CHANDLER, Ariz., March 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Tennis and Pickleball are at war! Tennis purists consider pickleball a fad. Pickleballers think tennis is over and want all of their courts remodeled. And nobody was more directly in the corner of tennis than Eric Amende.
At the age of 12, Eric was ranked #2 The United States. At 14 he was number 1. With a scholarship to U.S.C, he became a four-time All-American and was a 1989 NCAA Doubles Champion. His career highlight was competing for The United States in men’s singles tennis at the 1984 Olympic Games.
Eric Amend, former US Olympic tennis champion and current Head of Facilities at Pickleball Kingdom
After his playing days were over, Eric practiced tennis for a while, but it didn’t last. His life spiraled downwards. Eric summed it up: “I was depressed. I wasn’t happy. I’ve been sleepwalking through my life.”
After the death of his father, Eric quit his job in February 2022. There was an agonizing hole in his life. “I wanted to get active again. I kept hearing about Pickleball. Thinking about playing pickleball felt wrong. But I was so crushed that I was finally willing to try anything…even Pickleball.”
The moment Eric entered Pickleball Kingdom, an indoor pickleball facility Chandler, Arizona, everything has changed. “Just entering the kingdom changed me. The colors, the sounds, the energy. I just felt good.” He started playing every day. With his tennis background, he quickly improved.
In June 2022, Eric met the owner of Pickleball Kingdom, Ace Rodrigues. They talked about sports and life. When Ace found out that Eric wasn’t employed, he immediately offered him a job. Ace recalls, “There was a certain intensity to it. I remember seeing him on the courts where he was trying hard. I liked him from the start.”
As in tennis, Eric quickly climbs the ladder of Pickleball Kingdom. He is now their head of facilities.
“With our recent announcement that we will be franchisees nationwide, I look forward to training new locations with The Keys to the Kingdom. I know there will soon be a pickleball kingdom in every US city and I’m proud to be a part of it. I now have joy in my life. I’m so thankful because I have a huge community of friends and work in a place that just makes me happy. my heart is full Pickleball has really changed my life.”
SOURCE Pickleball Kingdom
