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Join host Matt Hetherington as he talks a wide range of topics in table tennis with expert guests. From training habits to mental health and career advice, this is the Talkin' Smash Podcast powered by JOOLA!
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Welcome to "20x44 Life," the podcast that brings the world of pickleball straight to your ears. It's perfect for anyone who loves the game, from complete beginners to those who play at a competitive level. Here, we talk about everything that's happening in pickleball. From the latest rule changes to how these might affect your game at the local park, we've got you covered. We also dive into the stories of people from all walks of life who share one thing in common: a love for pickleball. Exp ...
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"We Don't Sell Pickles" with Alex Wadsworth aka "The Pickleman"
32:58
32:58
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In this episode of "20 x 44 Life," Brandon chats with Alex Wadsworth, a passionate pickleball enthusiast who shares his unique journey into the sport. Alex recounts how a local celebrity at the YMCA introduced him to pickleball, leading to his deep involvement in the community. He discusses building a pickleball court in his front yard, hosting tou…
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Talkin' Smash powered by JOOLA Ep14: Building the Major League Table Tennis Dream with Flint Lane
39:22
39:22
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39:22
Major League Table Tennis has taken the US by storm, and it was a great opportunity as the second season kicks off to sit down and catch up with the MLTT Founder and Commissioner, Flint Lane. Flint is aiming to bring the dream of having a full time professional table tennis league in the USA alive. Season 1 saw an exciting new format for the sport,…
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Talkin' Smash powered by JOOLA Ep13: A Career of Perseverance in Table Tennis with Matilda Ekholm
39:09
39:09
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39:09
Matilda Ekholm is a player well known for her passion, her scrappy left handed battles in rallies, and her exceptional feeling for the ball. While many know her as a multiple-time European Championships medalist, and now the Director of Coaching at PingPod in the USA, not everyone knows the hurdles she overcame in her impressive career. In this pod…
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20x44 Dinks - New Paddles Coming To 20x44 Life!
4:17
4:17
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In this quick yet exciting episode of 20x44 Life, we unveil the latest innovations and upcoming releases in our paddle lineup. From new paddle designs to unique colorways and additional accessories, there’s plenty to look forward to. Stay tuned as we dive into the details of our two new paddles: the 20x44 SH and the 20x44 EL Power. 20x44 SH (Short …
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Tanner Wallace's Journey To Pickleball Pro
49:22
49:22
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49:22
In this episode of the 20x44 Life pickleball podcast, we welcome special guest Tanner Wallace. Tanner shares his unique journey into the world of pickleball, from his initial skepticism to becoming an emerging pro. Learn about Tanner’s background, the challenges of balancing a full-time job with professional aspirations, and his insights on the fut…
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On this episode of the 20x44 Dink Podcast we're diving into a hot-button issue that has once again stirred the pickleball community: paddle drama. This time, the spotlight is on the Joola Gen 3 paddles, a popular choice among both amateur and professional players. Key Topics Discussed: Introduction to Paddle Drama Overview of the recurring paddle c…
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Talkin' Smash powered by JOOLA Ep12: Where are the Mainstream Superstars in Table Tennis? | Dan Ives
1:00:11
1:00:11
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A great and lengthy discussions with Dan Ives from the renowned table tennis brand TableTennisDaily, about the state of athlete image in table tennis. This was a good chance to dive into the topics of athlete interactions with fans, how media presents table tennis stars, and how table tennis players could break into bigger audiences and become more…
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The Journey from Racquetball to Pickleball with 20x44 Sr. Pro Jim Bronson
42:41
42:41
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42:41
In this episode of 20x44 Life, we welcome Jim Bronson, a seasoned player who transitioned from racquetball to pickleball. Jim shares his journey, challenges, and the growth of the pickleball community in Toledo. Tune in for insights on the National Pickleball League (NPL), tips for new players, and the evolution of pickleball tournaments. Highlight…
