Hailing from Metairie, Louisiana , Austin Romaguera got into pickleball by chance. “I started playing in the sixth grade at my middle school,” Austin said. “There was a pickleball net, and after baseball practice, we would go there and play for hours and at recess too.”

That was four years ago. Since then, Austin has received a series of medals in the world of youth pickleball.

Early Success on the National Stage

This March, at the National Junior Pickleball North Carolina Regional Tournament, Austin went 5-0 on day one in pool play, an impressive feat against other talented junior players. After that, on Days 2 and 3, he won gold in elite 4.0-5.5 doubles.

Climbing the Rankings

Now, in National Junior Pickleball, Austin is ranked No. 2 in Boys 15-18 doubles, second only to Aidan Cheung.…