In the exciting third episode of “MaryGoRound,” Mary Brascia is joined by professional volleyball player and pickleball enthusiast Casey Patterson. The two break down the Tour Wars before diving into Casey’s Olympic journey and his pickleball training regime.
Controlling your performance on the court:
In each episode, Mary likes to share a piece of her pickleball journey, and this week, she discusses controlling what you can on the court — your attitude and performance. While the Kansas City Open was happening, the pickleball world exploded as players were signing for different leagues. Mary says the off-court circumstances made it difficult to focus on the court, but she shares how she stays in the moment.
Intro to Casey Patterson:
Mary welcomes professional volleyball player Casey Patterson to the show. Casey was named the 2013 offensive player of the year on the AVP Tour, holds 15 pro titles, and was a member of the U.S. Olympic team during the 2016 Rio Summer Games. Now, he’s a pickleball player and pickleball podcast host.
The “Tour Wars”:
Over the weekend, the PPA and MLP began signing professional pickleball players to their respective leagues in a move many have called the “Tour Wars.” Casey and Mary discuss what it was like making a decision on which tour to play in and what the signings mean for future partnerships.
Casey’s pickleball journey:
Casey discusses how he got introduced to pickleball and his favorite part of the game: the vulnerability it provides no matter how athletic you are. As a former volleyball player, he says it’s humbling to play a sport where you don’t automatically have an advantage because you’re tall or fast.
Casey’s training regimen:
Casey says he typically chooses one or two areas to improve and hyper-focuses on them for one or two months in his training regiment. Once he is good at them, he moves on to his next area of improvement.
Which side of the court is better?:
Currently, Casey says he’s trying to train equally on both sides of the court. However, he says eventually he will have to pick a side so that he and his partner can practice and perfect their respective roles. He likely will choose the left side of the court so he can use his wingspan as an advantage.
Casey’s daily playing routine:
Casey used to have five training sessions a week for volleyball, and that mentality has carried over into pickleball — even if it’s just a Sunday hands battle in the backyard with his son.
The future growth of pickleball:
Mary asks Casey what he thinks the future of pickleball will look like. He predicts it will continue to grow across the world and may eventually become an Olympic sport.
The Olympics:
Casey discusses his journey to the 2016 Olympics and what it was like traveling and competing on an international level.
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