From School Sports to Pickleball Pioneer: Building a Business Around Britain's Fastest Growing Sport

Today I'm here with Scott Tift, who is a full-time self-employed pickleball coach. He also runs Pickleball Complete Academy and is the director for school development in Pickleball England.

Scott used to have a background in coaching for schools and used to be director of Total Sports Coaching before he went self-employed. So thanks for being here today. Pleasure. Absolute pleasure. Thanks for having me. So first and f- foremost, for those who don't know, what on earth is pickleball? Yeah. Uh, that is probably the question that anyone that plays pickleball gets asked the most.

Um, it's a hybrid sport between tennis, table tennis, and badminton. Um, it's played with a hard plastic ball, harder paddles, uh, on a badminton s- uh, size court, and that's pretty much pickleball. Um, it's inclusive, it's fun. Loads and [00:01:00] loads of people are getting into playing it now. Like it is, it's the fastest growing sport in the world.

Um, and it's helping me do something that I'm passionate about and, uh, and travel a little bit of the world while doing it. So yeah- Yeah ... it's a great game. Yeah. I have to also say it's a great game 'cause I do love it as well. Um, it's the-- I don't-- I think from my perspective, it's easier to get into than tennis 'cause I feel like tennis is- Yeah

way harder on the legs, the running aspect of it. And- Yeah ... I think it's, I dunno, tennis has always seemed a bit more elitist kind of sport that's like really hard to get into. Yeah, I think it's just more accessible. Like it might, like you said in the intro, my, my background is in coaching in schools and, and to teach children tennis on like the main scale is difficult, but actually introducing pickleball to them is so much easier.

Mm-hmm. And they pick it up a lot quicker and it doesn't seem as, as scary to them 'cause it is a smaller [00:02:00] court. It's, uh, it is basically a bat and ball that they use at playtime normally. Um, so it's just, it's just normal behavior for them. It's great. Um- Yeah ... so yeah, I, I do think it is more accessible than tennis.

Tell me a bit more about how you got into coaching in the first place. Oh, well, um, I was never-- When I got to sixth form, I wasn't very good in the classroom. Um, so, uh, I spent, I spent two years of my life in PE kit basically- ... up at the sports hall, um, just doing everything I could sports-wise and, uh, and hanging around with the PE teachers and getting to know them and, and kind of finding out what they did and what their job involved.

And then, and then I just started helping really- Mm-hmm ... um, after school clubs. Uh, my, like my sixth form helped run the sixth form rugby team, um, as one of the coaches there 'cause I was qualified coach from, from, uh, Thanet Wanderers. Um, and then started helping [00:03:00] out at my old junior school on just a few sort of afterschool clubs.

Okay. Uh, left sixth form and then, yeah, got offered a full-time job. And as they say, the rest is history. So- That's pretty sweet, getting a full-time job straight out of sixth form. Yeah. Kind of left it and just went straight into, into coaching- Wow ... and never looked back. Wow. Yeah. That's pretty cool. What, 18 years ago now, so Yeah.

Wow. Um, I'm just thinking 18 years ago was a long time ago, wasn't it? Yeah, it's very long.

Sorry to put you on the spot there. Yeah. Yeah, there are kids that I taught that are now becoming teachers and- Yeah ... having families. You're like, "Brilliant." Yeah. You're not a kid anymore. I'm getting a bit old. Yeah. Yeah. So why did you take the leap into self-employment from your previous job? Um, I think-- So the reason I kind of went into the director of Total Sports Coaching in the first place [00:04:00] was I think in s- in schools sp- uh, specifically, there is, uh, there's a ceiling for anyone that works in schools as to how high you can go up the chain, how much money you can earn, uh, and just, just what you can achieve really.

Um, a-and it is really a, a, a vocation. It's a, you get into it because you care about what the kids do and y- you're passionate about that line of work. And sports coaching is never a big, big money thing. Like if you're in sports coaching for the money, you're in it for the wrong reasons 'cause it's not gonna happen.

