Federico Staksrud: The $400K Fives Trade, Reuniting With Hayden, and Chasing Ben & Gabe | S5 E2

In this episode, Federico sits down with Roscoe and Jared for a casual, wide-ranging conversation about his journey from a software company desk job to the top of the sport. They cover his blockbuster MLP trade, his reunion with Hayden Patriquin, the global growth of the game, and the mindset that keeps him reaching Sunday nearly every week.

Federico breaks down the process that built him, starting with Simone Jardim teaching him that pickleball required real practice. He also talks about Johnny Goldberg telling him he could be #1 in a global sport, and about Beto pushing him to live like an athlete 24/7. He opens up about the late-deadline trade from the Orlando Squeeze to the New Jersey 5s, the pressure that came with the $400K price tag, and why Anna Leigh Waters is the most competitive person he’s ever met.

Federico also gets into the miscommunication that split him and Hayden in 2025 and why the two reunited with one goal: beating Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio. He shares what it’s like to have 500 fans screaming at him in Vietnam and why he plays too many tournaments. He also makes a controversial case that MLP’s competitive problems fall on the players, not the league. Plus, Jared and Roscoe make a $5,000 bet on Anna Leigh’s future.

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Timestamps:

1:00 — The Run to #1 in Men’s Doubles

3:04 — From Buenos Aires to College Tennis

4:38 — Walmart Paddle, First Pickleball Beatdown

6:31 — Simone Jardim Teaches Him to Actually Practice

8:17 — Messi and the Never-Give-Up Mindset

10:18 — Johnny Goldberg: “You Can Be #1”

12:07 — 6 AM Pickle, 9-to-5 Job, Night Singles

13:56 — Beto and the 24/7 Athlete Lifestyle

15:15 — No Backup Plan

16:24 — The Trade to the New Jersey 5s

19:05 — The $400K Price Tag

19:53 — Why Pressure Is the Reward

23:00 — Sprinting With No Finish Line

24:05 — Anna Leigh: The Most Competitive Person Alive

26:32 — Anna Leigh’s Superstar Workload

28:04 — Why He’s Back With Hayden

29:22 — The Miscommunication That Split Them

30:53 — The Plan to Beat Ben & Gabe

32:12 — Chirping on Court, Friends Off It

34:17 — Working the Refs, Soccer-Style

35:49 — Can the Pickleball World Cup Go Global?

37:31 — Will China Compete in 10 Years?

38:19 — The $5,000 Anna Leigh Bet

39:47 — 500 Fans Screaming in Vietnam

42:05 — Bad Refs Overseas

44:57 — Rockstar Treatment in Asia

46:10 — Life of a Sunday Regular

47:35 — The Problem With Playing Too Much

49:10 — Prime Age and Playing Until 40

50:28 — Shots He Steals From Ben, Hayden, and Gabe

52:32 — JW Johnson Is Underrated

55:12 — Hype Guys vs. Stoic Pros

58:20 — Is MLP Better This Year?

1:03:05 — Most Likely To... on Tour

1:05:21 — The Street Fight Draft