Don Davis is a working grandparent who believes in staying active and helping others do the same. Inspired by conversations with people in their 90s who are still out walking every day, Don lives by four simple truths they all share: keep moving, eat lightly, stay positive, and always have something to look forward to. For Don, one of those things is pickleball.

Having played tennis and ping pong, Don was naturally drawn to pickleball when it began making headlines. Once he tried it, he was hooked—not just by the game itself, but by the camaraderie and energy on the courts. Now in his third year of playing, Don is both a passionate player and a dedicated volunteer trainer, helping others get started and grow in their game.

What keeps Don coming back to the court is the perfect blend of movement, learning, and social connection. He sees every game as a chance to improve and every interaction as an opportunity to help someone else do the same. “Pickleball is fun, competitive, and social—all in one,” he says. “Even when I play with beginners, I learn something new.”

Don primarily teaches beginners but also enjoys working with more experienced players. His approach is thoughtful and grounded in personal experience, including tournament play, video study, and self-correction. He even created an Unforced Error Tracking Sheet to help players identify patterns and areas for improvement—something he’s used to great effect when analyzing games and coaching others.

What Don loves most about teaching is watching players grow in confidence and skill, especially in those subtle moments when a player makes a small adjustment and sees a big improvement. “I enjoy showing people how tiny tweaks—especially to their backhand—can change their whole game,” he says.

His advice for newcomers is rooted in safety and encouragement: warm up properly, don’t overreach in early games, and relax into the experience. “I’ve had my share of injuries,” Don admits. “So I focus on helping people have safe fun first.”

One thing Don loves to share is that there’s no single “right” way to play. “Look at the top pros—they all have different styles. You can fine-tune your own technique without having to start from scratch.”

Among his favorite memories? Watching beginners rally, laugh, and then successfully pull off a shot they just learned—followed by cheers from everyone on the court. “That shared joy,” he says, “is what it’s all about.”