PORTLAND, Ore. — As the popularity of pickleball grows, so does the number of people playing it professionally.
Erik Lange traded in his day job to play pro pickleball. His path to professional sports isn't your typical one.
"I'm in my early 40s. Thankfully, the court is not very big, so I cover it pretty effectively with my long arms. If I pick some young partners, it's not an issue," the West Linn man said.
Lange has played racquet sports for most of his life, but it wasn't until when he reached his 40s that he decided the time was right to change careers.
"I love racquet sports. I've been in them since I was nine years old. This is a way for me to continue my racquet sports career in a way that also pays the bills," he said.
He was a regional sales manager with HEAD Penn Racquet Sports, based in Phoenix.
"I was playing pickleball part-time prior to about three months ago when I decided I wanted to go all in with pickleball both on court and business opportunities," Lange said.
Now he plays on the Carvana Pro Pickleball Association Tour and specializes in men's and mixed doubles, ranking in the Top 20 of men's doubles. This year, the tour has more than two dozen events and $5.5 million in prize money is up for grabs.
Lange works hard to improve his skills. He does all of this with the support of his family.
"My wife has been very supportive. She said, 'Hey, this is your passion and you want to chase your dreams, I'm here to support you.' So I wouldn't have done it without that buy in," he said. "My kids initially were a little skeptical, but I think they see how much enjoyment I'm having."
Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the U.S., according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association.
"I'm going to ride the pickleball train on court as long as I can," Lange said.
There are no pro pickleball association events in Oregon, so there is a lot of travel in involved. The next tournament runs July 12-16 in Denver, Colorado.