When Ben Johns talks pickleball on the Pickleballers Podcast, you take notes.

Johns, of course, isn't just the G.O.A.T, he’s also one of the sharpest minds in the game. 

Here was some of his best advice for players looking to level up on the court.

“To stay good at pickleball, you have to be good at learning,” began Johns. “Mostly how I got good at pickleball was by copying stuff from other people and adapting it. Most of my shots you can point to a specific person that I got it from, so a lot of it comes down to practice and learning.”

Johns’ student-focused mentality has served him well, helping him develop a variety of shots in his repertoire.

That’s why watching how the pros play and trying out those same shots and strategies for yourself is a great way to elevate your gameplay.

“Most things in pickleball, you can look at and think, ‘I could do that.’ I thought, whatever my opponents can do, I could do that, too,” said Johns. “Basically, I knew I could outlearn everybody.”

Nevertheless, Johns’ mindset around that idea has changed as the game evolves.

Perfecting certain shots featured by his partners and opponents alike is an especially tall task.

“I’ve had a general realization in the past year or two when some people started to do things and make shots where I was like, ‘I don’t think I can do that.’ I’d look at how Gabe (Tardio) would speed up from certain positions or how Anna Leigh [Waters] hits her backhand,“ he explained. “At some point, I was like, ‘Oh. They’re kind of good at this. I don’t think I can do that.’” 

But, that’s what makes his partnerships with Waters and Tardio so strong.  

In the end, it all boils down to an understanding of great game mechanics.

Johns may not be the top athlete on tour, but his way of thinking is next-level.

“I think a big reason a lot of people seem to appreciate pickleball and like playing it is because it’s hard to out-athlete people in pickleball. Not that athleticism doesn’t help enormously, but in most sports, there’s other stuff you can do that compensates for athleticism, more than the usual divide,” he said. “Mechanics especially are going to take you a lot further than pure athleticism does in pickleball, so it’s a little easier to stay ahead of really athletic people because of it.”

So even though talented athlete could pick up a paddle and play, it’s still going to take a lot of work studying game mechanics for that player to get as good as the pros. 

Lastly, Johns shared that focus is what separates a solid player from a great one. 

“I think a lot of what sports comes down to is how well are you able to focus on any given day or time or match,” he concluded. “If you can give 100% of your focus, then you’re locked in, and if you’re not able to do that, you’re going to struggle in sports.” 

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