Hi, I'm Colleen Riddle.
And this is my story.
And this is my story.
I spent much of my life trying to figure out where I fit.
Growing up as the youngest of six, I often felt like I was trying to keep up—trying to find my voice, find my footing, and discover where I belonged.
That feeling followed me into adulthood more than I realized. Through different seasons of life, careers, challenges, and reinventions, I kept searching for the same thing many of us are searching for.
It took years of personal growth to understand how deeply that search had shaped me—and to realize that the thing I'd been looking for all along was exactly what I was meant to help others find.
BELONGING
The thing I’d been searching for my whole life.
Today, life looks a little different.
I'm grateful to call the beautiful Emerald Coast of Northwest Florida home.
If you can't find me, there's a good chance I'm on a pickleball court, walking the beach, or sitting on my back porch with a cat in my lap.
I've been married to my wonderful husband and best friend, John, for nearly three decades. He's my rock, my biggest cheerleader, and the reason I never have to do any of this alone.
But the story starts much earlier.
Long before pickleball, before coaching, before writing books and building communities…
It started with my mom.
My mom was my person. We bonded over everything — makeup, personal care routines, the little rituals that make a house feel like home. She had beauty secrets she swore by and passed down like family heirlooms. We didn’t know then what we know now.
Then one day after swim practice, my dad sat me down and told me my mother had ovarian cancer.
For ten years, I watched her fight with everything she had. That experience broke me open and rebuilt me at the same time. It gave me a work ethic I carry to this day, a deep respect for the human body, and an unshakeable belief that how we take care of ourselves matters — not someday, but now.
After she passed, I channeled my grief into purpose. I became an ACE-Certified Personal Trainer and threw myself into helping people discover what their bodies were capable of. I started Elite Physique Personal Training, built wellness communities, and spent over two decades coaching people toward stronger, healthier, more energized lives.
So I wrote a book.
Came for the Game, Stayed for the People: True Stories of Pickleball, Friendship & Belonging is a collection of 18 true stories from real people whose lives were quietly transformed — not by a sport, but by the courage to show up and the community that welcomed them.
It's my most personal work yet. And it's for anyone who has ever felt stuck, disconnected, or convinced that the most exciting chapters of their life are already written.
Spoiler: they aren't.
This is also not my first book. I co-authored 333: The Power of Equilibrium — a deep dive into balance across body, mind, and spirit. Both books reflect the same core belief: that small, intentional choices made consistently can change the entire trajectory of your life.
Today, this is what I do.
I coach. I speak. I write. I build community. I host monthly beach bonfires on the Emerald Coast where people come to release what's heavy, renew their spirit, and reconnect with themselves and each other.
Everything I do is rooted in one belief — that showing up, even when it's scary, changes everything.
I'm so glad you're here. We all deserve a place where we belong.
— Colleen
Ways We Can Connect
Pickleball
Whether you're brand new to pickleball or ready to improve your game, Fit Pickleballer offers a supportive place to learn, grow, and connect.
THE BOOK
Discover Came for the Game, Stayed for the People — true stories of friendship, belonging, and the unexpected ways pickleball changes lives.
SPEAKING
Inspiring audiences through stories of connection, community, belonging, and the courage to say yes to new possibilities.
WELLNESS
Helping people feel stronger, healthier, and more energized through fitness, wellness, and simple habits that last.