Um, so I took the director's role because I wanted to have an impact on a bigger stage. Okay. I think, and instead of just working in one or two schools, it was we had like a 53 school contract, I think by the time I left, and we had four or five academy, football academies running, and we just set up a rugby academy along with, um, Chris Dengate, who's another one of the, uh, the directors.

And we had a really good team running, and then I was just kind of [00:05:00] like, "I want something different." Mm-hmm. "And I wanna..." I was really getting into like playing pickleball at the time- Mm-hmm ... um, and doing all right on, on different tournaments and things. I was like, "Actually, I just wanna throw what I know and what I know I'm good at into something that I'm passionate about."

Mm-hmm. Um, and yeah, then just kind of went from there. Okay. Awesome. So, uh, and it all moved fairly quickly. Yeah. It really did. Kind of like, yeah, June I kind of made the decision, and August I left, so. Oh, wow. Yeah, you were just like, "Yeah, I'm gone." Like, "This is it." It was, it was immediate. Yeah. And I think- Yeah

I think it had to be. Yeah. I don't think I would've done it if it wasn't, but yeah. Yeah, two, two and a half, three months. Yeah. Okay, nice. So- So you didn't have any kind of like backup plan or anything. It was just full send into- Oh, no. No, there was no backup plan. No, no. Just full send. Like it was straight into it.

Yeah. Yeah. To see what happens and make it work really. Yeah, fair enough. Kind of the same with me 'cause, um, I just got tired [00:06:00] of like being a developer for people, and then I was like, "Right, I just have to make this work 'cause it works better for me." So that was it, and there was no like plan B. The plan B was like find another job, which just seemed like pointless to me.

So I was like, "Right, that's it. This has to work now," and yeah. That's always the plan B. Yeah. The, um, the plan B is I'm just gonna find another job if I need to. Yeah. Like there were moments you think, "Oh-" Do I just apply to Tesco's or something like that and just get a job just to make sure it all is okay?

But- Yeah ... you just have to keep throwing yourself into it, I think, and, and, and keep pushing. Yeah. For sure. And you've found that as well, so. Oh, oh yeah. I've definitely considered going back to Sainsbury's. Yeah. Because it's so, like, up and down, isn't it? Self-employment is so, like, at one m- moment you're, like, load- l- not loaded, but, like, you have loads of money and then suddenly three months of, like, nothing, and you're just like- Yeah

this is the worst thing ever. So- Yes ... yeah. Um, with you on that [00:07:00] one. So did anyone tell you at that time to go self-employed was, like, a bad idea? Or was there, like, people that were like, "Mm, are you sure?" So yeah, no one told me it was a bad idea. They did the whole, "Okay, how's that gonna work?" Kind of like, they did-- They thought it was a bad idea, but they didn't wanna say it was.

Yeah. But they just asked the questions that make you think. Um, I think it was a shock to some people. Oh, okay. Um, because we did have, like, TSE was brilliant. Like, it, it really was good, it just... I don't know, it just didn't grab me anymore. Mm-hmm. Um, and things happened in my life and I was just like, it's a bit...

Life's too short to be, to be doing something I'm not completely happy in. Mm-hmm. Uh, and I kinda wanted to- Go and chase something that I was, like I said, was passionate about and, and I think I'm all right at playing as well. And then to be able to coach and play at the same time and travel a little bit around the world is lovely.

So, [00:08:00] um, yeah, everyone was a bit like, "This is mental," like, because they'd never even heard of the sport- Mm-hmm ... some people. They're like, "You're gonna do what? What is that?" Yeah. And the biggest one is, "Is that paddle?" No, it's not paddle, it's completely different. Um, but yeah, so I think there was more shock than people telling me it was a bad idea.

Oh, okay. Um, I think there was concerns. But no one, no one fully raised them, I don't think. I think they just kind of knew the kind of person I was and, and when I got my head into something, I, I just go. Yeah. How, how did you- Yeah ... how did you sort of deal with people saying, "Oh, okay." Did you just kind of let them say that and then let it go past you, or did it sit with you for a little bit?

