Hi, I’m Colleen Riddle.
I Help People Find Their
Confidence, Their People,
And Their Joy.
- AUTHOR
- SPEAKER
- PICKLEBALL COACH
- COMMUNITY BUILDER
For more than twenty years, I’ve helped people grow stronger and more confident. Along the way, I discovered that real change happens through connection, belonging, and joy.
More Than Pickleball. More Than Wellness.
I Help People Find Where They Belong.
I grew up the youngest of six, and I spent a lot of years quietly wondering where I fit. It took a few reinventions — teacher, Realtor, trainer, coach — to realize the thing I’d been searching for all along was belonging. And once I saw it, I couldn’t unsee it: the woman who shows up to her first pickleball class and doesn’t know a soul. The guy who hasn’t tried anything new in twenty years. The friend who just needs one person to save her a chair at the bonfire.
So that’s the kind of community I set out to create. In a class, you’ll absolutely learn the game — that’s my job, and I take it seriously. But whether it’s pickleball, a book, a retreat, or a keynote, what keeps people coming back is never just the skill. It’s what happens when people begin showing up for each other. Because sometimes one small “yes” becomes the beginning of everything.
Confidence. Connection. Joy.
Where Will Your Journey
Begin?
Maybe you’re brand new to pickleball and a little nervous about walking onto a court full of strangers. Maybe you’re ready to feel strong in your body again, or you’re craving a weekend away that actually fills you back up. Maybe you’re looking for a book that reminds you it’s not too late to start something new. Wherever you’re starting from, you don’t have to have it figured out — you just have to show up. Pick the path that fits, and I’ll meet you there.
More than learning the game—find confidence, friendship, and a community that cheers you on.
- Belonging
- CONFIDENCE
- CONNECTION
- COMMUNITY
- JOY
- FRIENDSHIP
- GROWTH
It Started with One “Yes.”
For more than twenty years, I’ve helped people build stronger, healthier lives as a personal trainer. Then, a few years ago, I said yes to teaching a free pickleball class — and what happened next surprised even me. People who walked in nervous walked out with friends. Confidence returned. Laughter filled the courts. And that one small yes grew into something I never planned: a thriving business, a community of hundreds, and opportunities I never could have imagined— not because I’d found a better way to teach pickleball, but because people were looking for something deeper than just a game.
That’s when everything clicked: the thing I’d been searching for my whole life had become the thing I was meant to help others find. It’s what led to the book, the speaking, the retreats, and the bonfires.
And it’s why, however you meet me — on a court, on a page, or from a stage — my goal never changes: to help you feel seen, find your people, and know you belong.
A New Chapter Begins Here.
Stories That Remind
Us What’s Possible
This book began with pickleball, but it has never really been about pickleball. It’s about friendship, courage, second chances, and the unexpected ways one small “yes” can change a life. These are true stories from my own community — the people who walked onto a court as strangers and walked off as something more.
Whether you’re reading Came for the Game, Stayed for the People, reflecting in the Quietly Brave companion journal, or gathering with your book club, my hope is the same: that you’ll close the final page feeling seen, encouraged, and excited about what’s possible in your own story. Because sometimes the next chapter begins with one decision.
A New Chapter Begins Here.
Stories That Remind
Us What’s Possible
This book began with pickleball, but it has never really been about pickleball. It’s about friendship, courage, second chances, and the unexpected ways one small “yes” can change a life. These are true stories from my own community — the people who walked onto a court as strangers and walked off as something more.
Whether you’re reading Came for the Game, Stayed for the People, reflecting in the Quietly Brave companion journal, or gathering with your book club, my hope is the same: that you’ll close the final page feeling seen, encouraged, and excited about what’s possible in your own story. Because sometimes the next chapter begins with one decision.
Came for the Game, Stayed for
the People
True stories of friendship, belonging, and the
unexpected ways saying “yes” can change a life.
Quietly Brave Companion
Journal
Reflection prompts and gentle encouragement to help you apply the lessons to your own life.
FREE Book Club Discussion
Guide
Meaningfu questions & conversation starters designed to deepen connectionand spark unforgettable discussions.
- Belonging
- CONFIDENCE
- CONNECTION
- COMMUNITY
- JOY
- FRIENDSHIP
- GROWTH
Testimonials
Real Stories. Real People.
Pickleball Student
Just Do It. You Won’t Regret It.
~ Mark C.
Book Reader
Best-Selling Author
~ Gary Westfal
Pickleball Student
More Than A Class. A Community.
~ Harriet D.
Pickleball Student
Exactly What I Was Looking For
~ Harriet D.
Our Events
Let’s Get Together
Some things just can’t happen through a screen. Whether it’s a pickleball class, a retreat, a beach bonfire, a book event, or a speaking engagement, these gatherings are where the good stuff happens — new friendships, honest conversations, and the kind of connection that makes a place start to feel like home. Come find me at one, and come as you are.
- Gulf Shores, AL
Rally, Renew and Reconnect
- November 29, 2026
Status:
Only 4 spots left
- Walton Sports Complex
Free Fit Pickleballer Monthly Social Play
- September 10, 2026
Status:
Join Waitlist
- Santa Rosa Beach, FL
Release, Renew and Reconnect
- September 3, 2026
Status:
Open
- Santa Rosa Beach, FL
Release, Renew and Reconnect
- September 3, 2026
Status:
Open
- Walton Sports Complex
Free Fit Pickleballer Monthly Social Play
- September 10, 2026
Status:
Join Waitlist
- Gulf Shores, AL
Rally, Renew and Reconnect
- November 29, 2026
Status:
Only 4 spots left
I’d Love to Hear From You.
Whether you have a question, want to explore working together, or just want to tell me your story, don’t be shy — every great connection starts with a conversation.
call me
850-598-7263
Colleen@ColleenRiddle.com
Send Me a Note
call me
850-598-7263
Colleen@ColleenRiddle.com