Finding ‘normal’ in a war zone

You never think about what “normal” looks like for those living in a war zone. We see headlines and think about how awful it must be to live in battle zones or to know someone affected by the extremes of international conflict.

But the people who live in these places have real lives, too; and just like anyone else, they need something to look forward to, something to add normalcy back into their day-to-day.

In our second issue, we’re bringing you two stories from the Ukraine: one about the man sneaking supplies past the front lines, and the other about a nation rebuilding its sense of possibility through a sport they only discovered last year.

→ This Week: Planting hope through pickleball | Ukraine: past the front line & into the heart | Cat-and-mouse like you’ve never seen before

When Kansas City political consultant Aaron Trost realized his purpose in pickleball probably didn’t involve going pro, he found a different one: bringing the game to places that need it most.

Through his nonprofit Pickleball Planter, Trost has hand-carried paddles, nets, and balls to countries across Asia, Latin America, and war-torn Ukraine.

What began as a side project during slow election years has grown into a global effort to plant pickleball where courts and communities don’t yet exist.

Trost says his 20-plus years in politics unexpectedly prepared him for this.

“In campaigns, you learn to build coalitions with groups that might not share every goal but want the same outcome,” he explains. “Now, I do the same thing, connecting faith leaders, local athletes, and nonprofits who can help pickleball take root.”

For now, Trost’s work is about simple access, finding any playable space and getting equipment into the country. On his last trip, he packed 200 paddles and several nets into oversized duffel bags for the long journey through Poland into Kyiv.

“I got a lot of strange looks,” he laughs. “But it gave me a chance to explain what pickleball is to curious people on buses and at airports.”

He’s seen the game’s power firsthand: “There’s that moment when someone in a wheelchair hits the ball over the net for the first time and you see it click. They get the same joyful rush every new player feels.”

Trost has brought pickleball to more than a dozen countries, from Honduras to Vietnam, where hundreds of new courts have appeared almost overnight. His message to the rest of the pickleball world is simple: you don’t have to be a pro to grow the game.

“Be a pickleball planter yourself,” he says. “One net, a few paddles, and a flat surface can change a community…and maybe even a country.”

It’s easy to see a point like the one above and think to yourself, “I’ll never be able to do that.”

These are clearly Athletes, with a capital ‘A,’ who can get to balls faster than the average person can and who have enough training to put some serious angles on their shots.

But they also have their heads in the game, being selective about their placement in a way that demonstrates advanced strategy…anyone can achieve this, with enough practice.

Outdoor courts are brutal on pickleballs, especially over time, which is why we use Franklin’s X-40 as the official ball of The Pickleball Clinic.

Its one-piece, no-seam build and thicker shell hold up to gritty surfaces, hot days, and long open-play sessions without going lopsided. Forty precision-drilled holes keep the flight true and the bounce predictable, even when the wind picks up. It’s USA Pickleball-approved, used at the US Open, and easy to track in neon yellow.

Use code CLINIC15 for 15% off and stock up before your next league night.

About one quarter of all players in Ukraine are veterans.

Source: Ukrainian Pickleball Federation.

Long rallies are fun…until your body files a complaint. Picklebalm is a pro-level topical pain reliever designed for muscle aches, sore joints, and all the “maybe I shouldn’t have played for four hours” decisions that come with loving this game.

Smooth it on after matches or between sessions as part of a real recovery strategy, so you can show up tomorrow with something left in the tank.

Use code PBCLINIC10 at picklebalm.com/pbclinic10.

Interesting tidbits from within the pickleball community:

Can you guess where we’re headed? Respond to this email with your guess. First one to get it right will receive something nice!

Here’s a hint:

I was looking at some common Ukrainian proverbs and came across the one I placed above the Pickleball Planter section. It refers to the idea that you have to earn your growth through work and perseverance and reflects a deeply rooted cultural value in that country.

I think that value is undoubtedly tested pretty much daily right now, as the nation is still mired in conflict. But while that blazes on, it’s powerful to see a small but passionate group of people doing what they love and trying to help others in the process.

In the USA, this sport did become (at least a little) commercialized; but in Ukraine, the pickleball movement is truly just about bringing joy and opportunity to those willing to work for it.

→ Do not hesitate to email Adam or connect with him on LinkedIn with questions, concerns, or story ideas!