What a 5.0 Pickleball Gold Medal Match Sounds Like

[@sheaunderwood]

Thanks for being here on this Road to Pro with me 🙏

[@Thejoeb]

Great stuff Shea. Had a gold medal match myself last weekend and had some targeting issues, this video actually showed me some good ideas on what I could do better next time.

[@sheaunderwood]

@@Thejoeb love it Joe, just don’t copy the times I hit it into the net and you should be good to go 👍

[@kb8978]

Serious question. Are all 4 players here legit 5.0 players? I'm just getting back into pickleball after years, since before there were ratings. Trying to get an idea where I might stand. The definitions of ratings seems very subjective and not an accurate portrayal of a definitive rating. I'm feeling I may be around a 4.25ish

[@markhilliard6994]

Big upgrade hearing the match from the players perspective. Plus showing a game where you were not the victor gives a true flavor of the poise shown during the game. Great seeing you guys playing last weekend!

[@chadlecates2742]

Loved hearing the communication. Wish all matches were mic'd up like that

[@sheaunderwood]

Right? It helps make the game a bit more spectator friendly. I’m going to keep doing it 👍

[@PickleballStudio]

haha oh my gosssssh I love this 😂 so fun to hear! Thanks for posting.

[@mikeconner2627]

Real good game guys! Sorry you came out on the short end of that, but that was fun to watch. Enjoyed the ‘mic’d up’ aspect of this game. Shea, great attitude and sportsmanship! People can learn a lot from not only your instructional vids, but the spirit of how to be competitive.

[@spelunkerd]

The effects of that spin serve (from orange) last into the bounce before the third shot.

[@charlierod4953]

One of my favorite videos you've put out. Please do more mic'd up games! Your playstyle seems similar to what I'm working toward so I feel motivated by your channel. Wish I would've gone to Austin! Did not find any partners in time. Keep up the hard work!

[@jansonoyler]

I’ve seen Kyle’s vids a lot. Surprised how many times he was hitting into net this game towards the clutch

[@DearDextra]

5.0 games appear so simple, meaning lots of dinks and fewer drives. my 3.5 games, we just play tennis lol, drives lobs and drops.

[@b3owu1f]

I was thinking same thing. Seems a lot more slow dinks and some smashes sometimes.

[@bobhernandez5129]

its likely because the drops/dinks in lower level games arent as clean (low to the net) so its easier to take out of air. just speculating because i notice same thing in anything under 4.0

[@derrick031072]

As long as ur having fun, that’s the most important thing. I play tennis in a pb court 🤷🏽‍♂️. I’ll only dink IF i must…

[@DTOWNTX214]

Awesome to meet you that day, unfortunately didn't get to watch any of your matches. Keep on killing it.

[@Connor_Dempsey]

Great with the mics☺️

[@Pickleballstrategy]

Great stuff guys! Very helpful to hear you all strategize in real time. Keep it up!

[@patrickmcpatrick]

Great job, really enjoyed this - looking forward to more videos! The wind seemed to be a factor on some of the shots. Keep it up👍👍

[@ethanhegge]

definitely keep doing the mic'd up stuff super helpful! would be interesting for a post analysis too, incase some of your calls were wrong.

[@sheaunderwood]

Absolutely, great ideas! Kyle and I will do some analysis at some point on these matches 👍

[@mrpeterpumpkin48]

Can I ask you what ball you prefer for advanced play? Thank you.

[@nicholasdisciscio1379]

Awesome video!

[@WilsonColter]

LOVED this style of video. Hearing communication during a high level competitive match is so engaging and revealing. Question: What does "be an athlete" mean? I heard you say it several times and I can guess at least some of what you're saying, but wanted to know what it means for you and Kyle?

[@sheaunderwood]

It was our way of reminding ourselves to stay low and use our legs. We had been playing for 6 hours at this point so we were getting tired. We kept missing shots in the previous matches and when we talked about why it was because we weren’t getting low. So we kept reminding each other to be a freaking athlete and not get lazy!

[@WorldTraveler222]

Love the be an athlete line, going to use that. Y’all got tight, I want some more pump up. Don’t be afraid to get loud out there and have fun.

[@dinkydink7910]

I like the positivity. It’s crucial in matches.

[@RollSoundRollcamera]

Great vid guys. Great for the brand 😉

[@ojaymalala]

Yall are good partners together.

[@dave_dj1658]

If I wasn’t sure pickleballers are athletes, I sure am now 😂. Love it!

[@russellmarkowitz8834]

I did enjoy the opportunity to hear your team encouragement and strategizing. I do NOT dink, or reset as well as you 4. What I’m curious about is why so many short serves, why is there not much variation of serves; pace, placement, spin, depth and height? Great 3rd shot drops, but every time?? Wouldn’t it make sense to keep opponents guessing with a rocket topspin drive every so often on 3rd shot, then 5th shot drop…or shake n bake if your drives give you that opportunity. I’m interested I guess to understand the absence of variety in order to avoid predictability. Great job though.

[@jonothongarry3090]

Dude with the mic- “Ya?” Other guy - “Ya”

[@landonbellum8021]

The mics worked so well and were a fantastic idea my man! I couldn't see your first serve, but man you threw him off! What type of pre spin did you put on that?