Yeah, I think you have to, 'cause I think if you, if you listen to every single person that says something bad or says something a little bit negative, you're never gonna push through it, and you're never gonna find the positives in, in anything you do. Mm-hmm. Um, and I think, uh, like I've played sport all my life and, and there's always those people that [00:09:00] will always say something about you that you're not good enough, or you shouldn't be playing for a certain team, or you shouldn't be playing at a certain level.

And if you let it get to you, you'd never leave the front, you'd never leave the house. Yeah. Um, and I think it's the same in business- Yeah ... personally. I think if someone tells you, "Oh, you're not that great," and you go, "Oh, okay," it's, you're never gonna, no one's gonna ever achieve anything. Yeah. Exactly. So you kind of have to say like, "Cheers, thanks, but, hey, don't bother me."

Yeah. Yeah. I'm focused on- And just crack on ... the goal. If you, if you think you can do it, yeah, you, you've just gotta throw yourself into it and go for it. Yeah, absolutely. I listened to, to a podcast called, um, The Greatest Mindset, something like that. It's very good, and it has people from all sorts of businesses around the world and how they had to push through, like, a lot of things.

There was one that really stood out. She was selling some skincare product or something, but she got rejected by, like, over 80 people to make, to make it, like, a actual product in the world, and then she finally got to 81 or [00:10:00] something, and then they said yes, and then her life completely changed. But yeah, you just have to keep pushing through everything- Pushing

I think. Yeah. Yeah. You only need that one yes sometimes, don't you? Yeah, exactly. Did you do any business training before you started Pickleball Complete Academy? Uh, no. Um, I didn't, but kind of-- So our mentor at Total Sports Coaching, Seb Tyde, who... He is phenomenal. Like, he's got one of the best business brains I think I've ever met.

Um, and being a director there and being the general manager before that, like, he showed me things that needed to be put in place to achieve in business- Mm-hmm ... and kind of mindset that you needed to do business. Um, so yeah, I learned a lot from him, and took a lot on from, from the time that we spent together at Total Sports Coaching.

But it's kind of been a just using my network around [00:11:00] me. And I think when we set up Pickleball Complete Academy, it wasn't-- It, it's not a business. Like, the, the academy is not. It's, um, it's just a club for people to come and play at. Mm-hmm. It's just a, an academy that anyone from any different club can come to and develop and train and things.

And, but the network you create from that- Mm ... when you meet people and find out what their professions are, like, that opens doors for you. Yeah. That's awesome. Um, there's probably five or six people that I will talk to regularly about business. Mm-hmm. Um, and they're not-- So it's not unlike a, a real professional, just on a, an absolute level as mates really and, and friends that just go, "What do you think of this?

Honest opinion." There you go. And they don't, they don't then go too professional on you. They give you your, their honest opinion. Yeah. Um, and that's what you need. Yeah. It's not-- You don't, you don't want someone you're paying for advice to say, "Well, I like it." They go, "Nah, that's crap. That's rubbish." Yeah.

"Don't do that." And [00:12:00] I'm like, "Okay." So yeah, I think that's probably the biggest thing for me is that we've created that network- Mm-hmm ... that we've got people that I can talk to- Mm-hmm ... regularly. Mm-hmm. Um, and also you need that support network around you, I think, um, to, to actually make it really successful.

Yeah. 'Cause you need those people that believe in you and will want to back you. Yeah, for sure. For sure. Especially on the down days when you almost don't believe in yourself sometimes. You definitely need people to, like, pick you up and go- That's it ... "Come on, get up. Off you go." Yep. "Do it again." Yep. Yeah. Oh, yes.

Yeah. Yeah. So what does a typical week look like for you day-to-day now that you're a full-time coach? Don't really have a typical week. No? Uh, it, it-- no, I mean, most of the time it's, I kind of keep Mondays free for admin. Mm-hmm. And kind of book myself out for that, so I make sure I can start the week with any jobs that I've needed to do done.

And then [00:13:00] Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday is normally all my coaching clients during the day and in the evenings, um, where we run the group sessions for the academy. And then Friday normally morning is coaching and afternoons anything I need to do with meetings and things like that. Hmm. Um, so I t-try and keep a structure just because with, with coaching it's for the clients and for the people you're coaching, a regular slot is better.

