From small-town Ontario to Arizona’s pickleball courts—and all the way to Shenzhen, China. Mark Shields didn’t just fall in love with pickleball. He went all in.

In this episode of Kitchen Conversations, I sit down with the founder of KOBO Pickleball to hear how a tennis player from Coboconk, Ontario, became a paddle entrepreneur with the courage to build something different.

At an age when many people are settling into retirement, Mark and his wife Gladys took on the challenge of building a brand. Their journey brings together decades of product development experience, a passion for the game and a willingness to challenge conventional paddle design.

That brings us to the KOBO Thunder Axe—a paddle whose striking shape caught my attention and sparked this conversation.

We get into:

• Mark’s transformation from pickleball skeptic to passionate player.
• Life at Palm Creek, Arizona, and the community that helped launch KOBO.
• Taking the leap from paddle representative to brand founder.
• The thinking behind the Thunder Axe’s shape, air channels and construction.
• Who the Thunder Axe is designed for—and why Mark says it isn’t a beginner paddle.
• Building trust and competing in a crowded paddle market.
• KOBO’s broader paddle lineup and its focus on passionate recreational and tournament players.

It’s a conversation about reinvention, backing yourself and following an idea far beyond anything you originally imagined.

📲 ALSO WORTH CHECKING OUT: KOBO StrokeCoach AI
As mentioned in my introduction, KOBO’s StrokeCoach AI app is in BETA testing and looking for players to try it and share feedback. Explore it here:
https://kobostrokecoach.ai

🏓 EXPLORE KOBO PICKLEBALL
Discover the Thunder Axe, the paddle lineup and more:
https://www.kobopickleball.co

💬 Would you try a paddle with a radically different design? Tell me what you think in the comments.

Subscribe to Kitchen Conversations for more stories behind the paddle, and share this episode with someone who believes it’s never too late to start something new.

#Pickleball #KOBOPickleball #MarkShields #ThunderAxe #KitchenConversations #PickleballPodcast #KOBOStrokeCoachAI #PickleballPaddles #CanadianPickleball #PickleballCommunity #PalmCreek #Entrepreneurship

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.

In this episode of Kitchen Conversations, Mike Spies sits down with Dale Van Scoyk of PSM Consulting LLC—Pickleball Sound Mitigation—for a frank conversation about pickleball noise, neighbourhood conflict, and practical ways forward.

A player, certified instructor, and consultant with an engineering background, Dale understands why people love this sport—and why its distinctive “pop” can become unbearable for others.

We explore:

🏓 Why pickleball sound demands more attention than a simple decibel reading
🏡 Why court location, surrounding buildings, and background noise matter
🔊 What sound barriers can accomplish—and where they fall short
🌳 Why planting trees may offer less protection than people expect
🤫 Quieter paddles, balls, paddle covers, and equipment testing
🤝 How listening to residents can help keep disagreements from escalating
📍 Why sound planning should happen BEFORE courts are built

We also discuss the friendships, purpose, and community that make this game worth getting right.

Whether you’re a player, homeowner, club operator, municipal councillor, or planning a new facility, this conversation asks a crucial question:

Can we grow the game while giving our neighbours some peace?

🔗 CONNECT WITH PSM & EXPLORE THEIR WORK

PSM Consulting LLC — Pickleball Sound Mitigation:
https://pickleballsound.com/

Pickleball Sound Labs — paddle, ball, and sound barrier testing:
https://pickleballsoundlabs.com/

📩 PSM inquiries: info@pickleballsound.com

💬 Has pickleball noise affected your community? Share your experience—and what has helped—in the comments.

Subscribe to Kitchen Conversations for more candid conversations with the people shaping pickleball.

#Pickleball #PickleballNoise #KitchenConversations #PickleballSoundMitigation #PSMConsulting #DaleVanScoyk #QuietPickleball #NoiseReduction #PickleballCommunity #PickleballPodcast #MikeSpies

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.

You’ve upgraded your paddle. But have you prepared the body swinging it?

If your pickleball routine is play, hurt, rest, repeat—this conversation deserves your attention.

On this episode of Kitchen Conversations, Mike Spies sits down with Dr. Reece Maranda, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of On The Move Therapy & Wellness, to explore pickleball injuries, recovery, strength training, and what it takes to keep playing the game we love.

A former bodybuilder, taekwondo black belt, and passionate pickleball player, Reece understands the temptation to squeeze in one more game—even when your body is asking for something different.

We explore why discomfort keeps returning, why rest alone may leave the underlying problem unresolved, and why preparing your body deserves as much attention as choosing your next paddle.

In this episode:

🏓 The frustrating cycle of playing, hurting, resting, and starting again.
💪 Building strength to handle the demands of the game.
🔥 Why a few minutes of dinking isn’t a complete warm-up.
⏱️ Managing court time when two hours turns into four.
🧠 Challenging the belief that recurring pain is simply part of getting older.
📱 Navigating social media advice and the appeal of quick fixes.
🎯 How fitness affects your performance as the games add up.
🌎 Reece’s approach to personalized coaching and remote assessments.

It’s an honest conversation about the habits many of us recognize in ourselves—and the work we may be overlooking between games.

Because when pickleball brings this much friendship, purpose, and joy into your life, staying able to play matters.

CONNECT WITH DR. REECE MARANDA

📘 Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/reece.maranda

🌐 On The Move Therapy & Wellness:
https://www.getonthemovept.com/

📅 Book a discovery call:
https://calendly.com/reece-maranda-getonthemovept/pickleball-performance-discovery-call

What gets more attention in your pickleball routine—your equipment or your physical preparation? Be honest in the comments. 👇

Subscribe to Kitchen Conversations and share this episode with the player who always says, “Just one more game.”

#Pickleball #KitchenConversations #ReeceMaranda #PickleballInjuries #PickleballFitness #PhysicalTherapy #InjuryPrevention #StrengthTraining #PickleballTraining #HealthyAging #ActiveAging #OnTheMoveTherapy #MikeSpies

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.