THE JOHNS FAMILY GATHERS FOR THANKSGIVING AT THEIR CHILDHOOD HOME IN MARYLAND . BEN IS THE MIDDLE OF SEVEN . PICTURED ( L TO R ): MAGGIE , HANNAH , COLLIN , PARENTS HEATHER AND MARK , BEN , GEORGIA , LILLY ’ S HUSBAND JOHN , LILLY , AND VIOLET ( SITTING ).
Johns makes it clear he loves pickleball and is privileged to be one of the sport ’ s first transcendent stars . He ’ s appreciative of the $ 2.5 million he makes from endorsements , his pickleball-related businesses , and tournament purses . While still in college , Johns signed a deal with Franklin Sports and later with JOOLA Pickleball . Having majored in materials science and engineering at the University of Maryland , he learned a lot about paddle construction .
His knowledge of materials science crossed over well in terms of pickleball paddle design . “ It was certainly an interest to me in college that I could learn something about materials science and engineering that may apply to paddle design . I was pretty much entirely involved [ with my signature paddle ]. I told them what materials I wanted used , the paddle dimensions and paddle shape .” A year later , with the Ben Johns Hyperion CFS paddle selling as well as he was playing , JOOLA inked him to a lifetime contract . Terms were not disclosed .
With all his success on the court , Johns sounds more excited discussing venture capital , artificial intelligence and his entrepreneurial endeavors than he does dinks and drives .
He ’ s the middle of seven in the family . His longtime doubles partner Collin , 31 , is the oldest ; Hannah , 29 , is the PPA Tour ’ s TV reporter and a front office executive ; Lilly , 27 , is a dental hygienist ; Maggie , 23 , is getting her doctorate in piano performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music ; Georgia , 21 , works in supply chain management and manages Ben ’ s Pickleball Getaways company ; and 8-year-old Violet is being homeschooled by their mom , Heather .
The siblings are close , and Ben is relaxing at Lilly ’ s home in Tampa , on one of his six off days per month . “ I think doing the same thing in terms of the same tournaments , seeing the same people all the time … all of that — it does get wearing and repetitive .” He spends 14 days a month drilling and 10 days playing in tournaments .
In a wide-ranging interview , Johns also talks about the change in doubles partner from his brother Collin , the pressure of being the best , his pregame routines ,
30 TO SUBSCRIBE , CALL 412.914.8294 OR GO TO PICKLEBALLMAGAZINE . COM