What if the biggest risk in pickleball… isn’t your opponent?

In this episode of Kitchen Conversations, I sit down with Brad Robbins — the mind behind Kitchen Blockers — a product that’s not just entering the game…

…it’s trying to change it.

After taking a ball to the eye, Brad saw something most players ignore:

👉 The fastest-growing sport in the world
👉 Millions of players
👉 Almost no one protecting their vision

And that’s where Kitchen Blockers was born.

This isn’t just about eyewear.
It’s about awareness.
It’s about safety.
And it’s about protecting the game we all love.

Brad doesn’t hold back in this conversation — from why eye injuries are inevitable… to why governing bodies are behind the curve… to why the culture of pickleball itself needs to evolve.

Love it or not… this is a conversation the sport needs.

🎯 In this episode, we dive into:

• The real risk of eye injuries in pickleball
• The story behind Kitchen Blockers
• Why most players are ignoring safety
• The “kitchen line danger zone” explained
• Why eye protection may eventually be mandatory
• The explosive growth of Kitchen Blockers globally
• What the future of pickleball safety looks like

👁️ Learn more about Kitchen Blockers:

👉 Official Website
https://kitchenblockers.com

👉 Follow Kitchen Blockers on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/kitchenblockers

👉 Learn more about Brad Robbins
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradrobbins

🎥 Watch more episodes:

👉 Kitchen Conversations YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@KitchenConversationspodcast

🎙️ About the Show:

Kitchen Conversations is more than dinks, drops and drives —
it’s stories from behind the paddle.

🔥 Hashtags:

#KitchenBlockers #BradRobbins #PickleballSafety #EyeProtection
#PickleballInjuries #PickleballCanada #KitchenConversations
#ProtectYourEyes #PickleballGear #PickleballLife
#PickleballGrowth #SportsInnovation #EntrepreneurStory
#PickleballCommunity #PlaySafe #PickleballPodcast
#DinkResponsibly #GameChanger #PickleballAwareness

And that wraps up this episode of Kitchen Conversations.

If you enjoyed the conversation, be sure to follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone who loves the game as much as you do.

And if you want the full experience, including the visuals, head over to YouTube and watch the episode at

https://www.youtube.com/@KitchenConversationspodcast

Or search Kitchen Conversations Pickleball Podcast

That’s where these stories really come to life.

You’ll also find links and show notes in the episode description.

Until next time…

more than dinks, drops and drives…

these are stories from behind the paddle.

He didn’t just play the game… he helped shape it.

In this episode of Kitchen Conversations, I sit down with Pickleball Hall of Famer Steve Paranto… a man whose fingerprints are all over the modern game.

From the earliest days of pickleball…
to helping revolutionize paddle technology…
to building one of the most unique spaces in the sport…

This is a story of legacy, innovation, and the people who made it all possible.

Because behind Steve’s success…
is a father who changed the game forever.

And a son who carried it forward.

As Steve reflects, everything comes back to three things…
“my parents… being a teacher… and this crazy thing called pickleball.”

🎯 In this episode, we dive into:

• The origin story of modern pickleball paddle technology
• The role his father played in shaping the game
• The legendary 1976 Bicentennial Tournament
• What it meant to grow up inside pickleball history
• Why pickleball might not exist today without innovation
• His life as a teacher and mentor for 30 years
• The emotional story behind his father’s ashes on the court
• Why pickleball is one of the most powerful tools for longevity
• The rise of senior pickleball and why it matters

🏓 The Pickleball Fountain of Youth Podcast

👉 Watch / Follow:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=pickleball+fountain+of+youth

👉 Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com

👉 Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com

A podcast dedicated to the fastest growing segment in the sport…
senior players… and how pickleball keeps them moving, connected, and thriving.

🎥 “The Power of Pickleball” Documentary

👉 Watch on Documentary+:
https://www.documentaryplus.com

👉 Coming to Apple TV / Prime Video
https://tv.apple.com

https://www.primevideo.com

A powerful look at the history, growth, and human impact of the game… featuring Steve and other pioneers who helped build it.

