From Beginner to Pro

Pickleball tends to be a sport that people can pick up quickly, which may be why it is increasing rapidly in popularity. The number one ranked singles pickleball player, Tyson McGuffin, said during an interview, “One of the things about pickleball is that the learning curve is very quick. I can take a beginner and in a couple of weeks I can have them playing, hitting a 20-ball rally and understanding how to score.” And Tyson should know! It did not take him long to fall in love with the game of pickleball and start winning tournaments!

Leaving His Racquet Behind

So how did Tyson go from picking up a pickleball paddle for the first time in 2015 to winning a major championship in 2017? Before he had even heard about pickleball, Tyson learned to play tennis. Starting at the age of 14, he worked hard and won two state titles. After a couple of years in college and a year on tour, he became a certified tennis instructor.

Tyson was encouraged to give pickleball a try by one of his former students, who could no longer play tennis due to a shoulder injury. Although Tyson was hesitant at first, it was not long before he realized that pickleball was a good fit!

The Reason Pickleball Rocks

WIthin a year of starting pickleball as a singles player, Tyson placed second at nationals and has now begun to focus on doubles training. In his interview, Tyson explained that he finds pickleball more enjoyable than playing college and pro tennis. He continued saying, “There’s just so much more liveliness to it...with the court being so small, it’s a lot more social.”

Tyson continues to play pickleball and now works along with Selkirk to design pickleball paddles with even better technology.

Discover the brands that Tyson loves when you shop our Selkirk bag, paddles and Adidas women's shoes or men's shoes!