Get to know Carlsbad pickleball trailblazer Alex Hamner
CARLSBAD, Calif. — Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America and Carlsbad is home to one of its legends, Alex Hamner. A 2020 inductee into the Pickleball Hall of Fame, Hamner, 59, was at the forefront of the game’s rapid rise when she began playing 13 years ago. She has over 25 national-level titles, making her a pickleball phenom, pioneer, and ambassador. As a member of Team Vulcan, she partners with Oceanside Hall of Famer Jennifer Lucore in doubles and various other players in mixed doubles.
If you’re unfamiliar with the game, pickleball is an indoor or outdoor racket/paddle sport where two or four players hit a perforated hollow polymer ball over a 36-inch-high net using solid-faced paddles. It is fast-paced, easy to learn, less taxing on the body, and very social. Courts are popping up all over, usually through tennis court reconfiguration. Hamner adds, “The points are typically long and frequently end in laughter or with crazy exclamations. And everyone is addicted, so you have an immediate friend when you find out someone plays Pickleball.” She emphasizes the importance of a good warmup to avoid injury as it’s easy to want to get right to it on the court: “There’s no fun in being hurt and not getting to play!”
Hamner grew up in Oceanside, playing tennis in high school and later as a member of El Camino Tennis Club. She also played field hockey in high school and college at Long Beach State. She discovered pickleball through tennis, then found herself on the national stage, winning tournaments, gaining sponsorships, and raking in national titles, all while still working her day job as a Certified Public Accountant. Despite all the crazy her busy life holds, she has a healthy perspective on her personal goals: “Honestly, my goal with any sport has always been just to have fun. As a kid, I just wanted to get better because that, to me, is fun. Plus, I love to work out. Now, as an adult, I have enough stress in my day job that I use pickleball as a release – I don’t want (or need) more stress by doing something I’m not having fun at.”
The team component is a huge added benefit for her. “I LOVE being on a team! It is like a family, where you give and receive support, and you are happy when your teammates succeed – like when they are the one to hit the winner or score the goal – it’s a joyful moment even though I didn’t directly do it. It’s still rewarding to have been a part of the achievement.” And the best piece of advice one of her mentors, Tony Negrete, offered: “When your back’s against the wall, be the wall.”
Hamner’s final words on pickleball sum up her enthusiasm clearly: “Hopefully, you have something fun in your life that brings you joy. If not, consider trying pickleball! And if you do already have a fun life, that’s awesome. But you still should consider playing pickleball – it’s that fun!”
Outside of pickleball, she enjoys all the perks of living in Carlsbad. Her husband, Mike, and grown sons, Troy and Chad, have always been her most ardent supporters (Both of her sons have dabbled in the sport as well). We wish Alex continued success on the pickleball court!
If you’re interested in learning more about local pickleball opportunities in Carlsbad, a quick Google search will show several opportunities to explore this fun and exciting sport.
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