Sonny Dickman Pickleball Journey: Sonny Dickman, a 22-year-old from Beachwood, Ohio, won his division at the 2024 Pickle in the Land Tournament in Cleveland. Despite playing pickleball for only a year and a half, he entered the 4.5 skill level—just below the highest tier—and came out on top, defeating a former college tennis player in the final.
Dickman chose the tougher path early. His father, Ethan Dickman, advised him to enter the 4.0 division. But Sonny wanted more of a challenge. “I’d rather be the tail of a lion than the head of a sheep,” Sonny Dickman said. “I’m always trying to chase and be better, and I have always been competitive.”
He faced tough competition but beat Springfield, Illinois, native Grant Sarnowski twice—first in the quarterfinals and again in the finals. Sarnowski had played tennis at John Carroll University in University Heights. The final match lasted nearly 45 minutes after both had already been playing for five hours.
“I came away with the win in the end and it was a feeling like no other,” Sonny Dickman said. “My entire life led up to that moment. I had been wanting to compete in racket sports my whole life, I love it. All those struggles led up to that moment and it was a step towards chasing my dream.”
From Tennis to Pickleball
Sonny Dickman was born in Chicago and grew up mostly in New York with his mother. He spent his high school years in Philadelphia, where sports were not part of the school. At age 12, he picked up tennis after finding a racket at home.
He was introduced to pickleball by his cousin during a vacation. Adjusting from tennis to pickleball took time. The ball was different, and the paddle was smaller. But Dickman said it brought in “the fun parts of tennis” like drop shots, volleys, and overheads, all in a more “centralized and strategic game.”
Balancing Faith and Sport
Sonny Dickman also finds a way to keep his Jewish faith while chasing his athletic dream. He attends Heichal Hakodesh Synagogue on Friday nights and Zichron Chaim on Saturdays in University Heights.
“It’s harder for me to get out on Shabbos to play tournaments, but I found out in singles pickleball, the tournaments are either on Friday or Sunday. I feel like I have the perfect balance between keeping with my morals and religion while playing the sport that I adore,” he said.
After spending two years in Israel, Dickman became a certified coach for both tennis and pickleball. He lives mostly in Beachwood now and gives lessons while still traveling for competitions.
Eyes on the Professional Tour
The win in Cleveland gave Sonny Dickman the confidence to enter more tournaments across the country. Over the past year, he has played in events in places like Utah and Florida. He has taken part in amateur events on the Association of Pickleball Players and Professional Pickleball Association tours and hopes to move up to the qualifying rounds.
“I told my dad on a flight to Utah that I’m living my dream,” he said. “No matter how I do in the tournaments, this is my dream. I feel a big gratitude towards God and my life. The journey has had a bunch of ups and downs, wins and losses, but I have learned to love the process.”
Giving Back to the Pickleball Community
Even with his growing success, Sonny Dickman remains thankful to the people around him. He enjoys teaching, playing, and sharing the court with others in the Cleveland area.
“This community took me in and brought me into the loving pickleball community,”. “I always see friendly faces on the courts. We have the friendliest people in Cleveland, and it only gets better on the pickleball courts.”(Sonny Dickman)
News in Brief: Sonny Dickman Pickleball Journey
Sonny Dickman of Beachwood, Ohio, won the 4.5 division at the 2024 Pickle in the Land Tournament. A former tennis player, Dickman began playing pickleball just 18 months ago and now competes across the U.S. He aims to reach the pro level while balancing faith, coaching, and competition.
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