onto the next square.
• On the way back, move side-to-side through each square, placing one foot in the square and then outside of it as you move the other foot in, moving that foot out as you’re transitioning to the next square.

7. Footwork Ladder Drills with a Pickleball Paddle

“These drills are similar to the previous ladder drill except we’re now incorporating swinging volleys,” says Green. “Focus on multitasking between the footwork and hand-eye coordination.”

• Start on one side of the ladder and move laterally through one square as you move to the other side of the ladder to receive a ball with a forehand hit.
• Move laterally to the other side of the ladder through the next square and receive a ball with a backhand hit.
• Repeat this for the length of the ladder.

• Quickly shuffle your feet several times before moving laterally through one square of the ladder to the opposite side to receive a ball with a forehand hit.
• Quickly shuffle your feet several times again before moving laterally to the other side of the ladder through the next square, receiving a backhand hit.
• Repeat this for the length of the ladder.

As pickleball’s appeal has grown, so has the number of players, resulting in more people searching for “What pickleball courts are near me?”

The Association of Pickleball Players reported that, as of 2023, 48.3 million U.S. adults — or nearly 19 percent of the total adult population — had played pickleball at least once in the last 12 months, up by 35 percent from 2022.

This demand has also sparked a rise in the number of pickleball courts around the country. Life Time has been committed to the expansion of pickleball since the sport started gaining popularity several years ago, and the company now operates more than 780 courts at 140 of its athletic country clubs across the country — with that number only expected to increase.

Life Time has also developed its own patent-pending LT Pro 48 Pickleball for players at all skill levels. It features an innovative design that prioritizes durability and consistent speed.

While Life Time strives to maintain its status as the nation’s largest operator of pickleball courts, it remains committed to creating an exceptional experience for its pickleball-playing members. Every detail of the court and facility design is considered, and a number of clubs also feature luxurious locker rooms, viewing areas, lounge spaces, self-pour drink stations, and other high-end amenities.

Here’s a sample of Life Time pickleball destinations from across the country — see if one of these iconic courts is near you! And even if it’s not one of these facilities, it’s likely there could be a Life Time pickleball court in your vicinity. (Plus, as a Life Time member, you have access to the entire network of athletic country clubs; you can visit any of these courts if your future travels take you to a nearby locale.)

Life Time PENN 1 in New York, N.Y.

Life Time PENN 1 opened in spring 2024 and is one of the city’s most energetic pickleball atmospheres. “This club has become the hub of pickleball for New York City, offering a vibrant scene that caters to players of all skill levels,” says Max Green, lead pickleball pro at Life Time PENN 1. “The seven state-of-the-art courts are constantly filled with members engaging in open play and competitive matches. Players range from beginners to ones competing at the professional level.

“Beyond the courts,” Green continues, “PENN 1 provides a spacious lounge area, which is a perfect spot for members to catch up on work, relax, or visit with friends between games. It’s this seamless blend of pickleball, community, and workspace that makes the club a standout destination for pickleball enthusiasts.”

Learn more: “Step Inside: Life Time at PENN 1.”

Chanhassen Pickleball Complex in Chanhassen, Minn.

In spring 2024, the Chanhassen Pickleball Complex opened as a standalone facility located just steps from the Life Time Chanhassen athletic country club and Life Time’s corporate headquarters. This 45,000-square-foot facility hosts eight indoor and seven outdoor courts.

“As Minnesota’s newest premier pickleball hub, the Chanhassen Pickleball Complex draws
pickleball enthusiasts and some of the state’s top talent,” says Mohanad “Mo” Alhouni, lead general and tennis and pickleball performance professional at Life Time Oakdale Village Tennis in Minnetonka, Minn. “Whether you’re a seasoned player or picking up a paddle for the first time, the indoor and outdoor courts offer the perfect setup for competitive and recreational games alike.

“The outdoor courts are fully lit, ensuring the action doesn’t stop when the sun goes down and allowing you to extend your matches well into the evening,” Alhouni adds. “After an intense game, you can kick back in the modern lounge area with self-pour taps or relax on the outdoor patio — both are a perfect place to unwind and connect with fellow players.”

The pickleball community here continues to grow with programming that features competitive leagues Monday through Friday, clinics for players of all skill levels, and private lessons. The outdoor area is also great for social mixers and events.

“As we continue to see pickleball interest grow, this beautiful and inviting space will continue to shine with all its features for players,” says Alhouni.

Learn more: “Step Inside: Life Time Chanhassen Pickleball.”

Life Time Green Valley in Henderson, Nev.

Life Time Green Valley opened in 2021 and offers eight outdoor pickleball courts.

“We have a group of committed members who play pickleball regularly on our courts, either socially or competitively,” says Graham McDaniel, pickleball lead at Life Time Green Valley. “One huge differentiator of playing pickleball at this club is our coaching team. We have a tour pro and a senior tour pro from the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA), a tour pro from the Association of Pickleball Players (APP), and Professional Pickleball Registry (PPR) certified coaches. These individuals have played alongside and against some of the top professionals in the sport.”

Life Time Rancho San Clemente in San Clemente, Calif.

