Customer Spotlight: Jackson Hall

How pickleball helps foster lifelong friendships

Jackson Hall with Bobbi Smith.

Jackson Hall has always been an athlete, and as soon as he picked up a pickleball paddle—he was hooked. 

Hall is on the court as often as he can, and has made some of his most treasured friends ever since jumping into the sport. We sat down with our friend and customer to hear more about how he got started playing, his best advice for newcomers and why pickleball is a great way to create lasting relationships.

How long have you been playing pickleball?

I’ve been playing pickleball for about four years. I started at Eden Prairie Community Center. Someone had invited me to try it, and I totally fell in love with the sport from day one. I like how I can still compete at my age. It brought competition back into my life because all the other sports were just getting more and more difficult as I got older. 

Do you have a favorite place to play in the Twin Cities?

I play over at Mega Pickle and Pong in Chanhassen quite often, and then I also enjoy Lone Lake and Roundhouse Park. I try to play a minimum of three times a week—so I’m on the court anywhere from three to five times a week. 

What other sports do you enjoy playing, and how did they help you improve your pickleball game?

I played golf and tennis in both high school and college. But after I discovered pickleball, that’s what I stick to now. I would say that tennis did translate pretty well, but I think for me personally, another sport that aided me probably a little more than tennis was ping-pong, and even racquetball. 

Favorite music to get pumped up for a match?

When I head off to a match, I’ll play some music from the 70s to kind of get me going. I’ll just turn the radio up and play some hard rock music — maybe some ACDC. 

Any advice for someone who’s new to pickleball or wants to try?

My best advice is to take some lessons to get a good understanding of the game. Then, try to find a group at your skill level and play with them. I was playing with a lot of guys at my skill level and then just slowly elevating it up. Just get a good understanding of what it is. Watch it. Play it. Find people that have the same interests and the same skill level.

What do you love most about being a part of that entire pickleball community?

My wife and I moved out to a community in Mound from Eden Prairie, and we really did not know that many people. We’ve been out there for six years, and I will say in the last two years, I have met so many people playing pickleball and made some very close friendships with people on the courts. To me, that’s a really cool thing because we’re getting to know people in our community and even their families. That’s been the most special. It’s just fun competing with them. And when we’re done competing, we just have a really great time.

What makes Michael Lynne’s worth the drive all the way from Mound?

I love all the people that work there. Everybody has been extremely helpful. I like that it’s kind of a small town feel when you walk in. You get to know the people who really have a genuine interest in helping you. I’ve gained a lot of respect and trust for them. That’s why I drive there—the people, and of course the selection. They’ve got pretty much everything anybody would ever need for pickleball.