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20x44 Dinks - The Rise of DUPR as the Official Rating System
3:40
3:40
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3:40
In this 20x44 Dink, we dive deep into the latest shifts in the pickleball landscape, focusing on the significant merger between the Major League Pickleball (MLP) and Professional Pickleball Association (PPA), and the establishment of DUPR as the new official rating system for both organizations. Whether you're a seasoned tournament player or just h…
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20x44 Dinks - Introducing UTR-P, the APP's Fresh Rating System
3:48
3:48
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In this week's 20x44 Dink we explore a new chapter in pickleball rating systems, the UTR-P. This was recently announced by the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) and in this episode Brandon contrasts it with the DUPR system, and highlights how these developments could shape the future of pickleball. Read more about the UTR-P on our blog: https…
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Talkin' Smash powered by JOOLA Ep11: The Difficult Task of Handling Pressure in Matches with Vitor Ishiy
31:17
31:17
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We had a great chance to sit down and chat with Vitor Ishiy, one of the mainstays of the Brazilian National Team and a 12-time Pan American Championships gold medalist. We spoke with Vitor about the difficult task of handling pressure in high stakes table tennis matches. As part of this discussion we spoke initially about how pressure can affect a …
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The Growth of University of Michigan Pickleball with Team President Suzanne Chuparkoff
41:17
41:17
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41:17
Welcome back to another episode of 20x44 Life, the podcast that brings the pickleball community together, one episode at a time. In this installment, we're thrilled to have Suzanne Chuparkoff, the President of the Michigan Pickleball Club at the University of Michigan, to discuss the growing world of college pickleball. Highlights from this episode…
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Making Pickleball Louder - Simon Lovell's Pickleball Story
41:16
41:16
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41:16
On this week's episode of 20x44 Life, we sit down with Simon Lovell - a professional coach, author, the creator of Picklepreneurs, and, a passionate pickleball player. Simon's story is one of resilience, transformation, and rediscovery through the lens of pickleball. Key Highlights: Simon's Journey: Delve into the gripping tale of Simon's battle wi…
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Talkin' Smash powered by JOOLA Ep10: Bridging the Gap Between Social and Pro Table Tennis with PingPod CEO Max Kogler
1:03:25
1:03:25
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We reached the tenth episode of the Talkin' Smash Podcast, and it was our pleasure to be joined by PingPod CEO Max Kogler to talk about one of the biggest topics in the table tennis world. It's no secret that table tennis is a huge sport recreationally around the globe, but the numbers translate poorly into competitive representation. One of the ke…
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From Ice Rinks to Pickleball Courts: Building Community and Innovation with 20x44 Co-Founder Lee Elias
43:43
43:43
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43:43
Welcome to another exciting episode of The 20x44 Life Podcast, your dedicated source for all things pickleball. In this episode we take you on a journey through the ins and outs of pickleball, from the sport's addictive nature to the origins of our brand, 20x44. Join our host, Brandon, as he converses with Lee MJ Elias, co-owner of 20x44 and a vete…
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Talkin' Smash powered by JOOLA Ep9: The Career Journey from Brazil to the World with Thiago Monteiro
33:32
33:32
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33:32
Thiago Monteiro has had a lengthy career representing Brazil, winning multiple Pan American Games medals and competing in three Olympic Games. Monteiro has spent the majority of his career living in France, the rewards of making the bold decision to leave Brazil to pursue a full time table tennis career. At that time no player had moved away perman…
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20x44 Dinks - Serving Up Changes: The Latest Pickleball Serve Rules Explained
4:25
4:25
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4:25
Welcome to the first episode of the "20x44 Life Dink Podcast" with your host, Brandon Contratto. In our short and sweet format, perfect for your time dinking around the court, we dive into the hot button topics that have been stirring the pickleball world. In This Episode: Rule Changes in the PPA: We kick off by discussing the significant rule chan…
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Introducing 20x44 Life: A Pickleball Podcast With Brandon Contratto