Life Time Rancho San Clemente opened in January 2020 and features 12 outdoor pickleball courts. “The pickleball community is alive and well at Rancho,” says Brianna Stevens, lead general at Life Time Rancho San Clemente. “The majority of our member base participates in pickleball — whether they take clinics and lessons with our pickleball pros, participate in open play and tournaments, or choose to reserve a court with friends.

“We have monthly events that focus on building the pickleball community,” adds Stevens. “We provide a place for members to socialize with one another around playing, as well as offer competitive events that deliver challenge to players.”

Life Time in Peachtree Corners, Ga.

This athletic country club originally opened in 2013 but underwent a large expansion in fall 2024, now offering members 12 indoor and 18 outdoor pickleball courts. “There is a thriving pickleball community at Peachtree Corners that’s comprised of a wide range of ages of players,” says Carol Campa, pickleball leader at Life Time Peachtree Corners. “With the large number of courts at our club, we have the space and options for all types of programming as well as the ability to make private court reservations.

“Having the courts packed day after day brings a special energy to the club,” Campa adds. “Our members use the club space for a variety of reasons around their pickleball time — for example, they may train off the court, take a meeting in the lounge, enjoy a meal in the LifeCafe, and then hop back on the court to play more pickleball!”

Learn more: “Peachy Keen: What’s New With Life Time in Atlanta.”

Life Time Harbour Island in Tampa, Fla.

Life Time Harbour Island opened in summer 2024 with 12 outdoor pickleball courts for members to enjoy. “We host a lot of social events, tournaments, and open-play sessions at Harbour Island,” says Natalia LePivert, lead general at Life Time Harbour Island. “We have a solid showing of pickleball players here.”

Paula Rives, lead pickleball pro at Life Time Harbour Island, adds, “Our club is thriving with an energetic member base. Popular pickleball programming includes intermediate play, evening open plays, and weekly events, such as DUPR night and bring-a-guest round robins.

“Our courts, social spaces, and event-focused initiatives create a welcoming environment for players,” continues Rives. “We have areas of the club designed for both play and post-game socializing. We also partner with our LifeCafe team to provide food and often have music playing to create a fun atmosphere for the pickleball community.”

Learn more: “Step Inside: Life Time Harbour Island.”

Life Time Kingwood in Humble, Texas

Life Time Kingwood originally opened in 2010 but has since experienced renovations, including the addition of pickleball courts. Kingwood now has 21 outdoor pickleball courts — 20 regular courts and one championship venue with expanded seating for large tournaments and matches.

“The response to this major racquet sport expansion at the club has been incredible,” says Jenny Ingram, lead general at Life Time Kingwood. “Members love the energy and community it’s brought to the club. Our resort-style setup includes beautifully designed courts, a LifeShop offering premium pickleball gear and apparel, and a relaxing lounge area for players and families.”

The pickleball community is continuing to grow at Life Time Kingwood with tournaments, leagues, and other offerings. “We welcome players of all ages and skill levels, and we’re proud to host several national events throughout the year,” says Ingram.

Learn more: “Step Inside: Life Time Kingwood.”

Life Time in Annapolis, Md.

Life Time Annapolis opened in 2022 as Maryland’s fourth athletic country club. In 2024, a brand-new 46,000-square-foot pickleball facility featuring 11 indoor pickleball courts was added to the facility.

“We have around 1,200 members playing pickleball every month,” notes Spencer Merrill, lead general at Life Time Annapolis. “This is a huge community of passionate pickleball players. We average around 150 to 180 people playing in the tournaments we host every other month as well. We have men’s, women’s, and mixed leagues on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, plus offer clinics and lessons every day.

“Our goal as a club is to attract passionate players and to help everyone improve their pickleball game while living a healthy way of life,” he adds. “A lot of our members initially joined the club only interested in playing pickleball — but are now also taking group fitness classes, working with Dynamic Personal Trainers, and utilizing the LT Recovery area. The addition of the facility has been a huge success!”

Learn more: “Pickleball Gets a Bounce in Annapolis.”

To find a Life Time athletic country club with pickleball courts near you, look in the Life Time app or visit lifetime.life.

See Elise and Tom’s Top 3 Takeaways

One morning in May 2020, Elise Laedtke woke up feeling confused, slurring her words, and struggling to walk. This was bizarre for an otherwise healthy 59-year-old woman, but especially for Elise, who had been a competitive athlete all her life.

Elise and her husband, Tom, went straight to the hospital, where the medical evaluation and CT scan revealed Elise had suffered a stroke during the night.

Tom, an endocrinologist, was shocked. Given Elise’s age and health, it hadn’t occurred to him that her symptoms could be the result of a stroke. “We thought it was other causes,” he says. She didn’t have any risk factors for stroke, which include high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.

Elise spent the following week in the hospital and another week in rehab. After subsequent testing and medical workups, her team of doctors discovered that she had a congenital anomaly — a hole in her heart that had allowed a blood clot to travel from her lower abdomen to her brain. Six months after the stroke, she under­went surgery to close the hole and reduce the risk of future strokes.