Mm-hmm. Uh, and they appreciate that. So it doesn't change very often. So if someone likes a Thursday morning 9:00 to 11:00, they'll always have Thursday morning 9:00 to 11:00. Yeah. So it does make it a little bit easier to, to plan your weeks out. Mm-hmm. Um, obviously with all my new stuff with Pickleball Escapes and things and Pickleball England and sometimes weeks get pushed back and, and I'm not here, so I have to rearrange all that and then we do double sessions and things.

But, um, but yeah, there's-- it's quite-- it's nice. Like you're in control of your own calendar, aren't you? And I get to just travel around different [00:14:00] leisure centers and play pickleball. It's not a bad life. I keep telling people it's a job. I keep telling people it's hard, but it's a job. But do you know what?

I just love it. It's great. Yeah. It's, um, it is superb. Like you've been to some of my sessions on Monday nights and things and it's, we just have a laugh. Yeah. Yeah. I, I will say it's probably one... Well, that part of it is probably one of the chiller, chiller jobs like, 'cause you have to- Yeah ... obviously have an understanding of pickleball and everything like that, but like once you know somebody you can have quite a joke with them and stuff- Yeah

I think. Yeah. But, and I think that's coaching as a whole. Yeah. That, that, that is, that is sports coaching. Like you get onto a different level with some people 'cause you're, you're kind of helping them achieve their dreams. Mm-hmm. And helping them reach their full potential, um, even on the days that they don't think they can.

So you have to You have got a completely different relationship with them rather than just coach and client. Like you, you work out in the first 15 minutes or even less than that, like what kind of session they need. You could have this complete plan in [00:15:00] place, but, uh, like I've, I've got someone that comes to me and, and she won't mind me saying, but in the first 10 minutes, like if she needs like more of a bit of a cuddle rather than a, than a strict coach, then I'll know.

Yeah. And then we change the session based on that, so we don't try and do too much. We just focus on one or two things. But if she comes in and she's pumped and it's like, "Right, let's go," and then we absolutely nail things and I can go a little bit more tough love on her. Mm-hmm. And she's fine with that.

Mm-hmm. Um, but yeah, that's kind of it. That's the fun of it though, isn't it? Like that's the-- That's why there's... Yes, okay, there's a typical week schedule-wise. Mm-hmm. But no two sessions are ever the same, even with the same person. Yeah. Like it, it changes constantly. So, um- Mm-hmm ... it's quite nice 'cause it keeps you on your toes.

Oh, that's good though. I think it like helps you keep it fresh as well. You don't get like- Yeah ... mundane things or anything. That's really nice. Yeah. And we're always learning. Coaches are always learning, and as soon as someone or a coach stops learning, [00:16:00] they, they shouldn't be a coach anymore because, 'cause, 'cause you are constantly learning.

Like- Yeah ... new people walk through your door and, and new, new strategies come into place for teaching different things or coaching different things and, and you, you should always be looking to, to develop and learn yourself- Mm-hmm ... so you can pass that on. Yeah. You almost want the student to become better than you though, right?

Always. Yeah. Just don't beat me in a tournament. I mean, just, just not beat you in a tournament. Yeah. Don't beat me in a tournament. No, no, I'm joking. Of course not. Someone will, someone-- One of my clients will one day, yeah. Yeah. One day. One day. We'll, we'll get there. It might not... It definitely won't be me, but it might be some of the- No, it might.

You never know. It might be you, Mel. Yeah. It might be you. So talking about learnings, what's the biggest mistake you've made since you went self-employed, and what did you learn from it? Undervaluing my time. Mm-hmm. [00:17:00] So I think you kind of start a business and, and I went in and I was like: Right, I'm not gonna go too much on the pricing.

I'm gonna make it attractive to people. And you go through all this, don't you? I need to make it attractive, but I need to make it worthwhile. And then you kind of get to know people, and you don't make the price attractive. You make it too cheap. Right. And I think that was my mistake. I didn't value my time enough- Okay

when I think about it. So I-- when I first, like very first started it, it was like I was quite cheap per hour when... And then you look back and you think: How did I even start at that? Like, why did I go that low? Um, so yeah, I think yeah, undervaluing myself was probably the biggest mistake I made. Yeah. How quickly did you rectify that?

