Quick Bite: touching base

In this episode, host Lia Picard chats with Madison Ace co-founders Jamel Madison and Tatiana Williams. They discuss their work to make tennis more welcoming and accessible in the Dallas area, and how coaching, affordable programming, community events, and inclusive play help newcomers build confidence and see tennis as a sport for life. Lia also gives listeners a breakdown of two flex leagues: T2 and Ultimate. Check out Madison Ace and follow them on Insta! Follow Bagel Bagel, too. 

In this episode, Briana Lamica shares her journey from tennis player to fashion entrepreneur, explaining how her brand Common Courtesy was born from her love of tennis and desire to promote kindness and self-care. She discusses her design philosophy, manufacturing process in LA, and her ongoing passion for coaching and tennis. Check out Common Courtesy (and their Insta). Follow Bagel Bagel, too!

Lia chats with Yue Xu, co-host of the podcast Dateable, about how Yue discovered tennis after a difficult breakup and quickly turned it into a source of confidence, community, travel, and joyful obsession. They compare their experiences playing leagues, singles, doubles, and mixed doubles; swap stories about court culture in Los Angeles and Atlanta; discuss tennis travel from Europe to Costa Rica and Palm Springs; and reflect on the sport’s ability to create friendships across ages and places.  Follow Yue on Instagram and follow Bagel Bagel, too!

On this week's episode of Bagel Bagel, host Lia Picard chats with Dr. Dana Reid, an Atlanta-based psychiatrist who picked up tennis in her 40s. They talk about learning tennis as an adult and navigating the sport’s setbacks, from injuries and tough matches to the pressure of competition. Dana shares how skills from psychiatry—like self-compassion, positive self-talk, and focusing on the next point—help her manage tennis’s mental game. They also explore the friendships, family connections, and community that make recreational tennis about much more than what happens on the court.  Follow Dana on Instagram! Follow Bagel Bagel, too. 

In this episode, host Lia Picard drops a quick update to check in about the podcast. It's been a busy summer! But there's more to come soon.  In the meantime, visit Bagel Bagel Pod on Instagram.

In this episode, host Lia Picard chats with professional pickleball player, Keilly Ulery, who shares how she transitioned from a college tennis career into the fast-growing world of pickleball. She and Lia talk about the mental side of sports, the strategic differences between tennis and pickleball, and how Keilly built confidence and skill after getting back into competition. The episode also highlights why pickleball is such a social, accessible sport and why more tennis players should give it a try. Things to know: Keilly is currently wrapping up the final three regular season Major League Pickleball events with the Atlanta Bouncers, as the team vies for a spot in the playoffs beginning in August. You can find her in Grand Rapids this week for the Mid-Season Tournament. Check out the full MLP schedule here: https://majorleaguepickleball.co/ When not traveling around the country for tournaments, Keilly coaches pickleball at Life Time Peachtree Corners. Interested in taking a lesson? Send her an email at [email protected] (P.S. You don’t need to be a Life Time member!) Keep up with Keilly on Instagram. Follow Bagel Bagel, too!

This episode combines two of host Lia Picard’s favorite things: food and tennis. Last year, Wimbledon champion Iga Świątek went viral after sharing her love for a classic Polish dish of pasta topped with a sweet strawberry sauce. In honor of Wimbledon, Lia sits down with Basia Piechoczek of Atlanta’s Beksa Lala pop-up to talk about the dish, what it meant to see it have its moment in the spotlight, and how Basia makes her own version. You can read about the dish's viral moment here. Follow Beksa Lala on Instagram to see what Basia's cooking up (and where). Follow Bagel Bagel, too.

In this episode, host Lia Picard chats with Lisa Anders, the executive director of Explore Gwinnett, the organization that promotes tourism, film, and sports in Gwinnett County. Lisa wears many hats, but found her way to tennis 20 years ago and has been hooked ever since. They discuss what tennis has meant to Lisa, how it impacted her weight loss journey, and why everyone on her team takes turns being captain.  Check out Explore Gwinnett on Instagram. Follow Bagel Bagel, too!

On this week's episode of Bagel Bagel, host Lia Picard chats with Amelia Fogarty of Love All Fairfield. They discuss Amelia's background as a graphic designer, how she returned to tennis as a mom of three, and the platform she's launching soon for tennis players in Fairfield, Connecticut (which she calls home).   Follow Amelia on Instagram and Bagel Bagel!

In this episode, host Lia Picard interviews Margit Bannon, a tennis and yoga coach from Florida. Margit shares her journey from playing tennis as a child to becoming a coach, and how yoga became an integral part of her life after a back injury. They discuss the benefits of combining yoga with tennis, focusing on injury prevention, mental balance, and enhancing performance on the court. Follow Margit on Instagram: Play Tennis Practice Yoga. Follow Bagel Bagel, too!