[@sheaunderwood]

Thanks man! It was left spin to kick into his body. That’s how I usually start the matches.

[@edjupickleball]

What did the opponent say at 1:24? It seemed like Kyle was pissed off by something they said?

[@sheaunderwood]

Haha they didn’t say anything. It was just Kyle being funny and saying that hitting the ball off the net cord was a smart play 😂 he said it all day haha

[@sheaunderwood]

And I said don’t get involved as in we don’t wanna be getting in hands battles with Sam

[@edjupickleball]

@@sheaunderwood ohh gotcha. Darn I was hoping there was some drrrrammaaaa

[@Ckwon117]

@@sheaunderwood I thought you were mad that the opponent tried to blow on the ball. Its a weird tryhard move for sure but for the gold you should be doing everything legal to win. I thought it was the opponent saying "its the smart play" trying to defuse the tension. It makes much more sense now.

[@realsamuelchase]

Nice spin serve

[@zipanych]

5.0 😂😂😂

[@ginjaninja3627]

Do more of these! It's definitely more entertaining than it not being mic'd. Was it awkward to wear that mic, btw? "Be an athlete." Lol. Remind me - where did that phrase start as a thing?

[@iceman422]

That's bad for the brain 🧠. Love it Shea so many quotes I'm gonna use now haha

[@sheaunderwood]

😂 there are some good ones for sure. More matches coming up!

[@bryandbaker]

Good fight. Good communication. Entertaining to watch, thanks.

[@sheaunderwood]

Thanks man! It was so fun to be a part of 👊

[@Breezyanon]

Blue shorts has crazy hands

[@ericoakland]

What was with the chainsaw serves???

[@thepickleballmafia1165]

Great match!

[@williamhumphries2900]

"be an athlete" ahhahah

[@C-Biskit]

Need a Bingo card for every "stick to the gameplan" iteration

[@BretBucher]

Great Match thanks for posting. Super fun battling you guys all day. See you in Cali?

[@rodbrown42]

silver 5.0 you're getting there!

[@KC-ti6ox]

third shots a resets have too much loft on them. try and keep them lower. good game btw!

[@johncraig7548]

Awesome being mic up. Terrific game. "Be an athlete."

[@DannyBPlays]

"be an athlete" feels like one of those meaningless sports cliches like "do your job". Like, at best it's just something to say, but at worst you're hard on yourself if you're doing bad as if you're not "being an athlete"

[@JournaloftheScotts]

Not the outcome you were looking for but awesome video and match

[@RalphL12332]

He’s like, “Dude, are you serious?” when the ball hit the net and rolled over, as if he’s never done that before. Nice makes sense.

[@sheaunderwood]

He was just joking with them haha. We played them earlier in the day and it was all in good fun

[@RalphL12332]

Ahh I see! Nice watching the game. I’m 5.0 myself and that spin serve is pretty wicked.

[@shih_nanigans]

5:33 that volley by black is underrated, what a shot

[@bryandbaker]

I thought the spin toss was (absurdly) illegal in PPA at 5.0 and above?

[@sheaunderwood]

No, only in the pro division at PPA It’s fine in literally any other pickleball game in the world.

[@jarrettkaina6298]

Soon we'll see your name on the pro roster, keep up the good work. Glad to be along for the journey

[@claycc79]

What a CA 4.0 Pickleball Gold Medal Match Sounds Like

[@cluek9780]

Cmon: “Be an athlete!” ”bad for the brand, bro”? That’s not partnering! ONE minute in, and I wouldn’t want to partner with him!

[@sheaunderwood]

That’s what we both needed at that moment :) other days and with other partners it’s not like that haha. Thanks for commenting bro 🤙

[@DanLawson-yf6sy]

LOL definitely not 5.0's. Anywhere between 3.5-4.0 if that lol.

[@winonebud]

Tell the guy in red to "be an athlete" when he misses his shots, as well.

[@wessol6793]

Omg… the “be an athlete” comments are so annoying I would have thrown my paddle at him!

[@JayyVee41]

No 5.0’s talk like this

[@sheaunderwood]

🤷🏻‍♂️

[@brett7011]

@@sheaunderwood not sure either

[@frankfurter7260]

“Ba an athlete.” 😂 It’s PB bro. No athleticism required. That’s a feature of the game, not a bug.

[@Darko8226]

its bad for the brand bro

[@HeavyAndLow]

2.0 at best

[@MorphousInfinity]

Your boy tries to drive too much.

[@kevinpilon11]

frick I am not saying "be an athlete Bro" nearly enough to make it past 4.0

[@larryburner9941]

why y'all sound so soft tho 🤡

[@lucienlee297]

Just cus you remind yourselves you’re athletes doesn’t make it a real sport

[@TodorJr]

LMFAOOOOO thinking the same thing

[@sep3104]

Must not know the definition of a sport or ever played if you don’t think that’s what this is.

[@brianboatman5564]

Dumbest comment ever.

[@honeyhahn]

Tennis player cope is hilarious. Thanks for all the courts bud

[@PickleballPeon]

With ESports around, how could anyone try to say this is not a real “sport?”

[@SaltySweats__]

trash