Like how did you realize? Oh, a few months. Oh, a few months. Okay. Yeah, a few months and then- Yeah ... yeah, I had to. Yeah. It, it, well, it needed to [00:18:00] because otherwise it just wasn't gonna work. Yeah. Um- Absolutely. And that's the biggest thing. So yeah, it g- yeah, I've completely undervalued it. But that's fair enough.

I think that's a very common thing to do, especially when you start out self-employed and um, I'll share a bit of like knowledge from... So I used to work for marketing agencies, and they would sell websites for like 10K like all the time. Mm-hmm. And when I first started to self-employed, I was like: How on earth does anybody like charge 10K for this thing?

Yeah. You know, like I don't 'cause it's just me. But like but like they, they do and I know like people pay it, so it's, it's really weird like, like you say, you don't wanna undervalue yourself, but you don't wanna also seem too cheap so then people don't trust you. And it's, it's a real, it's a real tricky, um, thing.

It's a real balancing act. Yeah. It really is. It really is. Yeah, 'cause you're right. Like if you go too cheap people [00:19:00] think, "Oh, they're not that professional or don't know." And then if you go too expensive they go, "Oh, they must be really good." Yeah. Um, "I'm not gonna go there 'cause I don't want, I can't afford that or I don't think I could justify that."

And it's like where do you go? And you've gotta find that middle ground- Yeah ... until it's out there and you start building that, that client base and, and, and those relationships. Yeah. Absolutely. And people actually think that you are worth it. Hopefully, obviously. They're like: Oh yeah. Yeah. All right. Yeah.

All right. I'll bung you a tenner. This looks quite fun. Oh, he does know what he's going on about. Yeah. Okay, cool. We're gonna move on to some pickleball s-specific, uh, questions now. So why do you think pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the UK right now?

I, I think we said it at the start of the, the podcast, it was, um, it's just accessible. Like you go to, to your leisure center, there's four badminton courts. Mm-hmm. That means there's 16 people minimum that can play pickleball at the same time. Yeah. Um, [00:20:00] you go to some bigger leisure centers, there's eight sc- eight courts.

If that's 32 people, you can have playing pickleball with a few people watching as well. So it's-- I think it's just so accessible to people. Mm-hmm. But it's also quick. Like games are 15 minutes, 12, 15 minute long. Yeah. Um, you get a group of four or five of you for two hours, you're playing six, seven, eight games.

Oh, yeah. Like quite comfortably. Yeah. For probably half the price, if not maybe less than- Mm-hmm ... than tennis or padel or something like that. Mm-hmm. Um, because all you need is a court at a leisure center. Yeah. And now, now there's a few that are popping up in like the free parks, um, like we know around, near us in Broadstairs and, uh, uh, and Birchington, they've just had outdoor courts put in.

And even though, yes, okay, they're probably only eight, nine months of a year to be used, they're free. Yeah. Just turn up. You've got the equipment, people can go and play. Yeah. [00:21:00] And you go down there and there's people playing. I, I don't think I've met like a friendlier bunch of people in the community than pickleball.

Like you could literally walk past and go, "Oh, pickleball." And they go, "Yeah, come and have a go." Yeah. "Why don't you come?" Just show you the basics of it. It doesn't matter who you are. Like you might have only just met, but you're just gonna have a go. Yeah. I have to admit it, uh, it is very friendly. Like I don't think I've met anybody that was too standoffish or anything.

And I used to play football and basketball, and I would go to the like local basketball courts and nobody would... Well, occasionally a bunch of lads would play with me, but very rare. Um, very rare in basketball, especially 'cause I'm so short. But like once they saw I could shoot, they were like, "Oh, okay." "You can play."

Oh, yeah. "You can shoot." Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I th- and I think, I think that's the main thing- Yeah ... personally, is just it's accessible and it's friendly. Yeah. And I think that's, I think that's what a lot of sport, England [00:22:00] especially, has been missing- Mm-hmm ... is a really friendly community. Yeah. And it's so easy to learn.

