We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kyle McKenzie a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Kyle, thanks for joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

My journey to becoming a professional pickleball coach was anything but straightforward. As a player, I enjoyed success pretty early on, traveling and competing in regional and national tournaments at the highest level. Like many kids growing up, I dreamed of one day earning a living as a professional athlete. Pickleball felt like another chance to do just that. But despite this desire, there were many obstacles in my way. I was in my early thirties and married with four children at the time. Professional pickleball was just starting out and there were only a couple of players that were making enough to quit their day jobs. Even the top players in the country made the heavy majority of their money through teaching the game. I knew I had a talent and passion for pickleball, but that didn’t necessarily translate into earning a living. Knowing that I wanted to stay connected and grow with the game, I embraced teaching. My success as a player landed me a trial period with a national pickleball camp company as an assistant. Other than a few local lessons, I’d never taught anything before in my life. Many of my fellow teachers were long time tennis instructors and came into pickleball with a wealth of teaching knowledge. I told myself to focus on my unique skills and background, and lean into what I did well. It paid off. With a background in sales as well as professional poker in my twenties, I realized that I could set myself apart from my peers with my knack for strategy and my talent for public speaking. The more clinics I did, the more the owner of the camp company realized I was capable of handling the lead role. Once promoted, I quit my day job and slowly started to building a coaching reputation on a national level. I created and taught my own drills at camps as I wanted each student to get an authentic experience that I created for them. Though it was definitely scary, I credit this leap of faith and choice to go all in on pickleball early as the reason for where I am today. My coaching reputation helped open the door for me to commentate on the pro tour, work privately with pro players, and become hired as the head coach for the DC Pickleball Team!

My advice for anyone that is considering a career change is to follow your passion but be adaptable. I didn’t start out planning to be a pickleball coach but I followed my passion and desire to stay connected to a sport I loved. Though making a living as a player wasn’t in the cards for me, becoming a professional coach ended up being an even better fit and is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Kyle McKenzie and I’m a professional pickleball coach. My journey in pickleball started in 2016 when pro pickleball was in its infancy. I had recently relocated to Spokane, Washington for work and I was thrilled to discover that Tyson McGuffin, the #2 player in the world at the time, was the tennis/pickleball instructor at my local gym. After a few months of bothering him to get on the court with me, Tyson finally gave me a shot. We played several games of singles that first day and despite Tyson winning all of them, he could tell I had some ability. We soon became training partners and both my skills and my pickleball knowledge skyrocketed! I was a complete sponge for information and was very lucky to have one of the best players in the world answer my detailed questions. As the years progressed and the popularity of pickleball took off, I made the decision to focus on my coaching career rather than competing full time.

My coaching journey began as an instructor for LevelUp pickleball camps. After climbing the ranks and stepping into a lead role with them, I eventually decided to join my now friend Tyson McGuffin, and helped start a new camp company with him. As my coaching reputation grew, I was given the opportunity to commentate for the Professional Pickleball Association, and spent 2023 as one of the regular voices heard on air.

As my exposure in the sport grew, so did the opportunities. I was hired as the head coach of the DC Pickleball team later that year and we were able to capture a title that very same year.

I’m currently still the head coach for the DC pickleball team, I lead 20-25 camps per year for Tyson McGuffin pickleball camps, and players of all levels travel to meet with me for private coaching.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I think the most rewarding aspect of being a creative entrepreneur is dealing with the unknown. Even though it can be scary at times, things are never boring. Time and time again I’m betting on myself to create a training program that is new and modern, or come up with an observation about a student’s play that they haven’t heard before. There’s a an extra sense of confidence and pride I take away from each of these experiences that carries over into other aspects of life. As humans, most of us want to stay within our comfort zones but that rarely helps us grow. As we stretch ourselves, we realize how much we’re capable of and developing that resiliency can pay dividends in many areas of life.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

One of the main things that’s driving my professional journey is the example I’m setting for my children. Life is short and many people end up settling in their careers because of insecurities and self doubt. As a father, I want my children to pursue their passions and embrace their unique gifts. When we let fear dictate our major life choices, we fall into a trap that feels like safety but is often the road to unhappiness. I want my children to chase their dreams and push through the fear of failure. Every set back is merely a learning opportunity, and if they commit everything to achieving their goals, they won’t have any regrets.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Kyle.McKenzie.pb
• Facebook: Kyle McKenzie Pickleball