At the end of January, we announced some exciting news across Tournated’s social media channels: Sam Basford joined our team as a Pickleball Expert and Ambassador!

Sam Basford is one of the most well-known figures in the European pickleball. He is best known for being Europe’s first IPTPA Master Teaching Professional, a former Pickleball England Regional Director, and the founder of SB Pickleball, an event, coaching, and consultancy service. He is also a commentator for the English Open/Nationals and the Road to Arlberg Tour 2025.

Sam regularly teaches clinics, lessons, and coached play sessions worldwide. As one of the coaches for Team England, he helped guide England to victory at the European Championships, and has since become the youngest coach in the World Pickleball League (WPBL), a professional organisation that promotes and organises high-level pickleball competitions.

In this interview, we spoke with Sam about his career and the development of pickleball worldwide.

Tell us about yourself. How did you get into pickleball, and what have been your biggest achievements so far?

As a kid, I tried many different sports, including tennis, football, table tennis, cricket, and hockey. Out of all these, I was best (but still not brilliant) at table tennis. That’s maybe what gave me a bit of a headstart in pickleball.

I discovered pickleball in 2016, at the age of 16, thanks to my cousin Peter. My first impression was mixed—I stepped on the court and lost to players who were 60–70 years old. I think that really challenged my ego and motivated me to improve.

I achieved pretty good results but at the end of 2023, due to health issues, I put playing on hold and shifted my focus entirely to coaching.

The youngest WPBL coach

My first part time job was as a tutor, teaching Maths and English to kids aged 4 to 16. I never planned to make teaching my full-time career, but I really enjoyed it. And when I transitioned to pickleball, that passion carried over.

I think for me, I just love sharing my experience. It’s amazing to see how a player’s game changes when they gain more awareness and context during a match.

My proudest achievement as a coach has been leading Team England to victory at the European Championships.

Becoming the youngest WPBL coach was an exciting milestone for me and an amazing experience. The league was initially a bit concerned about having someone this young as a coach, but the team were all on board and performed really well.

Pickleball opens many opportunities for those involved in the sport. Tell us about your experience as a tournament commentator.

My first experience with commentary was in 2023, when Karen Mitchell asked me to commentate at the English Open. I refused at first, but she suggested having someone co-commentate with me, so I would only need to do a couple of matches to fill the gap. I reluctantly agreed.

And now, 18 months later, here we are!

Commentating fits well with my coaching mindset - analysing the game as it happens. It’s also great when players join the commentary because we can break down what’s happening in real time. I get to share my insights, and at the same time, I learn from their perspectives, which helps me grow as a coach.

As one of Europe’s leading sports developers and coaches, how do you view the development of pickleball in the region over the past few years? What progress have you seen?

The progress has been incredible. When I first started, we had to explain to every single person what pickleball was. People laughed at the name and thought it wasn’t a real sport.

Now, pickleball is becoming part of the culture.

Of course, the sport is growing at different speeds in different countries. The UK now has a huge number of pickleball clubs, and across Europe, dedicated pickleball facilities have started to appear over the past few years. Many tennis clubs are even building pickleball courts, which shows that people see the sport as a real opportunity.

What are the leading European pickleball tours? What are the key advantages of each, and what opportunities do they offer for players?

In Europe, there are two main tours:

Road to Arlberg – A series of eight tournaments in 2025 where players earn ranking points. The top eight players/teams qualify for the Arlberg Championships at the end of the year.

The main focus of RTA is the high level of competition. Some tournaments are only catering for the Open/5.0 level, but the tour also includes events like the English Open and Reballution Cup which are open to players of all skill levels.

This year, the tour is very well organised. In fact, the Swedish Open and Polish Open, which are part of the tour, will be run by Tournated!

Peak Leagues – This tour has a slightly different format. Players first compete in group stages, and then, based on their results, they enter playoffs. The final tournament of the league is held in Egypt, adding an exotic location to the competition.

I think both tours offer great opportunities.

What about other tours?

I really love the level of organisation at the World Pickleball League.

In India, they hosted an amazing tournament with a superb center court and great hospitality for players and coaches. It really sets a high standard for the sport’s growth in the country. There were even big-name athletes involved, like Rishabh Pant, the Indian cricket star.

Of course, since it was the first edition of the event, there are things to improve, but I’m super excited to see how the league and organisation continue to grow.

There are also many other tours:

• Global Sports and PWR (Pickleball World Rankings) in Asia

• In the USA, the main tours are PPA Tour (Professional Pickleball Association), MLP (Major League Pickleball), and APP (Association of Pickleball Players)

• In the UK, there’s the Premier Pickleball League

• In Australia, there’s the National Pickleball League and PPA/MLP Australia

Pickleball is expanding fast, and every tour has its own strengths and weaknesses. It really depends on where you are.

What advice would you give to new pickleball players?

Play and enjoy the game. If you’re thinking about a career as a player or coach, take the time to truly understand and appreciate the sport and all it has to offer.

Play lots of tournaments, meet different people, and gain experience. Over time, things will start to fall into place. Just get out there, compete, and have fun!

Describe life in pickleball to a stranger.

Life in pickleball is a rollercoaster. It feels like we’re part of something huge. And it’s a unique moment in a sport’s history - where we have a chance to help shape the future of pickleball at such an early stage.

It’s super exciting and incredibly dynamic. The sport is evolving so quickly, with new opportunities emerging all the time.

For me, pickleball means everything. Whether it’s working with companies, players, or organisations, I love every aspect of it.

Whenever someone asks how my day was, I always say: “It was a great day - I played pickleball!” Pickleball is always fun. By default. And a day that includes pickleball? That’s always a great day.

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