🏆 Steve Paranto Legacy

• Pickleball Hall of Fame Inductee (2019)
• Son of Arlen Paranto (Hall of Fame 2017)
• Pioneer in composite paddle development
• Educator, innovator, and storyteller of the game

❤️ Why This Episode Matters

This isn’t just about pickleball.

It’s about:

Legacy
Family
Innovation
And the small moments that change everything

Because one idea… one paddle… one decision…
can shape an entire sport.

🎙️ About Kitchen Conversations:

This is not an interview.
This is a court-side conversation.

More than dinks, drops and drives.
Stories from behind the paddle.

🔥 If this episode hits:

Subscribe
Share it
Send it to someone who loves the game

Because the future of pickleball is being built…
on stories like this.

🔖 Hashtags:

#SteveParanto
#Pickleball
#PickleballHistory
#PickleballPodcast
#KitchenConversations
#FountainOfYouth
#PickleballLife
#PickleballCommunity
#DinkDropDrive
#StoriesBehindThePaddle
#Longevity
#ActiveAging
#HallOfFame

And that wraps up this episode of Kitchen Conversations.

If you enjoyed the conversation, be sure to follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone who loves the game as much as you do.

And if you want the full experience, including the visuals, head over to YouTube and watch the episode at

https://www.youtube.com/@KitchenConversationspodcast

Or search Kitchen Conversations Pickleball Podcast

That’s where these stories really come to life.

You’ll also find links and show notes in the episode description.

Until next time…

more than dinks, drops and drives…

these are stories from behind the paddle.

Before the millions of players…
Before the pro tours…
Before pickleball became what it is today…

There was 1976.

In this episode, we sit down to uncover the story of Johannes F. Lisiecki — the man behind the South Center Athletic Club, where the first organized pickleball tournament in the world was played.

The Bicentennial Tournament.

A moment that quietly changed everything.

Held in Tukwila, Washington, this event is widely recognized as the first formal pickleball tournament ever staged — bringing together early pioneers of the game, including founder Barney McCallum and Hall of Famer Steve Paranto.

What Johannes built wasn’t just a tournament.
He helped turn a backyard pastime… into a sport.

🔥 WHY THIS EPISODE MATTERS:

• The untold story behind the first-ever pickleball tournament (1976)
• How one facility helped push pickleball into the spotlight
• First-hand insight into the pioneers who shaped the game
• The bridge between pickleball’s origins… and its explosive growth today

📖 EXPLORE JOHANNES’ BOOK:

👉 Amazon Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=Pickleball+Bicentennial+Tournament+1976

👉 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Pickleball-Bicentennial-Tournament-Johannes-Lisiecki/dp/B0DZCVGX4S

If you care about the roots of the game, this is essential reading.

⚡ THE TRUTH:

Pickleball didn’t explode overnight.
It was built — quietly — by people like Johannes.

And if you don’t understand where it started…
you don’t fully understand where it’s going.

🎯 ABOUT THE SHOW:

“More than Dinks, Drops and Drives – Stories from Behind The Paddle.”

This is where the real stories live.

💬 QUESTION FOR YOU:

Do you know the moment you became addicted to pickleball?

🔔 SUBSCRIBE:

New episodes every Thursday at 1pm.

🏷️ HASHTAGS:

#Pickleball #PickleballHistory #KitchenConversations #JohannesLisiecki #BarneyMcCallum #SteveParanto #PickleballOrigins #BehindThePaddle #PickleballCanada #PickleballUSA #SportsHistory #PickleballLife #DinkDropDrive #PickleballCommunity #FirstTournament

And that wraps up this episode of Kitchen Conversations.

If you enjoyed the conversation, be sure to follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone who loves the game as much as you do.

And if you want the full experience, including the visuals, head over to YouTube and watch the episode at

https://www.youtube.com/@KitchenConversationspodcast

Or search Kitchen Conversations Pickleball Podcast

That’s where these stories really come to life.

You’ll also find links and show notes in the episode description.

Until next time…

more than dinks, drops and drives…

these are stories from behind the paddle.