Um, and inclusive, like anyone can play with anyone. Yeah. This is true. That's the thing. Yeah. Like we all know we're different levels. Even at the academy, we've got so many different levels there- Mm-hmm ... but everyone can still enjoy a decent game with everybody. Yeah. And I think that's the fun of it. Yeah, for sure.

And have you noticed a increase in people playing that are quite young? Because a lot of people might know pickleball as like an old person sport, but I don't- Yeah ... think it is still an old person, old person sport. Maybe it was about 10 years ago. Yeah, I think it's still, I think in, for the people that don't play it or are not really involved, it's still perceived as an, uh, an elderly person sport.

Mm-hmm. But there is so many good young players coming through, um, that I think the next [00:23:00] five, six years are exciting. Um, you look at the fact you've got like the PPL now, the Pickleball Premier League, you've got the Challenger. Yes, they've got the Masters section as well, but the rest is for all of those under 50s.

And you look at the draft like, and tryouts that are coming up, there's 15, 16-year-olds in it who are getting to the top of their game and, and, and enjoying it and challenging to be on those good teams and to- Mm-hmm ... take up silvers and bronzes from tournaments against adult players. Mm-hmm. Uh, and I think that's the best thing is that the youth is coming through because they're seeing it as an accessible sport.

Mm-hmm. And inclusive, and it's something they can pick up nice and early and quickly And it's friendly. Like, you know, Ted, there's competition. There is competition, but you go to any tournament, people have a laugh and a joke, and it's just, it's nice. Like, any- in the same group as, like, the winners, you're still [00:24:00] congratulating them.

Yeah. Like, you still mate with them. You're still gonna have a drink afterwards with them or, or have like, uh, what, you know, Tracy Taylor, you have photos galore with them. Like, she just takes photos constantly, but it, she-- it's everyone. Yeah. Like, and everyone together. Um, but yeah, it is always perceived as an elderly one and, and you know the academy.

We've got people from kind of 17, 18 now with, with a couple that have just joined us and, and we had, uh, like Will's been a few times. He's 13, 14, and we go right up to like 75, 76. Yeah. I think we've even got, got us like 80. Yeah. And it's-- But they all go to the same sessions. Yes. It's a real range of it.

Real range, but it's great. Yeah. And I think it is one, one of the greatest sports ever, like that you can have that range of people playing- Yeah. Yeah ... and everyone's getting on. Yeah. I do really like- Yeah ... how inclusive it is. And when-- It's [00:25:00] one of the only sports, I think, where you play in mixed doubles where it doesn't seem, I don't know, like...

I think it seems more equal than other- Mm ... mixed doubles sports. Like, you'll notice that like a male tennis player will hit that ball serve way harder than the female most of the time. There are a few females that can hit it as hard as they can, but- Yeah ... I think in pickleball it's very, very similar.

What would you say? Yeah. I, I think you're right. Um, and I think a high-level female will hold their own and even, and even go beyond high-level males. Mm-hmm. Um, because the tactical and the strategic side of pickleball has a huge effect on a rally and on a game. Um, it's not just power, and I think that's the really good thing about it.

Mm-hmm. Like, I don't think you'll win, uh, especially at high level, you won't just win games on power. No. You have to have that softer game. You have to have that tactical and [00:26:00] strategic kind of mindset about it. Mm-hmm. Um, I mean, you've seen players like m- like Molly Naggs. She's phenomenal. Yeah. Phenomenal.

Um, I wouldn't want to face her. And I play at the right level, but I'm like, "Hang on a minute." Like, you'd wipe the floor with me. Yeah. Um, but it's, it, like I say, it is so much more equal in mixed doubles- Yeah ... um, than, than things like tennis and, and, and things like that. So yeah. I, I like it. It's brilliant.

You know I love it. That's, yeah, you do. I do. You do love it. Um, okay. A little question about coaching. Do you think a person needs to be quite a high level, an 4.0 plus, let's say, to be a good coach of pickleball? Or do you think- No. Okay. No. And I, I think it's the same in every sport. Um, the best players don't always make the best coaches.

