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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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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Alex Crum's 2025 PPA Schedule & Tailgate Tour

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August 6–10 – Bristol, TN

August 27–31 – Las Vegas, NV

September 5–7 – Orlando, FL (UCF) – ATO

September 8–14 – Cincinnati, OH (University of Cincinnati) – ATO

September 19–21 – Evansville, IN (University of Evansville) – FIJI

October 6–12 – Virginia Beach, VA (CNU)

October 22–26 – Las Vegas, NV (UNLV) – DX

November 3–9 – Dallas, TX (SMU) – Phi Delt

November 18–23 – Lakeland, FL (University of Tampa) – ATO

December 16–21 – Daytona Beach, FL *

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