Camden Chaffin: How a 15-Year-Old Became the Youngest Signed Male PPA Pro
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Welcome back to This Is Pickleball! Fabian is holding down the fort while Rick recovers from watching his nephew Ben Shelton tear up the US Open. On this episode, we're joined by a true prodigy: Camden Chaffin, the youngest signed male professional player on the PPA Tour. Cam shares his mind-blowing journey from picking up a wooden paddle during the pandemic at age nine to taking down top-ranked legends on the professional court just a few years later.
Cam opens up about the friction of beating grown adults as a 12-year-old, switching to online school to join the PPA Tour exclusively, and his massive singles upset over Federico Staksrud in Minnesota. Plus, he breaks down the mechanics behind his signature two-handed backhand roll dink, offers actionable singles strategy tips for beginner/intermediate players, and discusses his gear switch to Paddletek and Pilla eyewear. Tune in for an inside look at the new generation taking over professional pickleball!
Key Takeaways
Rapid Rise Without Tennis Background: Cam picked up a wooden paddle at age 9 in 2020 with no prior racket sport experience, winning US Open 4.5 gold (19+ division) at age 11 before turning pro at 12.
Overcoming Age Friction: In his early junior years, local tournaments created age limits specifically to prevent him from entering because adult competitors hated losing to a 12-year-old.
Giant-Killing Blueprint: Earned his career-defining PPA singles victory over world top-tier pro Federico Staksrud in Minnesota, utilizing high-level court geometry and patience learned from watching Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters.
Pro Gear Upgrades: Transitioned paddle sponsorship from Pickle to Paddletek (playing with the Honeycomb Foam/prototype series) and advocates heavily for protective eyewear like Pilla to eliminate light glares and prevent direct eye impacts.
Singles Tactical Advice: When approaching the kitchen in singles, play heavy through the deep middle to reduce passing angles, only attacking wide angles when you have explicitly pulled your opponent off-balance.
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 – Intro & Rick Witsken's Absence (US Open Ben Shelton Recap)
00:16 – Welcoming Youngest Signed PPA Pro Camden Chaffin
00:29 – Watching Ben Shelton vs. Carlos Alcaraz
01:11 – Cam's Pandemic Origins: Wooden Paddles to Permanent Courts
02:01 – Transitioning from Travel Baseball to Full-Time Pickleball
03:07 – Winning Gold at the US Open (4.5 Division) at Age 11
04:06 – Developing a Two-Handed Backhand Without Racket Sport Experience
05:43 – Switching to Online School & Taking Pickleball Pro
07:22 – Winning First APP Pro Match at 12 Years Old
08:35 – Local Tournaments Created Age Limits to Stop Him
10:06 – Getting the Call: Signing Exclusively with the PPA Tour
11:41 – The Youth Wave: PPA Juniors & The Next Generation
13:10 – Modeling His Game After Ben Johns, Anna Leigh Waters & Chris Haworth
14:24 – How the Younger Generation is Changing the Pro Pace
15:16 – Partnering with Chris Haworth & Brooke Buckner
17:35 – Massive Singles Upset: Beating Federico Staksrud in Minnesota
18:50 – Hardest Matches: Facing JW Johnson, Hunter Johnson & Chris Haworth
20:42 – Surviving 112-Degree Heat at PPA North Carolina
22:24 – Rookie MLP Season with the Phoenix Flames
26:34 – Favorite Venues: Disney, NYC & Beer City Open
28:09 – Partnering with CJ Klinger (The All-Ohio Team)
28:46 – Gear & Eye Protection: Why Cam Wears Pilla Eyewear
30:44 – Masterclass: Executing the Two-Handed Backhand Roll Dink
32:12 – Pro Singles Strategy: Approaching Through the Middle
32:52 – Pre-Game Playlist & Meal Prep (Drake, Olive Garden & Chipotle)
35:05 – Switching to Paddletek Gear & Discount Codes