PLAYER PROFILE
When the
World is Your
Cheeseburger
J “Gizmo” Hall has gone from
putting out fires in the real world
to being on fire in the world of
pickleball.
BY MARK BERTON
J
“Gizmo” Hall’s introduction to pickleball was watching
a game played by women in their 70s at his local gym in
Virginia, where he did cardio and played basketball to stay
fit for his firefighter job.
“I heard this sound when I was leaving the basketball court. It
sounded like ping-pong, but different, so I decided to peek around
the corner and check it out,” Hall says. “I saw three nets set up and
a few older folks, and this woman said, ‘Hey, this is pickleball. Do
you want me to show you how it’s played?’”
Hall declined and focused on taking in this sport he’d never seen
before. Later in the week, he heard the sounds again, and went back
for another look.
“The same people were playing, and this time the woman grabbed
me and said, ‘You don’t get to peek around the corner twice and not
play.’”
To say that woman changed Hall’s trajectory in life would be an
understatement. He left firefighting last September, although he
still has the certifications and qualifications to serve in Virginia, and
made the decision to go pro in pickleball. It was a huge decision for
Hall, who not only served as a firefighter, but who also owns and
operates a family farm with his wife and two children in northern
Virginia.
“We raise chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl, goats, mini donkeys and
ducks, as well as food crops. When I’m home from the road, that’s
all I do—crash hard in the garden, make sure it’s all turnkey for
my wife, then I’m back out there,” he says. “My kids are 6 and 7
years old and they’ll grab the eggs out of the nesting boxes. It
teaches responsibility and I want to raise them the right way.
I’ve been a city boy my whole life and it wears you down. I
told my wife we needed at least five acres in the country
and she found us 10 with a pond. She supports me 110
percent. She supported us moving to a farm and she
supports my goal of going pro in pickleball.”
While the whole family enjoys the sport—they
play tournaments together when they can—
Hall’s obsession with pickleball goes above and
beyond your casual player.
“I just started playing four, five days a week,
driving multiple hours to find the best competition
I could. We’re about an hour north of Richmond, on
Pickleball Farm—that’s the name of our farm. To
compete, I’d go to Richmond, Charlottesville or
all the way to Baltimore,” he recalls. “People
thought I was crazy to chase this dream to go
pro, and I said, ‘Maybe you shouldn’t put your
limitations on me. I appreciate the opinion,
but I’m gone.’”
But it’s not just that he’s gone from being a
neophyte in the sport to a Gamma-sponsored
4.5 player that’s impressive, it’s what he’s
accomplished along the way. He earned a bronze
in the 4.0 Singles during Nationals at Indian Wells
in 2018, and he’s become a memorable player for
many reasons. Some may recognize his nickname,
“Gizmo,” called over the loudspeakers at matches
or his trademark cheeseburger outfits on the court.
However, despite the rock-star glam he demonstrates, it’s his
ambassadorship and work with kids he’s really known for.
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