Alex Hamner and Jennifer Lucore - Doubles Champions

We love these two because they are so gracious, and because they are so funny!  Enjoy their conversation with Anna at Nationals last year.

Anna: We’re here at the National Pickleball Tournament and I’ve got Alex Hammer.

Alex: Hamner.

Anna: Hamner, sorry. Hamner here.

Alex: You’re the first one to do that. No, I’m kidding. (Laughs) He announced my name wrong today.

Anna: So Alex, how’s today going for you?

Alex: Today has been great so far. I just got off the medal stand, got a gold in the 35+ Women’s Doubles. So it was a ton of fun and we did good today. We didn’t ever drop into the loser’s bracket, so it made it a little easier on ourselves, I guess.

Anna: Congratulations.

Alex: You know, pickleball is so fun. It was a great day and a lot of fun.

Anna: How is it that you got involved in pickleball?

Alex: I started playing pickleball because Jennifer Lucore, my partner, she played because her parents played, Bob and Bev Youngren. And she finally said come on let’s get out there and play. So we played a little bit and then she dragged me out to Nationals a few years ago and we’ve been playing ever since.

Anna: Well, great! And so, is there a paddle, I know you probably play with a lot of different paddles, is there one that you played with, you know, is there a favorite paddle that you have or what did you play with today?

Alex: I mixed around a little bit with paddles the last couple of years. Right now, I am playing with the Legacy, which is from Pickleball Inc.

Anna: Do you have it? Is that the one…?

Alex: I do have one right here.

Anna: Oh.

Alex: This is the one I played with today. Did good with it today. It’s known as a power paddle.

Anna: Uh-huh.

Alex: But I find I have good control as well, so I like it for both. I can, I can control my dinks and I can still hit my balls hard. Works for me.
Jennifer: And she is so good on that Legacy. 
(Laughs)

Anna: And so we have Jennifer Lucore.

Jennifer: Yes, I’m attached to the hip. We had so much fun today and we have five more days of fun at Nationals.

Anna: Congratulations on your win today.

Jennifer: Yes.

Anna: It’s really great.

Jennifer: It was good. Another tough day of pickleball.
Yeah, the wind came up and that made it a little tricky some times.

Anna: Right.

Alex: So the morning was great and it got a little more difficult between the players and the wind as the day went on.
Jennifer: As each side, yeah. So, love pickleball. Rah- rah.

Anna: So, what changes have you guys seen in the sport since you’ve been playing, coming to Nationals?

Jennifer: More people, which is beautiful.
Alex: More people and … 
Jennifer: More friends to meet.
(Laughs)
Alex: Yeah, I don’t know. More, I think at least in the women’s game, a little more diversity, as far as, hitting the ball harder more often. But, it’s, you know, there’s a lot of dinks going on too. So I think, maybe earlier on it was a lot more dinks and we didn’t know too much better so we came out and we were hitting hard and I don’t know, people started hitting hard as well and now we find ourselves dinking.
Jennifer: There you go.
Alex: A lot more.
Jennifer: So, it’s fun. Thank you.

Anna: Thank you guys so much.