What separates good pickleball players from great ones? In this episode of Smashing Plastic, Coach Tommy sits down with Jill Martin (Pickleball Yogi) to break down the mental side of winning—confidence, partner communication, mixed doubles dynamics, and how to build your game around your true pickleball superpower.
Jill shares powerful insights from her work with Dayne Gingrich, their book Pickleball Mindset, and her experience coaching players on how to compete with more clarity, resilience, and self-belief. From pre-match communication to handling pressure on court, this episode is packed with real strategy for tournament players, rec players, coaches, and anyone trying to level up their pickleball mindset.
They also dive into women in pickleball, the need for more female coaches, how mixed doubles is its own game, and why bad coaching can be worse than no coaching. If you want to play freer, communicate better with your partner, and stop fighting against your natural style, this one delivers.
In this episode:
- How Jill approaches mindset and competition on the pickleball court
- Why partner communication should happen before the match starts
- Mixed doubles strategy and gender dynamics in pickleball
- How to build confidence under pressure
- Why you should build your game from your superpower
- The biggest mistake new partnerships make
- Coaching, fear, identity, and mental performance in pickleball
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Pickleball Mindset
01:09 The Competitor vs. Coach Mindset
02:22 Proving Yourself in Pickleball
04:04 Building Confidence on the Court
06:49 Empowering Women in Pickleball
07:27 Addressing Gender Dynamics in Coaching
10:52 Effective Communication on the Court
14:52 Navigating Mixed Partnerships
18:56 The Importance of Pre-Match Communication
25:15 Future Plans and Online Offerings
27:46 Final Tips for Improvement
Follow Jill Martin / Pickleball Yogi and learn more about her mindset work, clinics, and online training through PB Mindset. Website - IG - FB