Amy’s Favorite Pickleball Things
With my birthday just around the corner (🎩 hint: we’re going full Wonderland next weekend, RSVP here!), I thought it’d be fun to share some of my favorite pickleball things — the gear, events, and little joys that keep me coming back for more.
Whether you’re new to the game or a seasoned dinker, maybe you’ll find a new favorite too!
Favorite Paddle
Engage Pro1 – I started using Engage cause my college tennis coach, Mattias Johansson was (he is now sponsored by Joola) using it. Since he has been #1 in the world for Men’s Singles and we have similar playing styles I figured it would be a good fit. I stared off with the Engage MX then moved to the Pro1 6.0. It gives me the perfect blend of touch and pop. Also, I like the longer handle cause I have a 2-handed backhand, which I think everyone should try. We always have demos if you want to try it. If you like it, refurbished paddles are now up to $100 off. Use promo code 20Browna for an extra 20% off.
Favorite Shoes
Asics Gel Resolution 8 or 9 (whichever is cheaper)– I started off with Adidas Barricades as a junior player and they were so heavy & stiff that I would pay my sister to break them in for me. I love the Asics running shoes so when I got their tennis shoes it was a perfect fit. Comfort, grip, and durability. I wear these all day teaching and still want to play after! I usually can find a good deal on amazon. Babolat Jet Tere All Court are just as comfy, but a little too wide for me. Find a good shoes that doesn’t give you blisters and has good stopping power. Just please everyone stop wearing Hokas to play.
Favorite Club Shirt
Redding Open Sweater - We made shirts for our first tournament. I like paying homage to tennis grand slams with some of our logos. My dad and my sis made our last tournament shirts (we like to keep it in house when we can) and ended up accidentally getting the logo sent in the wrong size for free! I used the bigger logo and put it on a black sweatshirt. I then made one for Damon. We never advertised them, but have made them all from personal requests. All to say, right now I’m loving our Redding Open Sweater — soft, comfy, and my go-to all winter. Here is a picture of a funny coincidence where we are all wearing different shirts. My mom made the one of the right! We are designing more shirts and we hope you enjoy them! Check them out here!
Go-To Playlist
I’m all about upbeat energy when I’m coaching. I used to be a DJ and Damon used to be in a band! The picture is from “Rock n Roll” theme at our kids summer camp in SF. So we like to pick music based on the demographic or party theme, but something we also enjoy. Sorry, no Taylor Swift. If you’ve been to the night league we play a lot of classic rock cause everyone knows the songs and nothing too crazy will come on. I haven’t decided on the music for my party this Friday, but I’m leaning towards women who rock. Now what I listen to when I workout isn’t anything I’d want my mother to hear, but then again every generation thinks that about the next generation. Now when I’m playing or getting ready for my next match in a tournament I listen to something with a little attitude — This is my current battle song Weatherman, by Dead Sara. I’d have my mom listen to it so don’t be too worried to check it out. I think music is a great tool. I pick songs that get me into the right headspace and the same goes for our events. Do you have a battle song? Something that gets you in the headspace before a tournament? Let me know. Maybe we’ll add it to the playlist!
Favorite Strategy Tip
“Have Fun”
No joke. Why are you playing if you are not having fun? Even the pros love it. They are happy to being out there. If you stay positive you’ll not only enjoy the sport more you’re also more likely to win. Even if you lose, be someone that people like play with regardless. Remember the word, “play”. You’re “playing a game”, keep it that way and you’ll get to live an active & social life for as long as your body will tolerate it. Luckily, with pickleball that can be a long time. Ok, you want more than that? “Breath. Move your feet. Watch the ball.” Those 3 things are the first go to when I’m not playing my best or if I’m nervous. Want more goodies? Join our Doubles Strategy Clinic this Saturday from 10am-12pm.
Favorite Event
Hard to choose, but the Play for Pups Scramble is a new event that we wanted to do in memory of our beloved Viva that recently passed. I had her for 13 years and it was a tough loss for us. We got her and many of our pets from the Haven Humane, so we wanted to raise money for rescue pets — They will even be bringing dogs on site. We hope that it is successful so that we can make it an annual event. Event if you are unable to attend we’d love to have you drop by to say hi and pet some lovely doggies. We will also have a drop box the next 2 weeks for any donations.
