In the bustling world of professional pickleball, the spotlight often shines on major organizations like the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA), Major League Pickleball (MLP), and the Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP). While these entities focus largely on showcasing young, vibrant talent, there’s a wealth of wisdom to be drawn from the more understated realms of the National Pickleball League (NPL) and the Senior Pro Tour, where seasoned athletes continue to impress.

Longevity in the Sport

Senior pro players offer invaluable insights into maintaining a lasting athletic career. Their expertise in injury prevention, recovery, and adaptive play provide a blueprint for career longevity that younger pros can emulate.

• Training and Conditioning: Senior pros have honed methods to maintain agility and endurance, lessons that can enhance training regimes for younger athletes.
• Injury Management: With a focus on alternative fitness and healing practices like yoga and nutrition, senior players offer models for managing stress injuries effectively.

Focus on Community and Inclusivity

The NPL and Senior Pro Tour are bastions of community spirit and inclusivity, setting a standard that mainstream organizations could embrace.

• Amateur Involvement: By integrating a strong sense of community involvement into competitions, they make the sport accessible to various age groups and skill levels, enhancing the spirit of events hosted by PPA and APP.
• Multigenerational Appeal: Highlighting pickleball’s charm across demographics, senior tours set a precedent for inclusive and family-friendly events.

Mentorship and Knowledge Transfer

Senior pros excel in mentorship, sharing not just technical skills but also mental fortitude.

• Formal Mentorship Programs: Establishing mentoring relationships can foster well-rounded players through strategic advice and supportive, intergenerational learning.
• Player Development: Insights into resilience and adaptability from seniors can aid younger pros in navigating high-pressure scenarios.

Marketing and Brand Longevity

By focusing on forming enduring relationships with brands and sponsors, senior tours illustrate a path for sustainable partnerships.

• Broadening Sponsorship Opportunities: Targeting brands that appeal across generations opens new revenue channels, with wellness-focused brands being a natural fit.
• Sustained Engagement: Marketing pickleball as a lifelong sport invites a wider audience and participant base.

Balanced Scheduling and Player Well-being

The senior circuits often factor player wellness into event scheduling, a practice that pro tours could emulate to avoid player burnout.

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• Player-Centric Schedules: Adopting flexible schedules could enhance performance levels by ensuring athletes receive adequate rest.
• Rest and Recovery Focus: Encouraging recovery periods and prioritizing mental health support helps maintain peak conditions for competition.

By drawing lessons from senior pro players and their organizations, professional pickleball can cultivate a more enduring, inclusive, and community-focused environment while ensuring the long-term success of its athletes.

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Get the latest updates and information on the rapidly growing sport of pickleball, specifically designed for the senior community aged 50+. Check out Sleeve’s Senior Pickleball Report on YouTube to stay informed and up-to-date with the ever-changing world of pickleball. Join the community and stay ahead of the game. https://stmdailynews.com/sleeves-senior-pickleball-report/

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Hey, pickleball enthusiasts! Get ready for a thrilling new episode of the “People of Pickleball” podcast, where host Mike “Sleeves” Sliwa sits down with the incredible Kim Kesner from the National Pickleball League’s Kansas City Stingers. This episode promises an engaging mix of athletic journey insights, strategic discussions, and personal stories that will inspire every pickleball lover out there.

Meet Kim Kesner

Kim Kesner is not your average pickleball player. Hailing from Denver, Colorado, she boasts a rich history of athletic accomplishments. From college volleyball and softball to becoming a pivotal player in the pickleball world, Kim’s sporting history provides a unique perspective on the game. She’s known for her never-give-up attitude on the court, whether she’s playing singles or doubles.

Achievements and Accolades

In 2023 alone, Kim has clinched 3 gold medals, 3 silver, and 1 bronze medal. Her prowess on the court earned her a 4th place finish at the US Open in the women’s division and a commendable 5th place in mixed doubles at Nationals. Last year, she bagged the prestigious APP Most Improved Player award and made waves with her highly viewed match against Anna Leigh Waters.

The Personal Side of Kim

Beyond pickleball, Kim wears many hats. She’s a dedicated chiropractor and acupuncturist who owns a practice in Denver with her husband, Chad Kesner. The duo is also proud parents to their son, Cole, a rising star in chemical and biomedical engineering and a college football player at South Dakota School of Mines. When not on the court or at her clinic, Kim loves engaging in outdoor activities like dirt biking, snowmobiling, and hiking. Her passion for helping others also sees her treating Lou Gehrig’s disease patients in her free time.