After months of physical, occupational, and speech therapy, Elise was able to walk again, even drive, but her speech and strength lagged behind. She couldn’t participate in life the way she once did, which affected how she felt mentally and emotionally.

That is, until her former tennis coach put a pickleball paddle in her hand.

Always an Athlete

Elise had long enjoyed sports. Her father was an All-American swimmer and guided three children to successful swimming careers; Elise was a Division I swimmer in college.

After graduating in 1984, she moved back to her hometown of Rochester, Minn., where she became an elementary school teacher and taught swimming lessons on the side.

Meanwhile, Tom had been a lifelong tennis enthusiast, and they started playing together in the early years of their marriage. Elise had played some tennis as a child and picked it up easily; the sport became a part of her life, as much for the social interaction as for the love of the game.

After moving to Edina, Minn., Elise and Tom joined Northwest Athletic Club in 1998, before it became Life Time. In time, Elise was competing in league play twice a week, coached by tennis pro Rajan Keswani. “Elise’s routine had been tennis, tennis, tennis, tennis,” Tom says.

The couple maintained an active lifestyle off the court and regularly walked, biked, and golfed together.

Before the stroke, Elise was free of physical complaints. In retrospect, both she and Tom are convinced her good health and active lifestyle — along with her drive and determination — ultimately spurred her recovery.

Quality Coaching

In spring 2021, after Elise recovered from heart surgery, she was hopeful about reclaiming her fitness routine.

Strokes often result in long-term complications, including muscle weakness and the language disorder aphasia. Although Elise felt encouraged by the progress she was making with walking and driving, her strength remained limited and she still had trouble speaking.

She and Tom started branching out, incorporating some of the activities that had been part of Elise’s life for years. “We were searching for what Elise could do to have fun,” Tom remembers.

She started walking their dogs, Frankie and Stella. At the pool, she found that her swimming stroke was as good as ever. She and Tom rented a tandem bicycle, and they rode around nearby lakes with ease. She practiced her golf swing.

All of that brought her joy, but she still missed her tennis game.

Tom began taking her to the tennis court and dropping balls for her to hit. “It was nice to be back on the court, but she couldn’t play like she used to,” he says. Her weak grip strength made holding a racket difficult, and she couldn’t manage the coordination required to swing the racket or quickly move around the court.

“It was kind of depressing,” Tom says. “We felt good that she tried, but Elise didn’t feel like she was getting much better at tennis.”

Tom could see how hard this was for Elise: She wasn’t accustomed to being a mediocre player, and improvement seemed unlikely. It was hard to accept that she’d lost the game she loved as well as the social network she’d developed while playing competitively.

One day that spring, Keswani, who had coached Elise on her tennis game for more than a decade, saw her on the court and suggested she come to the first pickleball mixer he was hosting. Pickleball was so new at Life Time that there wasn’t yet dedicated space for it: Keswani used masking tape to create a pickleball layout on a tennis court.

“Why don’t you try it?” Keswani suggested. He thought a racket sport with a smaller court and a smaller, lighter paddle might provide the accommodations Elise needed. He was right.

Elise and Tom showed up to that first mixer, along with about a dozen other Life Time members who were all learning too. Elise took to pickleball right away — and the more she played, the more she smiled.

“She was bubbly again,” Tom says about the way playing pickleball brought out her personality. “When she plays pickleball, I can see the Elise I married.”

More Than a Sport

Elise has attended a weekly drill class and twice-weekly pickleball mixers ever since. She and Tom are grateful for the variety of Life Time’s pickleball offerings. Tom shares that her successful adoption of the sport has improved her fitness and eased some of the frustration she experienced in the wake of her stroke. Participating in the mixers helps her running ability, overall fitness, and math (thanks to the nuanced scoring system).

Pickleball has also introduced her to a new group of friends who are understanding, supportive, and encouraging. “When she goes to Life Time and does these pickleball mixers, she has a big smile on her face,” Tom notes. “She sees people she knows, and more importantly, they know her and they’re very kind to her.”

As her cognitive processing improves, her teammates provide visual cues to help her keep score.

“We’re blown away at her incredible progress,” says Keswani. “Over the last three years, she has blossomed into a very good pickleball player. She listens, plays hard, never wants to stop, hydrates, then throws in an adorable dance when she wins a point.”

Elise continues with speech therapy twice a week, which has helped her increase her vocabulary and communication. “Her pickleball friends laugh because she has a few famous phrases, such as ‘Close, but no cigar,’ when the ball lands out of bounds,” Tom says.

And she still practices her tennis game, which has gradually improved. Occasionally, she’ll play doubles in a tennis mixer. She says she still likes tennis, but pickleball is now Elise’s sport of choice.

Elise and Tom’s Top Takeaways

1. Focus on recovery with physical activities and speech therapy. Elise is diligent and puts in a lot of practice.
2. Stay open to adjustments and accommodations. Elise may not play tennis like she used to, but she’s grateful for her new sport and for organized pickleball mixers.
3. Surround yourself with empathetic and supportive friends. Stroke recovery is a long, slow process, and the support of family and friends is priceless!

This article originally appeared as “A New Game” in the March/April 2025 issue of Experience Life.