Hey Reader, Yesterday I got some mixed practice in at Rowdy Pickle. Indoors. Thank god. I moved well. Playing decently well, still not crisp or as sharp as I'd like to be. Random ass errors at times that don't make sense, but solid enough. That part felt good. Calum came along to check things out. He noticed what makes pickleball different from tennis. The fast to soft resets, the timing, the decision-making. It’s a weirdly subtle skill, learning when to absorb and when to counter. I forget...
2 days ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader, Calum got in last night. He drove over from Florida State, where he’s now coaching. We grabbed sushi with Malan and caught up. It’s surreal, honestly. I coached Calum when he was nine. Lived with his family in the Scottish Highlands right after college. Now he’s grown, thoughtful, and walking his own path. 27 years old and figuring out where life is going to take him. This morning we headed to Rowdy Pickle. It’s indoors, thankfully. Got some reps in. Calum came along to check it...
3 days ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, Day two of Meditations for Mortals. Burkeman talks about the superyacht fantasy. Everyone wants a life with a set course, perfect plans, no surprises. It’s not real. No day is a superyacht. Every day is a kayak: one paddle, no map, nothing guaranteed but the river right in front of you. That fits. The APP got moved up, so now mixed is Thursday, men’s is Friday, next week. I haven’t been on court since Dubai, so I’ll go out today and get some touches. Florida is already steaming...
4 days ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, Started a new book this morning, Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. Same author of the book Four Thousand Weeks which I talked about in previous newsletters. It’s broken into one short chapter a day for four weeks, which is about the speed my brain works at right now. Day one is called It’s worse than you think. Basically: you’ll never catch up. There’s more to do than you’ll ever have time for. That’s not a personal issue, it’s just how life works. There’s a lot I want...
5 days ago • 1 min read
I turn 40 today. No party. No milestone trip. Just a quiet morning, a strong cup of coffee, and the realization that I’ve lived long enough to finally tell the truth. Not the curated version. Not the streamlined list of takeaways. The real story, the one that winds through fear and failure, grace and grief, moments of clarity, and years spent trying to make sense of it all. This isn’t everything. But it’s what I’ve carried. ----- I grew up in Georgia, in a home where love was rarely spoken...
6 days ago • 8 min read
Hey Reader, Back home now. Writing this from Ponte Vedra Beach. The trip was long, and I’m tired. Today is for rest. No pushing. No pressure. But I still wanted to get this out. Finishing Discipline Is Destiny this morning feels fitting. The book is about resolve. Doing the thing. Not when it’s easy. When it’s hard. When you’re tired. When no one is watching. This newsletter has been my way to exercise discipline. I feel proud after I hit the publish button each morning. Writing every day is...
7 days ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, This weekend was a win all around, but took a toll.Gold in men’s doubles with Vanshik.Silver in mixed with Mihae. Moved well, competed hard, supported my partners. Even smiled more than a few times! What I’m most proud of is being an encouraging, supportive partner, not only when we were winning, but also when we were down. And, I actually felt pretty good physically. My body held up and my movement was there. I just have to wear my knee brace since my meniscus is still torn and...
8 days ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader, Vanshik and I won our semifinal match last night. Scoreline says 11–9, 11–5, but it didn’t feel like a win. I was flat. Tired in a way that didn’t make sense. Only had one match and it was late in the day, but I felt like I was dragging my body through molasses. I didn’t play well. Didn’t enjoy it much either because of how I felt physically. Obviously grateful for being on court, but not much can help if you don't feel well. And yet… we won. Got through it. There’s a line from...
9 days ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, Long day at the venue yesterday. Pool play into brackets. I used to hate it. Too much standing around. Too many matches that didn’t feel like they mattered. Now I appreciate it. Everyone gets more reps. Locals get to play with pros. People are excited just to be out there. That kind of energy is just so fun. It’s part of the charm of these international events. No one’s jaded yet. I felt good on court had so much fun. Usually it’s more about managing the body, the pain, my...
10 days ago • 3 min read