Blankets/towels
Canned cat/dog food
Dog treats (mini Milk Bones preferred)
Dog toys (Benebones and Kongs needed)
Peanut butter (no xylitol)
We hope to see you there!
Recovery Must-Have
All of it - Recovery is my least favorite part of being an athlete. It was all “No pain, no gain” and “You can rest when you’re dead”. Now I swear by it. I no longer wait until that nagging pain starts to get worse, I just have a weekly session when my sports rehab at Phase 5 to stay on top of it. It’s still “No pain, no gain” cause scrapping, cupping, and my least favorite, the cold plunge, is no fun. My mom is better at the plunge than I am. My best is 4 minutes, but I hate it. I’m made for the heat, not ice baths. I also recommend stretching and a day off. I used to get after it every day, but my body performs better if it’s had a least one rest day. Want the cheap version? Buy a foam roller and go jump in the river (stay close to the shore). You only get one body, take care of it.
Court Fuel
Ok. I get asked what I eat and it’s changed a lot over the years. I don’t believe in diets, but finding what works best for your body. I grew up in the carbo load fad and I later realized that it didn’t work for me. Here are some things that have worked for me and I actually enjoy eating. My spinach smoothie days are over.
I don’t eat much in the morning or before I train. I recently read that intermittent fasting isn’t as helpful for women as it is for men due to our higher level of cortisol. So I will drink my celery juice and some nuts.
I will add a scoop of creatine (I like Jocko Wilinks) and electrolytes (Local Louis Volpe is my favorite) in my water before I get started. Not only does creatine support muscle strength and recovery it also supports brain cellular function, memory retention, and vitality. Just remember to drink a lot of water when you take it.
After training we eat eggs and oatmeal. Sometimes we add bacon! But this is if we have a long break before being back on the court.
Before heading back to work we either have yogurt with protein powder or a protein shake (I like Optimum Nutrition and Diesel) I get vanilla so I can add it to yogurts or oatmeal.
I’ve eaten so many food bars in my life that I now have a hard time getting them down. I’ve had close to 1000 of the Think! Protein bars, which I chose cause of low sugar and gluten free. They taste as good as a protein bar can. I avoid food bars unless I’m playing in a tournament and need some quick fuel.
Dinner is the one meal that isn’t the same every day and isn’t focused just on fuel. I do most of the cooking and most everything has one veggie, carb, or protein. I cook mostly gluten-free and avoid gluten when I’m at a tournament. I just feel like it weighs me down.
Non-guilty pleasures. Peanut butter on rice cake. I make my own peanut butter and I could eat it every day. Boom Chica Pop Popcorn. This is prob the one food I have to put in a bowl or I’ll eat the whole bag. It goes from non-guilty to guilty really quickly. Moderation is key. Chai tea. I buy mine from Samovar in San Francisco. It’s a loose leaf tea and I add cream and honey (I also have a large collection of honeys from everywhere we travel). Drink that with your peanut butter rice cake during your reading time. Perfection.
Favorite guilty pleasures? Pizza. I make it once a week. I’m also a sucker for a beefy burger and fries. Damon makes the best burgers. Also, I love fancy cocktails. Most of my sugar is consumed in alcohol. Don’t judge. I already said “guilty” pleasure. Lastly, chocolate. I always have a stash of See’s Scotchmallows. I don’t need to hide them cause I have a very high delayed gratification tolerance. If you like ooey gooey chocolate go score a sample at See’s.
Work Partner
My favorite part of pickleball is that I get to spend all my time with Damon. I feel so blessed that we get to coach, play, and figure it out together! We couldn’t do this without our amazing community! So thank you for making pickleball our new favorite sport and we hope that we can make it your favorite too!
Want to share yours?
Tag us on Instagram or reply to this post and share one of your favorite things — whether it’s a paddle, playlist, or courtside snack.
Better yet, bring it to our Alice in Wonderland Pickleball Party next Friday and show it off in person!
See you on court,
– Amy
