Grayson Goldin: The Pickleball Pro Who Survived Two Strokes at 30 and is Coming Back | S4 E2

In this episode, Grayson sits down with Roscoe and Jared to share the full story of suffering two strokes at 30 years old — how it happened, what those six days in the hospital were like, and what his road back to the court has looked like. It's one of the most raw and honest conversations the show has ever had.

Grayson breaks down exactly how it unfolded: a chiropractic adjustment after a tournament left something feeling off, and nine days later he woke up unable to form sentences. He traces the moment on court when water started "pouring into his head," the frantic trip to the ER, and the doctor delivering the news that he'd had not one but two strokes — visible as two dark spots on his brain scan.

Grayson also opens up about his path to pickleball — from being ranked number one in the country in junior tennis at 12, to selling life insurance after college, to stumbling onto packed pickleball courts in Sarasota and deciding to go all-in. He shares what it felt like walking into Atlanta and watching Federico and Hayden on center court, the moment he knew this was it, and why he still believes he can be number one in the world.

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Timestamps:

1:03 — Welcome & Intro

2:28 — Two Strokes at 30: The Health Scare Begins

7:31 — Waking Up Unable to Speak

10:01 — Racing to the Hospital

14:49 — The ER, the Diagnosis, and Six Days of Tests

18:09 — What Actually Caused the Strokes

22:11 — Little Grayson: Born in Chicago, Raised on Tennis

25:06 — Ranked #1 in the Country at 12

30:07 — College Tennis, IMG, and Realizing It Wasn't Enough

34:11 — Life After Tennis: Insurance Sales and Real Estate

37:39 — Discovering Pickleball at the Country Club

46:14 — Flying to Atlanta, Going All-In

52:17 — The Infamous Mixed Doubles Point with Shelby Bates

1:04:49 — Power Tips and Branding Advice for Up-and-Comers

1:07:17 — What the Strokes Taught Him About Pickleball and Life