OREGON, USA — RECS, a recreational center in Clackamas, hosted two men on Wednesday attempting to achieve a world record by playing 48 pickleball matches in less than 48 days in 48 states.
Dean Matt and Shannon Yeager began their journey on May 1 and hope to break record by the end of the month.
They both made a pitstop in Oregon and had a chance to play with 90-year-old Pickleball Hall of famer Norm Davis.
Matt's first stop was in Mobile, Alabama playing at the Mobile Tennis Center. He plans on ending his tour with a grand finale stop back home in Sarasota, Florida at his local county club with his 93-year-old pickleball buddy he routinely plays with. KGW had a chance to connect with Matt around his journey.
"My wife is out with me on this leg of the trip and I'm doing 48 pickleball matches in 48 states in less than 48 days, we're from Sarasota, Florida. I'm flying myself in my own plane all around the country, and this is the 16th stop on our trip", said the pickleball player.
Matt has been a pilot since high school and picked up playing racquetball too.
"The skills from playing racquetball translate somewhat with pickleball," said Matt. "You just go out to the courts, put your paddle in and have a good time."
Matt has traveled all across the country. Recently him and his wife made the move from Chicago to Florida. He hit the quarter mark of his trip in Nevada.
"I thought we'd be playing golf for the rest of our lives — I heard of pickleball but never quite played it. Now once I've played it we're playing pickleball not golf."
Oregon marks Matt's 16th stop leaving him with 32 more states to hit with 38 days or less with plans to hit Omaha, Nebraska which will bring him to the halfway point.
"Everyone asks me what was your favorite stop so far, I really haven't had a favorite one because they're all different and exciting," said Matt.
He plans to head over to Vancouver, Washington on Thursday which will set him a third of the way. He plans to fly with his wife to Boise, Idaho before parting ways in Salt Lake City, Utah.
"From Scottsdale, Sacramento, Clackamas and Vancouver. I'm only doing one a day. On the east coast, I'll be playing three matches a day working to catch up — hitting the goal of 48 in a total of 26 days, about two a day," said Matt.
Traveling across the country, Matt has met many new faces and formed life long memories and he's set to play a few special opponents such as former Virginia Governor George Allen as well as the former New Hampshire Governor John Lynch.
Towards the end of his journey Matt alone plans to finish off his goal traveling clockwise around the country planning the last leg of his grand finale back home on May 26.
When KGW asked Matt his plans once he arrives back home from his grand tour he had this to say, "I think I'll be ready for a vacation."