After being introduced to pickleball by his son, Luke, over five years ago, John Howard has quickly found the sport becoming a favorite activity. Howard says even the small tournaments get him excited. “Before every game, I still get nervous,” he said. “I’m an adrenaline junkie, I love that feeling. That’s the fuel.” Photo provided by John Howard.

By Maksym Hart
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — When John Howard first picked up a pickleball paddle five years ago, he didn’t expect it would change his life.

His son Luke, bound for college, invited him to try the new sport sweeping local parks.

“I had never even heard of the game,” Howard said with a laugh. “But I figured it’d be something fun to do with my son before he left for college.”

With a background in tennis, ping-pong and racquetball – and despite weighing nearly 300 pounds at the time – Howard quickly found success.

“Because of my tennis and ping-pong background, I was one of the top players my first time out,” he said. “I thought, ‘Oh, this could be fun.’ And I’ve been hooked ever since.”

A year later, Howard entered his first local tournament, winning gold in singles and bronze in mixed doubles.

“It brought back all the old feelings of competition – the butterflies before a match, the teamwork,” he said. “It was like being back on the high school tennis team.”

Since then, pickleball has become a favorite pastime for Howard, now 56. He’s shed nearly 100 pounds, regained his health, and found a new community of friends and competitors.

John Howard has been playing pickleball for five and a half years, competing in “25 or 30 competitions a year,” but he plays for more than just medals.
“One of the fun parts of the game is getting to meet people and have fun,” Howard said. Photo provided by John Howard.

“My blood pressure used to be 190 over 150,” he said. “Now it’s 110 over 60. My wife’s been so supportive because she’s seen how much healthier I’ve become.”

The transformation wasn’t easy.

“When I first started playing, I was getting injured every other week,” he said.

That changed after meeting licensed physical therapist Stephanie Amspaugh, who offered to treat his recurring tennis elbow in exchange for pickleball lessons.

“She said, ‘I can cure that,’ and I didn’t believe her,” Howard said. “But after two dry-needling sessions, it was gone.”

The two became close friends and frequent tournament partners. “We joke that we have a codependent friendship. She keeps me injury-free, and I help her get better at pickleball,” he said.

Their partnership has paid off. This year, Howard earned gold medals in both men’s and mixed doubles at the U.S. Senior Pickleball regional championships, qualifying for the national finals in Daytona, Fla. this December.

Howard also spends his winters giving private lessons at the CCAC in Warsaw, where he teaches players of all ages.

“Seeing others improve, that’s just as rewarding as winning medals,” he said. “Watching a student go from nervous to confident, then win their first tournament, that’s the best feeling.”

He has more than 100 medals at home, but the ones he treasures most are those shared with partners he’s helped train.

“Those medals probably mean more to them than they do to me,” he said.

Howard credits his faith for keeping him grounded. He recently started a Facebook group called Men of Faith and Pickleball, where players can connect, share devotionals and organize games.

“We’re men of God first,” he said. “Pickleball is just another way to build friendships and share joy.”

Looking ahead, Howard’s goals are to keep improving and to enter the 60-plus age division among the nation’s best. “When I turn 60, I’ll be one of the youngest in that group,” he said. “I’d like to make sure I’m ready.”