Mm-hmm. Um, because [00:27:00] I think, uh, coaching is a, it's a very different mindset to playing, and it's a different-- coaches are a different breed of people. Um, there's a lot more you're thinking about than just the game. Um, they always say, like, coaches are like your counselors, your parents. Therapists. Yeah, your, your therapist all in one because you are.

Like that's, that's what coaching is. Yeah. Um, I think you s- yes, you still need to have that, the high level of understanding of the game. Mm-hmm. But that doesn't always come through playing. Right. Um, I think that can, that can come through study and it can come through just being involved in the game. Um, so yeah, I don't think you have to be a high-level player- Mm-hmm

to be a decent coach. Okay. I think obviously it helps with your name, it helps with getting your name out there. Yeah. But that's, that's a separate [00:28:00] issue to being a good coach. Yeah. Marketing yourself- So- ... versus actually being good. Yeah. Is two different things. Yeah. Yeah. Why, why do you think- But no, I think- Why do you think being a high-level player is easier to market?

Um, because players are s- players are celebrated more Okay Than coaches. Right. I- if you, you look at any media- Mm-hmm ... like if a team plays badly, it's the coach's fault. If a team plays well, it's the superstars. Like, good play. Yeah. That's how it works. Yeah. This is true. That's- This is very true ... that's how media portrays it.

Um- Got you thinking of football right now And that's kind of the role you take on as a coach, is that actually if it goes wrong, it's on my head, but if it goes well, it's not me. Yeah. It, it- It's the team ... it's the superstar who scored. And that's the thing. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Of course it is. And you see that in media every single day.

Yeah. Um, and that's [00:29:00] why I think play- higher level players are easier to market than decent coaches. Okay. Decent coaches will leave their mark. Mm-hmm. They will leave their mark on players, they will leave their mark on clinics, they will leave their mark on tournaments. But unless you are elite, elite, elite level, you don't get put in the publication.

You don't get- Mm-hmm ... the cr- a gold medal. You don't get a little name tag that says, "Oh, you're like gold winning coach." Like you don't get that. No. You do that yourself when you say, or when you're applying for a job or, or when you're trying to sell yourself a little bit, you say what you kind of achieve with players.

Mm-hmm. But the players get that 'cause they've done it. They've done the job, which they should. Like- Yeah ... they totally should do that. But that's why I think it's easier to market as a player than it is as a coach. Hmm. No, that's really interesting actually. Yeah. Do you ever give yourself a pat on the back if, uh, somebody who you coached has done really well?

Yeah. You have to. Yeah. 'Cause it makes it all worthwhile. It, it, but it does, it makes it worthwhile. Yeah. Like you [00:30:00] see people you've coached for six, seven, eight months, like get themself through a game- Mm-hmm ... or through a set of three in like a final and come away with like the gold medal, it's a great moment.

Yeah. It's a huge moment. And like, I think there was one, oh, what year was it? 2024 maybe? 2024, the English Open. Mm-hmm. And it was, uh, Laura and Nicola in the gold medal match. Mm-hmm. And we kind of, ugh, we'd been doing a little bit and then on the day- Mm-hmm ... like during a timeout, I went over and spoke to them.

They called me over and I gave them two li- two, three things to do, and then they end up winning the gold medal. Wow. And all the videos at the end are everyone charging on the court, and I'm just stood there, my like jaw is on the floor. 'Cause I didn't know really what to do. I was like, "Oh my God, that was amazing."

So, uh, but that was like, it's one of those moments that you're like, "Yeah, I'm, I'm glad I was a small part of it." [00:31:00] Yeah. And that, and you are. Like coaches are a small part. Like they can change your mindset, they can give you the tactics, but at the end of the day, as soon as they cross that white line onto the court, there's only so much you can do.

You've just gotta hope you've prepared them enough- Yeah ... um, to deal with whatever situation arises. Um, yeah, they were, they were-- that was good moments, that. There's been a few of those over the years. Aw. So- That sounds really awesome to have seen that as well- Yeah, it's nice ... people running and stuff. Yeah.

