The Real Housewives of Pickleball

From Tennis Pro to Pickleball Pro: Lina Padegimaite's Latest Chapter with PPA & Motherhood

Former college tennis player Lina shares her journey from Lithuania and UT Austin to earning a doctorate in physical therapy and finding a second athletic life in pickleball. She discusses becoming a pro, joining Major League Pickleball’s Fives, and navigating contracts, travel, and team partnerships while raising a young son. Episode highlights include practical training advice (core, single-leg stability, shoulder and hip mobility, Pilates), mental-game strategies (footwork, routines, problem-solving), the importance of community, and reflections on balancing motherhood, career choices, and long-term goals in the evolving pro pickleball world.

Meet the G.O.A.T.: Ryan Reader’s Road to 4.0+ and the Pickle Arena App S2/E8

Founder Ryan Reeder joins The Real Housewives of Pickleball to share the story behind Goat Paddle — from coaching and facility ownership to launching a player-focused paddle line and the new Pickle Arena app (the Instagram of Pickleball?!). He explains the brand’s “Road to 4.0+” approach, manufacturing and finishing process, and the community-first strategy that guides product design. Ryan also breaks down practical tips on paddle weighting and tape, paddle customization, sponsorship realities, and the creative side of the business (character-driven paddles, comics, and future prototypes). He closes with advice for anyone starting something new: follow your passion, be consistent, and learn to sell.

How World No. 2 Anna Bright Trains, Thinks & Teaches (Inside Her Academy) S2/E7

Hosts Natasha and Neely chat pickleball news, upcoming tournaments, and the sport’s addition to the 2028 Olympics (Correction: A source referenced in this episode regarding pickleball being added to the LA 2028 Olympics was an April Fools article.  Pickleball is not currently an official Olympic sport for LA 2028), then interview world No. 2 Anna Bright about her online pickleball Academy and breaking through in a male-dominated industry. Anna shares training fundamentals, mindset tips for breaking plateaus, the Academy structure and community benefits, plus how players can sign up and improve their game with focused, intentional practice.

Pickleball Nikki: How One Game Changed Her Life and Sparked a Movement of Joy & Community S2/E6

On this episode of Real Housewives of Pickleball, hosts Neely Sullivan and Natasha Linton sit down with Nikki Maldonado (Pickleball Nikki) to hear how she found pickleball, transformed from a workaholic into a vibrant creator, and built a supportive online community. They discuss the Pickleball Joy Pledge, combating toxicity in the sport and the ‘‘honeymoon phase,’’ tournament experiences and partner dynamics, and the need for more women’s voices in the sport and content creation — all wrapped in authentic, uplifting advice for players at any level.

The Power of Simplicity in Pickleball: Tony Roig on The Real Reason You Aren't Winning (And How To Fix It) S2/E5

Tony Roig, founder of Better Pickleball and host of the Pickleball Therapy Podcast, joins the episode to share his journey from tennis to pickleball and the principles behind the Pickleball System. He focuses on fundamentals—especially the return of serve and third-shot strategy—plus tournament prep, partner communication, timeouts, and practicing with purpose. Listeners will get practical coaching tips for rec players and competitors to improve consistency, mindset, and on-court decision making.