Professional Player Hayden Patriquin
One of the most exciting young players on the tour
In today’s Bite Size Pickleball newsletter:
Toon of the Week
MLP Owner Ross Chaifetz on Hayden Patriquin
This Week’s Bite Size Pickleball Podcast
Bite Size Pickleball TV Show update
TOON OF THE WEEK
I can’t believe I still encounter some holdouts who exclaim, “Pickleball is for old people.” Well, guess what? It is! But it is also for young people! In fact, the median age range for players coming into the sport is around 30. So, keep discriminating against this amazing sport at your own peril. In fact, there’s too many people playing already, we don’t need you, haters!
In honor of the young people coming into our beloved sport, here’s a little toon.
OWNER OF ST. LOUIS SHOCK ON HAYDEN PATRIQUIN
And speaking of young people coming into the sport! I am currently writing a profile on 19-year-old Hayden Patriquin for Pickleball Magazine. The title of the profile is “The Pickleball Kid.” Unfortunately, I never have room in my articles to fit in all the research I do, which is a bonus for you! Because you get to see all the nuts and bolts that go into them.
Below is my full interview with one of the owners of the St. Louis Shock of the MLP, Ross Chaifetz. I wanted to thank Ross for taking the time out from building an amazing program in St. Louis—they are on the vanguard of the league, with a dedicated stadium, community outreach and more!
1. What made you draft Hayden?
The 2024 draft allowed us to retain players on a multi-year basis and build for the future. Hayden struck a unique balance as a player because he had the ability to impact the team immediately, but his youth meant he had room to run and get even better. A teenager, top 5 male in the sport with a competitive, team attitude like Hayden with even more upside was a unicorn in the draft we couldn’t pass up. I clearly remember our first MLP event after acquiring the Shock, Hayden on the 5s playing with such demeanor and confidence, and sauce, as a young 15-year-old—flat brim bat, Raybans, gold chain bouncing around. I knew he would be a perfect fit for the culture we are trying to build at the Shock. We had eyes on him since the moment draft bidding opened.
2. Describe the confidence you feel just watching a young man walking on the court with that much swag.
It makes you just ecstatic for him as a player and a person. He’s got swagger but it’s paired with a cool demeanor around him that’s magnetizing, a rarity for a player who play at his level.
3. What makes him a lethal/great partner? Talk about his attitude.
He can play nearly any role on and off the court. He’s a dynamic personality that brings speed, energy and confidence in mixed and men’s. He’s a big part of the Shock identity in the speed, confidence, electricity we play with. He’s great at bringing energy and getting in the heads of our competition. He’s played very well in DreamBreaker format as well, stealing key points for us against top players, such as Ben, throughout the 2024 season. We expect even more out of Hayden this year, but we have all the confidence in the world he will deliver.
4. Any fun/funny anecdotes to share in his time with the Shock?
He’s one of the most unique personalities in the sport. How many Rolex-wearing, F150 Raptor-driving, finger-wagging teenagers do you know at the top of their game. His swagger is immaculate and his game is cold blooded. We joke about him, but he’s really quite mature for his age. He loves the finer things. We chat about the finest watches in the world, Ferraris and Supercars, elite golf courses, but he’s mature and serious. We often have moments discussing how to invest, how to prepare for his future, the pros and cons of other experiences such as college, the world outside pickleball and more. I’m proud of who he’s becoming
5. What’s the future hold for him? How far can he go?
He has an unlimited upside in pickleball and in life. He takes everything seriously—his game, his future, his friends and relationships. I think being on the tour as early as he was gave him a huge advantage in the maturity curve. Hayden will lead us to an MLP championship, and he will continue to beat the best in PPA, I have no doubt. His youth gives him an incredible advantage to accomplish what not many players have in pickleball, and he can continue to play and dominate for 10 more years, given his skill relative to his age.
THIS WEEK’S BITE SIZE PICKLEBALL PODCAST
It’s all about slowing your game down. Not physically, but mentally. Some ideas for how you do that is featured in this week’s show.
BITE SIZE PICKLEBALL TV SHOW UPDATE
As mentioned last week, the pilot of my show is complete and I have been sharing it with a few network people. BTW, in that pilot, first-ever men’s doubles champion Scott Stover sets the record straight on where the name really came from. Hint:
Speaking of Pickles…I had a good meeting with the folks at Pickle TV last week. Well, everything was good about it except the feed on Google Meets in which they looked like they were in one of those old dubbed Godzilla movies: Their lips would move and I wouldn’t hear anything until like two seconds later. I probably interrupted them several times because of it. Hopefully they didn’t hold it against me! Stay tuned to this station for more info soon. And, just my personal preference, but stick with Zoom!
BOOK GIVEAWAY
I have 5 free copies of my latest book to give away to anyone who is willing to rate and review it on Amazon. If that’s you, send me your full name and address to rick@bitesizepickleball.com
