This week we interviewed none other than our very own CRBN Pro Athlete, Thomas Wilson.
He burst onto the Pro Tour back in the summer of 2021, and quickly made his mark with his powerful forehand and court awareness.
September was no ordinary month for this guy. Not only did he conquer the pickleball courts, but Thomas and his wife, Brittany, welcomed their newest teammate, an adorable baby girl named Holyn!
CRBN HQ is buzzing with excitement for the Wilson fam, and it's time for you to get in on the action too.
We chatted with Thomas about his life on and off the court. Here’s a quick peek:
To start off, congratulations on becoming a father! September was a significant month for you and your family. How has the journey into parenthood been treating you and Brittany so far?
Yeah, it's been a whirlwind. It's been amazing, challenging, rewarding... all the emotions. My wife Brittany's been amazing. She's such a great mom. Every day is a new adventure. Our daughter Holyn is healthy and so cute. I just stare at her all day long. I'm like, wow, this is my daughter.
Now we know that your journey to fatherhood has been a longer road than expected. Can you tell us a little about that journey and how your family came to embrace and welcome Holyn through adoption?
We always wanted a big family, so when a doc told us we couldn’t have kids we were shell shocked. Anyway it was years of surgeries trying to fix the issue with no success. It was brutal, it became way too much and we just stopped trying. But for the longest time adoption had been in our hearts. We found an amazing agency, and now that we have a little baby, it's just the best thing ever.
Can you share some of the most heartwarming or humorous moments you've had with Holyn since her arrival?
One of the coolest moments was actually when I was playing in a tournament right after we adopted Holyn. Like, I'm on center court, we're playing in the finals, and you hear these random people saying, “Holyn needs new shoes, let's go!!” People were just like, “Let's go, dad!” And I'm like, “Who’s dad? Oh wait, that’s me. So it's been amazing to just, like, feel the support from fans that know our story.
As a professional pickleball player, how do you find ways to incorporate pickleball into your family time now that you're a father?
It's been a little easier than I thought. I mean, obviously not easy because you don't sleep much, but traveling with her on the plane has been fine. And thankfully, my wife and my dad are helping me out with organizing things, talking with sponsors, trainers, etc… So yea they're helping me kind of piece this new world together, especially as I'm considering going full time.
Have you made any adjustments to your training routine since becoming a dad, and if so, how are you managing the changes?
I think mentally, because obviously I still work full time, doing full time pickleball now with a daughter, it's like you just feel drained. And really, I'm just trying to figure out structure. So I'm actually working with a team. I'm trying to build out people helping me, like my dad, my wife, and others, just to get some structure in my life, like, okay, what is the end of this year, going into 2024, looking like? Because I'm wanting to take pickleball even more seriously than I have been. Maybe even go truly full time and give up my job. I mean, there's options, and having Holyn now is another aspect of that.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for Holyn's involvement in sports, including pickleball? Do you see her following in your athletic footsteps?
Obviously we're a sports family, so she'll be naturally probably involved in something like that. But dance is cool. I don't know. Whatever she wants to do. I'm sure it'll be super fun to watch her do that, whether in music or dance, I don't know. So, yeah. Not going to try to make her play anything.
As pickleball continues to gain popularity, how do you envision the future of the sport, and what role do you hope to play in its growth and development?
Pickleball is such an amazing sport. I love it. Obviously, everyone says it’s all about the culture, the people, which is true. It seems like there’s endless opportunities in Pickleball. So that's why I'm kind of open to anything. And I'm excited to see where 2024 starts to take me if I'm kind of shifting my thinking and going more seriously down that path. So I really don't have any good ideas, but I hope to be a part of it for a long time.
Let's talk about your equipment. What pickleball paddle are you currently using, and what specific features or characteristics do you appreciate most about it? How has your paddle choice evolved over your career?
Yeah, some people know I use the twelve millimeter now, my Thomas Wilson signature. What I like the most about it specifically is the thin profile, because I feel like with dinking or hands, I can more easily put the ball where I want to. Also, too, the grip, which is not a lot of people probably think about the grip, but the shape of the grip of the CRBN paddle feels a lot like a tennis racket. And obviously the power and spin that comes with it are super helpful. I mean, my drives are some of my key shots, so being able to have enough pop and spin to where I'm not hitting the back fence.
One of the main reasons I use CRBN is it’s a smaller company, so it's more nimble. With keeping up with paddle technology, they seem to always be on the forefront. So versus paddle companies that have been around a long time, it takes them sometimes years or it seems like forever to change anything with their paddles. To have the next best thing that no one else has, that's what CRBN does. And it's exciting.
Huge thanks to Thomas for letting us know more about his journey in pickleball and in life.
If this sneak peek into his life got you curious, listen to the full interview!
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