Author
Valentin Molina
Founder of My Pickleball Connect. Builds the site, picks the topics, writes the POV pieces.
Last reviewed 2026-05-13.
Background
I'm the founder of Online Marketing Kickstart, creator of MyPickleballConnect.com, and the creator of one of the world's largest AI communities with over 3.8 million members. My background is in digital marketing, AI, systems, and community building, where I've spent years helping businesses and communities grow through scalable marketing strategies and online platforms.
My faith plays a major role in how I approach business, leadership, and community, and I care deeply about building things that genuinely help people and bring others together.
Pickleball
Over time, I developed a real love for pickleball and everything that comes with it, including the competition, strategy, movement, and strong sense of community around the game. I'd currently say I'm around a 3.5-level player, although I haven't played in a tournament yet.
Why My Pickleball Connect
I started My Pickleball Connect because I felt there was a real gap in the space. Finding courts was not always easy, too many platforms were locked behind paywalls that did not make sense, and the overall experience felt fragmented. I believed there was an opportunity to build something better: a more connected, accessible, and community-driven resource that genuinely helps players meet others, discover places to play, improve their game, and stay engaged with the sport long-term.
Connect
Articles by Valentin
POV pieces under Valentin's byline. Site-wide editorial team articles use the "My Pickleball Connect Team" byline; these are written first-person and signal a personal point of view.
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Playing Well
Is stacking in pickleball snobby? No. It is optimization. Snobbery is a separate, fixable problem.
Stacking in pickleball is positional optimization, nothing more. The 'stacking snobs ruined pickleball' complaint is real but it is not actually about stacking. A take on why most rec players are misreading the debate, and what to do instead.
Published May 11, 2026
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Health
Pickleball knee pain: the easy 2-minute fix that worked for me (after foam rolling, ATG, and strengthening did not)
I have done foam rolling, structured strengthening, and the ATG knees-over-toes work. Two weeks of pickleball on a basketball court gave me nagging knee pain anyway. An easy 2-minute physical therapy technique killed it in 24 hours. Here is exactly what I did, the credit to the therapist, and why pickleball loads the tibial-shift pattern that none of the usual knee-work tools address.
Published May 11, 2026
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Playing Well
Don't lose the love for the game: a note on kindness, beginners, and the pickleball we all want
A short essay on what makes pickleball feel good to play. Why the better players who treat beginners well are the ones the courts remember, and how the small choices on a Saturday morning build the sport.
Published May 2, 2026
