Honest takes.
No agenda.

It started, as so many pickleball stories do, in Florida. A trip to visit my parents, a spare paddle, and a court that was suddenly very hard to leave. I came back to Toronto hooked — and immediately hit a wall. No clubs were open.

So I played in virtual reality. Genuinely. Whatever it took to keep the feel of the game alive until I could get back on a real court. When clubs finally opened, I was in immediately — first one facility, then another, and eventually I started coaching at that second club. One year, three facilities, two active coaching roles later, here we are.

I come from an extensive sports background, and that foundation shapes everything about how I approach this game — and how I review the equipment you play it with.

My DUPR rating doesn't reflect the level I play at — I regularly play with 5.0+ players — but ratings aren't really the point. What I care about is building players who improve in a way that actually sticks.

A lot of coaching in this sport jumps straight to strategy and shot selection. I do things differently. My focus is on the three pillars that everything else is built on: footwork, court positioning, and core mechanics. Get those right and your game grows in a meaningful, sustainable way. Skip them and you hit a ceiling that no amount of strategy can break through.

I currently coach at PicklePlex Downsview and serve as Head of Media & Marketing at Ontario Pickleball Academy, with locations in Toronto and Hamilton.

I'm not trying to be a spec sheet. Anyone can read the numbers off the box. What I'm after is something harder to capture — what does this paddle actually feel like in your hand, on your shot, in the moments that matter?

I'm analytical by nature, but I care more about articulating a feeling clearly than I do about drowning you in data. My goal is simple: by the end of a review, you should know whether this paddle is right for your game — not just whether it's technically impressive.

The Rylie's Review Paddle Tracker monitors USAP and UPA-A approval lists daily, so you're always seeing the most current information on what's legal for sanctioned play — not data that's six months out of date.

I'm not an ambassador for any company. I'm not obligated to speak highly of anyone.

If I have an affiliate code for something and I'm pointing you toward it, it's because I genuinely think it's worth your money. I will not recommend gear that doesn't perform. Full stop.