Christian Alshon’s Strategy for Pickleball Excellence: Pickleball is not yet an official NCAA sport, but that hasn’t stopped college students from going pro while still in school. Some schools are beginning to offer scholarships, but for now, pickleball remains a club sport at most major universities. Despite this, top college players are making the leap to professional competition.
Ava Ignatowich and Jack Munro are two standout examples, having turned pro while completing their undergraduate studies. Both players also competed with their respective college teams at the DUPR Collegiate National Championships.
Other professionals, like Christian Alshon, managed to balance their studies with competitive play, even taking on side jobs like driving for Uber.
Alshon, who successfully transitioned from college to the pro pickleball circuit, shared advice for students looking to do the same.
Path to Turning Professional
Alshon emphasized the importance of assessing one’s skill level through tournament play and seeking out professional opponents for guidance.
“If you’re in college and you want to go pro in pickleball, I’d say the best way to go about it is, first you have to assess your situation. You have to play in tournaments and assess your level. If you can play with any pro you can find, that would be awesome because then you can talk to the pro and they can do a more in-depth analysis of your situation and how good you actually are.” – (alshon)
Beyond skill assessment, Alshon encouraged students to be patient with their progress.
“It doesn’t matter how good you are when you start because it’s going to take at least a year to see results. You’re not gonna just play in a tournament and it’s going to go super well.” – (alshon)
Maximizing Training Time
Alshon detailed how he structured his training around his college schedule, making the most of breaks to focus on improvement.
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“I trained every day for three months and I started in the summer, so I had 10 weeks off so I could train. I trained every single day for three months, and then I played a tournament and I think I lost the first round in doubles. That was two years ago, and the field now is not the same as it was two years ago. Especially in singles, it’s a lot harder now.” – (alshon)
Even with the sport becoming increasingly competitive, Alshon believes aspiring pros should embrace the challenge and take advantage of their time in college.
Taking Risks and Gaining Experience
Alshon highlighted the importance of enjoying the process, regardless of the outcome.
“If you go pro and fail, you’ll probably have a lot of fun trying to go pro and you’ll probably learn something. And if you do go get a normal job, you’re going to have a heck of a story for that gap in your resume. And who knows, they might say, ‘This person takes initiative and he tries to go for something big,’ and maybe it only lasts a few years, but that’s great. It could work out in your favor.” – (alshon)
He also encouraged students to seize the moment, emphasizing that youth provides a unique opportunity to take risks.
“Wanna go pro in college? You’re in college, these are the years to take risks and try to go pro. You’re not going to have this opportunity when you’re older. You’re not going to be 45 and able to go pro in pickleball as easily as you can right now, so take these risks and take advantage of the time you have.” – (alshon)
As more collegiate players look toward professional pickleball, the sport’s presence on college campuses may continue to grow. For now, students willing to train hard and take strategic risks have the chance to make their mark on the pro circuit.
News in Brief: Christian Alshon’s Strategy for Pickleball Excellence
While pickleball is not yet an NCAA sport, college students like Ava Ignatowich, Jack Munro, and Christian Alshon have gone pro while balancing their studies.
Alshon advises aspiring pros to train consistently, manage expectations, and take advantage of their college years to pursue competitive opportunities before the sport becomes even more challenging.
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