Tammy and Martin Emmrich’s Family Pickleball Journey: Professional pickleball players Tammy Emmrich and Martin Emmrich are building their careers while raising their daughter, Gabriella, and traveling the country as a family. The couple plays, trains, and works in the sport together, and Tammy says the experience has brought them closer.
How They Met
Tammy Emmrich shared that she first met Martin in 2017.
“We met on the tennis court in 2017,” said Tammy. “Martin had retired from tennis and started coaching, but I was still playing and my coach at the time was really good friends with Martin. One day at practice, Martin showed up to the court just to say hi to my coach and he and I ended up sitting on the bench for two hours talking after practice. We’ve been together ever since.”
The couple married soon after and will celebrate their seventh wedding anniversary in December.
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Always Together
Tammy explained that their bond has always been strong.
“Before pickleball, we’d actually never spent one night apart from each other,” she said. “The first time we ever spent a night apart was when he played for the St. Louis Shock. We’ve only spent one other night apart from each other since.”
Playing and Training
While they support each other in everything, they prefer to compete with different partners. Some couples, like Matt Wright and Lucy Kovalova, play together, but Tammy believes a different approach works best for her marriage.
“It’s better for the marriage if we don’t play together,” she said with a chuckle.
Still, training is something they share daily.
“I don’t know if my balls are fast enough for him and the men’s game,” Tammy admitted. “So, he’ll mix in playing with high level guys, too, but we make it work. He’s very disciplined, so that’s amazing for me because he makes me do the boring stuff. Ninety percent of our practice is drilling, so we drill together a lot.”
Life on the Road
With tournaments happening across the country, the Emmrich family brings Gabriella along to every stop.
“It’s chaotic, but we enjoy it. It’s brought us together as a family because before, when we were playing tennis, we’d be away from home,” Tammy mentioned. “But with pickleball, we get to travel as a family.”
Advice for Parents
Tammy also shared advice for mothers balancing travel, parenting, and careers.
“Being parents does not stop you from going out, being adventurous, having fun, following your dreams, and chasing your goals,” she said. “For moms traveling with their kids, my advice is don’t stress the small stuff. If bedtime isn’t at the same time, it’s okay. We’ll all be good. It’s tough being on the road with my daughter and finding food she likes, but I really try to take it all in stride and do my best because that’s all we can do as moms, right? My daughter’s happiness is my priority, then I’ll worry about pickleball after that.”
Why Their Story Matters
The Emmrich family’s journey shows how pickleball has opened new doors for athletes who once played tennis. It also highlights how the sport can create opportunities for family life on the road. Their story may inspire other athletes and parents to pursue their goals without giving up time with loved ones.
News in Brief: Tammy and Martin Emmrich’s Family Pickleball Journey
Tammy and Martin Emmrich balance life as pro pickleball players while raising their daughter, Gabriella. Married for nearly seven years, they train and travel together but compete with different partners. Tammy says traveling with family has strengthened their bond and encourages moms to focus on joy instead of stress.