That's really, really cool. Um- Yeah. So a few more questions left. Uh, what plans do you have for the future? What does future Scot Tift look like? So, uh, as I said about Pickle Escapes- Mm-hmm ... so I'm off to Portugal coaching a few times a year, um, now and Spain as well, and then a few in the UK. So we're looking at growing that, uh, that kind of schedule.

Um, Bex, who runs Pickle Escapes, has put together a, a phenomenal team, uh, of [00:32:00] coaches and, and up-and-coming coaches as well. Um, and, and high-level players, people that are at the top of their game as well, but know how to translate that into coaching and do it really, really well. Um, so yeah, I've got that coming.

I'm just writing at the moment some resources to send out on PDF for like mindset and things like that. Oh, awesome. So yeah. Yeah. Very cool. Yeah. Lots coming. Lots coming. I won't say too much yet. Just in case. But yeah, there's a, there's a few plans coming. Different venues, different locations, uh, different kinds of coaching sessions.

Ooh. Yeah. Sounds really interesting. Things that might not have been done before, so. Oh, very cool. There's a few plans in place, yeah. I hope it's not, um, put the p- put the machine on at 70 miles an hour and make people just stand in front of it. No. No, I haven't done that since. I haven't done that since. I wasn't gonna let Heidi have a go at it, but she was like, "I [00:33:00] wanna go."

I was like, "Okay, go for it." Yeah. She got-- We, we both got a little bit better as it went on, but yeah. 70 mile an hour at 22 foot is, uh- Is very quick ... is quite quick.

Yeah. Okay. I've got two more questions for you. Okay. If you got a million quid today, say you won the lottery, you got a million quid, would you still do pickleball? Yes. Yeah? 100%, yeah. You wouldn't- I'd build a venue ... swan off into the sunset? No, I'd build a venue. Yeah? Do you imagine having a dedicated pickleball venue down where we are?

Yeah. Right? It would be really cool. It'd be phenomenal. Yeah. Yeah. All the best courts, nice little cafe. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I wouldn't-- I'd still be doing pickleball. I'd get bored otherwise. Could you imagine me not actually, like, playing sport or doing anything? Yeah. I'd be a nightmare. Laura would kill me. You'd be a dog, a dog without a bone.

Yeah, just be like, [00:34:00] "Let's go pickleball." Yeah. Yeah. That's cool. Um, okay, last question then. If there's one thing you wish business owners listening today would give themselves permission to do, what would it be?

Um, I'm gonna say, going back to an earlier point, they need to value themselves, and that's professionally and personally. Mm-hmm. Um, professionally for the reasons we said about earlier about knowing your worth, knowing what you should be, should be paid for your services- Yeah ... and what you should be taking out of it.

But also personally to realize that you can't just keep going 24/7, that you have to value your downtime. You have to value that, that time to recover, otherwise you just burn out. Oh yeah, absolutely. You have to value that time to do things for yourself. Um, 'cause otherwise that, that's when you kind of, I think you start regretting and resenting your business is when it literally engulfs your life.

[00:35:00] Mm-hmm. Uh, and I know there are times that has to happen, and to make things work sometimes it has to happen, but then you need that. You have to have that time away from it where you can just be you. Yeah. And be the person that everyone knows outside of the business. Yeah. That's- So that would be, yeah, that would be, uh, that would be my advice.

That's some sound advice right there. Yeah. Yeah, definitely don't burn yourself out. So yeah. Thank you for coming on podcast today. Is there anything you have coming up or want to promote that listeners can get involved with, where to find you, that kind of thing? Just The Pickleball Complete Academy. Uh, if you want to give pickleball a go, give us a shout.

Loads of people that'll help you play. Um, and also if you fancy playing it in the sun, go over to Pickleball Escapes. Um, loads of holidays going to Portugal and Spain and even some lovely ones in the New Forest in the UK that we'll all be involved in. But it's, uh, yeah, get yourself over there. Be great.

Nothing better than pickleball in the sun. [00:36:00] Just take plenty of sunscreen and, uh, and, uh- Plenty of sunscreen, plenty of water. Yeah. But we still have a good time. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. No, thank you very much. Been a pleasure.

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