Chance Encounter with the WORLD ’ S BEST PLAYER !
Of his five serves , I returned one , and barely saw the others . His accuracy was amazing !
By Dr . J
On an ordinary Saturday morning , I was on my way to play pickleball at my local public , but very private , six outdoor courts nestled in the woods on the fringe of a soccer and baseball field surrounded by trees on three sides .
When I arrived , I noticed three young men drilling on one of the back courts . It was obvious they were professionals , and the other players and I respectfully gave them privacy for about an hour and a half . Afterward , I introduced myself as the Ambassador for Athens Area Pickleball , and they were polite and friendly .
I asked one of the guys if he would mind letting an old guy like me ( I ’ m 78 ) play him in a three-point singles match , just so I could experience the speed of professional serves and returns . He was most gracious and what followed was a display of pickleball excellence .
Ben Johns and Dr . J .
Of his five serves , I returned one , and barely saw the others . His accuracy was amazing ! I hit one potential winner that he returned like it was popcorn — straight down the line for his winning point 3-0 ! I asked him his name but couldn ’ t believe my ears : “ Ben Johns ,” he said .
I don ’ t have many heroes at this stage of my life — Willie Nelson , Robert DeNiro , Gene Hackman and , you guessed it , Ben Johns , the number-one pickleball player in the world ! I had just played him in singles !
Ben Johns made my day . What a fine , respectful young man , and what a great player and sport for letting this old man see what a “ 90 mph fastball looks like .”
I also got to meet his drill friends — Dekel Bar , the number-one pickleball player in Israel and number five in the world , and Rob Nunnery !
The next day , the guys returned to round out their preparation drills for the coming weekend ’ s Atlanta Georgia Open PPA at the Life Time Athletic and Tennis Club in Peachtree Corners , Georgia . This time , Ben signed my Franklin “ Ben Johns ” paddle awarded to me by the Super Senior International Pickleball Association ( SSIPA ) in 2019 for ranking # 8 in tournament points on the SSIPA Tour ! He also signed the ball with which we played in the three-point game . After a brief chat , he returned to his pretournament drill intensity .
What a personable champion ! •
Dr . J — Jerry Brinegar , PhD — is a USA Pickleball member and current moderator of the National Ambassador private Facebook group page . He ’ s also an Ambassador for the Athens area of Georgia , which includes five counties . Dr . J learned to play pickleball in Surprise , Arizona , in 2013 . For more information , visit
https :// pickleballinsider . com / listing / jerry-brinegar-dr-j .
From l to r : Rob Nunnery , Dekel Bar , Dr . J and Ben Johns .