5:57
5:57
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5:57
Welcome to the inaugural episode of "20x44 Life," a podcast where the worlds of pickleball and personal growth collide. Hosted by Brandon Contratto, a pro pickleball player with an unconventional journey from the ice rinks of professional hockey to the pickleball courts, this podcast aims to serve as the ultimate gathering spot for pickleball playe…
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Talkin' Smash powered by JOOLA Ep8: The Evolution of TableTennisDaily with Dan Ives
51:03
51:03
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51:03
To kick off Talkin' Smash in 2024, there's no better guest than Dan Ives. A great friend of podcast host Matt Hetherington, spanning back over a decade - these two have banter. Ives created TableTennisDaily over 12 years ago, starting out as a YouTube channel and a small forum for the most die hard table tennis fans. Over the past decade TableTenni…
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Talkin' Smash powered by JOOLA Ep7: The Physical and Mental Comeback from Injury with Sophia Klee
34:50
34:50
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34:50
In Episode 7 of the Talkin' Smash Podcast I spoke with one of Germany's top female players, Sophia Klee. After a promising start in the sport, as the 2017 European Top 10 Cadet Girls Champion, and European Cadet Girls Doubles Champion the same year, Klee faced a challenging situation at the beginning of 2022 when she was struck with a brutal injury…
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Talkin' Smash powered by JOOLA Ep6: The Atmosphere of Live Table Tennis Events with Ryan Willard
36:30
36:30
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36:30
In Episode 6 of Talkin' Smash Podcast powered by JOOLA, I sat down with my good friend Ryan Willard (again) at the JOOLA North American Team Championships on center court. I have some new guests lined up coming into next year and will take a little pause to organize and record new ones as we head through December. Ryan is a great creative mind and …
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Talkin' Smash powered by JOOLA Ep5: Overcoming Challenges in Serve Receive with Lily Zhang
24:37
24:37
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I was fortunate enough to take the opportunity to film a couple of podcasts with Lily when she visited, in the second one - Episode 5 of Talkin' Smash, we talked Serve Receive. Lily prepared some good blogs this year about her experiences playing on the tour and deep diving into some specific matches. One which stood out for me was her account of t…
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Talkin' Smash powered by JOOLA Ep4: The Seriously Underrated Art of Service Practice with Craig Bryant
46:38
46:38
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Former British International Craig Bryant joins host Matt Hetherington for this episode of Talkin' Smash on his specialist topic of the serve. Craig, recently taking the internet by storm as a reputable professional table tennis coach with a particular focus in the area of improving service, has a wealth of knowledge in the sport. The topics of con…
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Talkin' Smash powered by JOOLA Ep3: Setting the Record Straight for Physical Training in Table Tennis with Kevin Finn
38:25
38:25
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38:25
Peak Performance Table Tennis expert trainer Kevin Finn joins host Matt Hetherington to talk about common misconceptions for physical training in table tennis, as well as his ideas about building athleticism in the sport. Kevin Finn is a certified strength and conditioning coach and table tennis player, who is using his skills to try and bring both…
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Talkin' Smash powered by JOOLA Ep2: The Overseas Experience vs. Coming Home to the US with Lily Zhang
22:11
22:11
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22:11
Talkin' Smash host Matt Hetherington is joined by JOOLA's 3-time US Olympian Lily Zhang to discuss more about the contrast of experiences during her career so far. From the tough decision to pack up and relocate overseas as a full-time player for the first time, to making the -arguably even more difficult - decision, to come home to live back in th…
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Talkin' Smash powered by JOOLA Ep1: A Newcomer's Introduction to Pro Table Tennis with Ryan Willard
37:44
37:44
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37:44
In the first ever episode of the Talkin' Smash Podcast powered by JOOLA, host Matt Hetherington is joined by one of the recognizable faces in US Table Tennis - Ryan Willard. Commonly seen as an MC/Host and Commentator, Ryan's journey in the sport spans from being first exposed to the sport at SPiN New York, all the way to hosting the World Table Te…
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