My name is Alex Crum.

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Two months ago, I beat the #1 ranked player on the PPA Tour. 

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Eight days later, I beat the #1 ranked player on the APP Tour.

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My life changed.

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The First Swing That Shifted Everything

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Exactly two years ago, I picked up a pickleball paddle for the first time and my life took a complete new direction. 

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Never had a sport felt so natural to me. I felt I had total control over the ball after my first swing. 

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As a lifelong tennis player, there is of course a natural skillset translation that exists for all tennis players, but for me this felt exacerbated . My 5’11 frame was no longer a disadvantage. My mediocre tennis serve instantly became a weapon on the pickleball court. This felt like the perfect game for me. 

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After beating a top 60 touring pro a few days after first strike, I was convinced that within months I would take the Pickleball world by storm. 

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I did not.

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Reality Check in Cincinnati

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At my first tournament—the PPA in Cincinnati—I lost in the first round of qualifying. In about ten minutes. Maybe I wasn’t that guy after all.

after all.

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Back on Track

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One month later, I won the USA Pickleball National Indoors, beating some pretty decent competition along the way and felt there was perhaps a small chance that maybe I could be that guy I once envisioned.  

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Balancing Work and Competition

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Since then, I’ve trained and competed sporadically. I've spent the last two years working full-time as a tennis coach at country clubs across the country. I love teaching and connecting with people. But nothing compares to the adrenaline I feel every time I get to compete.

I was jealous of the players who got to do it every weekend. I kept telling myself: one day, I’ll have my breakthrough. One day, I’ll be able to train and play full time.

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That day came.

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One month ago, I signed a contract with the PPA Tour.

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My life changed again.

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What’s Next

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I will be joining my PPA schedule with some football games, where I’ll head to the tailgates and play with everyone. There will be music, pros, and DUPR coaches giving out DUPR ratings. Starting in August, this will be my job. I’ll travel the country competing in a sport that has already given me so much in such a short time. Now, it’s my turn to give everything I have back.

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Check out the 2025 Collegiate Tailgate Tour schedule to see when I’ll be at a campus near you and join the fun!

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