Podcast Highlights

In this episode, listeners can expect an insightful conversation as Mike Sliwa delves into Kim’s entry into pickleball, her thoughts on the evolving game, and the significance of being part of a 50+ professional league. Kim shares her reflections on the rapid growth of pickleball, changes in game tactics, and the joy of playing alongside legends like her Stingers partner, Jen Dawson.

Whether you’re a seasoned player or new to the game, this podcast episode is a treasure trove of strategies, personal anecdotes, and professional growth tips. It’s a celebration of the vibrant community and dynamic spirit that defines pickleball.

Be sure to tune in to “People of Pickleball” to catch all the action and inspiration. This episode with Kim Kesner is not one to miss!

Kim Kesner

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Get the latest updates and information on the rapidly growing sport of pickleball, specifically designed for the senior community aged 50+. Check out Sleeve’s Senior Pickleball Report on YouTube to stay informed and up-to-date with the ever-changing world of pickleball. Join the community and stay ahead of the game. https://stmdailynews.com/sleeves-senior-pickleball-report/

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Cautionary Tale

On a cool Saturday morning in November of 1978, my dad and I embarked on what had become one of our cherished weekend rituals—our trip to Long Beach to visit Builder’s Emporium. As we cruised in his gleaming new truck, our conversations flowed as easily as the road beneath us, ranging from home projects to my growing anticipation for the upcoming Thanksgiving feast. At 13, my mind was alive with dreams of turkey, stuffing, and my mom’s signature white cake with pineapple chunks and coconut sprinkles.

In that blissful moment of anticipation and routine, I had no inkling of the seismic shift about to occur in our world. Upon returning home, the air was heavy with an unfamiliar tension. My mother, with a pained expression, revealed the tragic news she had received—Maria Parker, a dear family friend, had lost her mother and nephew in the Jonestown tragedy.

The Jonestown massacre, a name now infamous in history, was bewildering to my young mind. The television was not showing the Saturday morning cartoons I expected but instead a somber news report detailing a sorrow that stretched far beyond what any child should comprehend. Over 900 lives had been lost to the sinister whims of Jim Jones and his delusions veiled as “revolutionary suicide.”

This event became a poignant turning point in my childhood, a stark introduction to how devastatingly real the world can be, even beyond the bubble of safety created by family. The lesson imparted by my parents—to confront rather than shy away from harsh truths—remains with me as an indelible life lesson.

Recently, in conversation with my uncle Melvin, he recounted seeing Jim Jones at a Bay Area event. He noted Jones’s undeniable charisma, an attribute that initially hid his dark motives. This realization emphasized the enduring danger of blind allegiance to misguided figures masquerading as saviors.

The Cautionary Tale

Today, I find myself reflecting on that cold November morning, feeling the eerie familiarity of history threatening to repeat itself. Society seems entranced by individuals displaying harmful behaviors, convicted felons who hold sway over masses despite glaring faults. As I watch these troubling tendencies unfold again, I am haunted by the echoes of Jonestown—a community of well-meaning people lost to the allure of misguided zealotry.

Let this recollection serve as a cautionary tale. Blindly following someone—no matter how captivating their persona—can lead to devastating outcomes. It’s crucial to maintain a critical perspective, to question and challenge, to prevent history from repeating its darkest chapters. As I write this, I hope to spark vigilance against those who, with the guise of charisma, lead others down a path fraught with peril.

Watching blindly loyal masses in our present time is as sad and scary as that fateful Saturday when I first encountered the true darkness humans can follow. To those witnessing today’s unfolding stories, let us heed this warning and remember: the cost of ignoring history is far too great to bear again.

The Bridge is a section of the STM Daily News Blog meant for diversity, offering real news stories about bona fide community efforts to perpetuate a greater good. The purpose of The Bridge is to connect the divides that separate us, fostering understanding and empathy among different groups. By highlighting positive initiatives and inspirational actions, The Bridge aims to create a sense of unity and shared purpose. This section brings to light stories of individuals and organizations working tirelessly to promote inclusivity, equality, and mutual respect. Through these narratives, readers are encouraged to appreciate the richness of diverse perspectives and to participate actively in building stronger, more cohesive communities.

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Read more about Jonestown here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonestown