Blazing Paddles - A Pickleball Podcast

Rockin' Out with The Pride of Piqua

• John & Karen Whitaker / Alex Smith • Season 1 • Episode 7

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When Alex Smith swapped his baseball mitt for a pickleball paddle, little did we know that the very same competitive fire that drove him on the diamond would ignite our local courts. With tales as rich as his craftsmanship, Alex’s journey from the dream of professional baseball to the business and sport arenas of Texas is nothing short of inspiring. Our latest conversation weaves through his life story, highlighting an impressive leap from college athletics to the front office of the Texas Rangers, and how those experiences have shaped his approach to pickleball and business with the same strategic finesse as a perfectly executed backhand.

We wrap up our session with heartfelt anecdotes and a nod to the entrepreneurial spirit that thrives within our ranks. From real estate ventures to the handcrafted rocking chairs that have become a staple at the Texas Rangers' stadium, it's clear that our passions extend far beyond the pickleball court. Alex's thoughtful gestures, like the handwritten note that lifted my spirits, underscore the camaraderie that's become the hallmark of our group. Join us as we celebrate the triumphs, tackle the challenges, and support each other's dreams—both in business and in the game we love.
#Rockerman
@southlakepaddleclub
@dink.pro
@rangers

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Speaker 1:

But you were the captain and you took a chance on me and you put me third. I try. Do you regret that decision? The hindsight probably probably should have known that I was going. Maybe Bobby should have been third.

Speaker 3:

I think, Bobby should have been third. Karen, you're a great. I've seen your game and played with you many times and against you, so I put you in the right spot.

Speaker 2:

Welcome back everybody. Season one, episode seven. Today we are talking to our buddy, alex Smith. If you've played against Alex, you know he's probably the most competitive guy in the club and also one of the nicest to rare combo. But we're going to peel back a few layers of the onion. Former Bro Ball player, one of the better players, and he's also a craftsman. We learned how he becomes the rocker man of Texas. We share a few stories and, as you heard there, karen had a great one from the time they played together in the tournament and let's just say that Elaine's dancing style came to play on the pickleball court. So hang with us, saddle up. You'll be glad you did so. Alex, who's your daddy was the rough title of this. That was the work he titled because of your, your Hoosierdom. Are you an Indiana native? I'm from Ohio, went to school. Oh, you are. Okay, I knew that you, uh, you played ball for Indiana, right?

Speaker 3:

You know everything about me now, don't you? Oh man, I've gone deep. Tim Wright has gone. Tim Wright has gone deep on me.

Speaker 2:

Oh has he.

Speaker 3:

He has. I don't talk about that much, but Tim knows more about me than I know about myself. I think about my past. Uh, oh Well. What part of Ohio, uh small town uh called Pickwa Ohio.

Speaker 2:

Pickwa, ohio. You know Karen's from a small town called Randolph, ohio, you know I knew she was in Ohio and I never heard of Randolph. But I may have her be.

Speaker 3:

We had about 20,000 people.

Speaker 1:

Oh, we had less than that.

Speaker 3:

Okay, they had one stoplight.

Speaker 1:

We had one stoplight. We had no, um, no, uh, uh. What do you call them?

Speaker 2:

McDonald's.

Speaker 1:

Grocery store. You had like a 7-Eleven was our. We had to go two towns over to Roots Town, to the Pigley-Wigley.

Speaker 3:

You got me beat Karen.

Speaker 1:

I got you beat, yeah I mean I had corn fields all around my house. Try watching children of the corn and see how that feels.

Speaker 3:

But I remember that, geez, I uh great place to grow up. I'm never leaving Texas.

Speaker 2:

Amen, amen yeah.

Speaker 1:

As soon as I got here, it was like this is home.

Speaker 2:

And how long have you been in Texas now?

Speaker 3:

You know, we had two stints actually. We moved back to Ohio for a job for me, which we went home and we cried when we left and then, uh, we were there for three years, so we were here before that I think six. We stayed almost three years in Ohio and then came back. We've been here 12, 13 now, so maybe a total of 18, 19, something like that. In total. Our boys are Texans native they let us know and they were born and raised in Texas?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, as are ours. They're. They're both born right here in crazy Fort Worth. So the the boys are proud of Texas and their grandads of Texan Me and me and Karen are from different areas, but their grandads of Texan as well. So when I was looking at uh, you know Paul Mamoser, our buddy Paul, who's another Hoosier, please, right.

Speaker 3:

He knows everything about me. All right, well, he makes it his business.

Speaker 2:

He's a he's a clever guy. He told me that you were a hell of a ball player at Indiana and I was a baseball guy on myself. I never reached quite the D one level, but you, uh, you went from there. You actually kicked around the farm system for the Rangers. I didn't know that.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, you know I don't talk about it much, but, uh, that was my dream growing up was playing the big leagues. And uh, I was an overachiever still am. I had a little talent. And then I got a scholarship to a couple of schools two or three and uh ended up going to Indiana and I played four years there and really had a lot of success. My last two years I was a starter, all four years, and then I got drafted in the fourth round by the Rangers by senior year fifth round, I'm sorry, my senior year and then, uh, I played four and a half seasons in the minor leagues with the Rangers and finished up a triple A. I called it quits. And then I had a job. Uh offered to go to the front office. I went to be a GM and that's what brought us to Texas. I worked at the stadium for five years and I ran the minor league. So I was in the minor leagues for four and a half years and then I spent five years in the front office.

Speaker 1:

Okay, so wait a minute.

Speaker 2:

That's a dream for me, I know, I know I was just salivating Um.

Speaker 1:

Okay, so what position? Or is that the right thing?

Speaker 2:

to say, yeah, I would have guessed third base, but I think I looked it up.

Speaker 3:

Well, it's the third base because I put on a little weight since then, but a little thicker. So I was a shortstop in college and then never saw a shortstop again. When I got to the minor leagues I played second base.

Speaker 2:

What's the talent leap when you go from D1 to even like single A, double A. What's that leap like?

Speaker 3:

You know it. Uh, the the talent is more consistent for sure, especially as you go up. The real talent is in double A, the young prospects. And that was my favorite year. That was a Tulsa, but it's it's not so much. You adjust to the talent. Um, it's the plane 132 games every day. It's your job on the bus. That's the part you have to handle. It's a grind, it's a long season, but I mean it's the best time of my life. Right, you're chasing a dream.

Speaker 2:

Yeah Well, were you a single guy then still.

Speaker 3:

You know, I was my wife, went on to get her masters and then, uh, she came, we got married my double A year, and then she came with me when I was in triple A.

Speaker 2:

So uh, would have been what? Okay, see, it would have been okay.

Speaker 3:

See, very good yeah. Tulsa in Oklahoma city.

Speaker 2:

Lifetime suffering rangers fan. So I know all about well, except for this year. It all came together this year Finally it did.

Speaker 3:

You know, I spent 10 years with them, 10 great years, and I'm still a huge fan. I'm still a huge fan of the game, especially the prospects.

Speaker 2:

Well now, so I know enough about you. Am I talking too much here?

Speaker 1:

Yes, okay.

Speaker 2:

I can't get a word into it. We're kind of growing out Because it's baseball, we're baseball.

Speaker 1:

So he's like now I'll get the rest of it on pickleball. So you keep talking, maybe.

Speaker 2:

Okay, Well, I was just going to say one thing I've always noticed about you from day one, when I think the first time we met might have been that first, what was the tournament? The MLP, or the first tournament we have when it was cold. It was on the Bison Tenno courts. Was that MLP?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, oh, that was kind of a club. Thing. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2:

And I just remember going that dude is the most competitive guy I've ever seen and that's no lie. And that's no lie, man, you are just uber competitive guy. That's probably part of that. You said you're overachiever, but you're out there, you give 110 all the time and you're very vocal to cracks me up.

Speaker 3:

But you know, I was telling somebody the other night I need that competition, high level of competition in my life, and I found it through pickleball. It was running before, but I need that competition. It's just, you know, it's who I am and I hope I don't come across as that guy I try to be, you know, inspire and help other players, but boy, I can be pretty competitive with myself for sure, especially when I'm on the court. But I need it, I have to have it. Sounds like somebody. Sounds like somebody I know.

Speaker 1:

You haven't seen my best, Alex. I gave you my worst and we'll get to that. But so how in the world did you find pickleball? A ranger baseball player turned a pickler? I mean, what tells your story to your journey, to this pickleball craze?

Speaker 3:

Yeah. So I was never a tennis guy, I was a big racquetball guy and in the off season I love to play racquetball because it's one on one. And and then, you know, joe Coniglio actually introduced me to it. Our sons are both at the University of Alabama and they were roommates. They're freshmen and sophomore year.

Speaker 3:

So I got to know Joe and we started talking about pickleball and had no idea about the South Lake club. And Joe said hey, you want to come out and play? And that was just singles. That's all I knew for almost a year and a half. Wow, joe and I Joe and I would go out and play singles at Timberlake I think it was Timberlake in the middle of the summer for an hour and a half and we would just go at it so hard I think we both would just fall over when we were finished. And that's all I knew. And one day he said do you want to play doubles? No, I said, hey, joe, why you're not available? That you know as much as you used to be. He goes well, I play a lot of doubles. I didn't know there was a club, right.

Speaker 1:

You got started Joe.

Speaker 3:

He didn't tell me about it, Right? So anyhow, I learned about the club through Joe and that was a couple of years ago, I think a couple of summers ago and then I started playing doubles and just, I still love singles Because I love the workout and the competition, but I've just come to love doubles and, like you all, I play far too often. It's become a little bit of a problem.

Speaker 2:

Well now I'm wondering how you do that, because right now anyway, your wife doesn't play, does she? I think you told us.

Speaker 3:

She came out to the club one time she does not, she had a, she got a one on one.

Speaker 2:

a little taste of Koshy. Is that what happened?

Speaker 3:

I can't believe. You said that I wasn't going to bring it up, but you know there's a lot of people, derek Bennett, like there were some when she gets to a certain level of intensity.

Speaker 1:

And you know, some of the formats just aren't for everybody. You know what I mean.

Speaker 3:

You know she's been with me a long time and I've been 28 beautiful years, but she's a tennis player. She was a soccer player in college, so a great athlete, and I kept telling her hey, come on out, cause I see you all right. Great day night and I see other couples and I'm like let's go out and play. In one of the events I took her to a 3.5 for the first time and we're like complete opposites. I'm over the top competitive. She is, but just a little more reserved and she did not enjoy it. It was. It just turned out to be an awful night. You know you can get into those mixed doubles, it is what it is, and you got two players and I think every ball went to her.

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah.

Speaker 3:

And then the overhands coming at her. She was not happy.

Speaker 2:

You know, guys, there's not much that's wrong with pickleball, but there are a few things that can be annoying, one of which is having balls that crack and if you've been out there lately, the temperature is dropping, balls are cracking they're. Also if you play indoors, or if you're playing when the visibility is not great, that ball gets lost pretty easily in your eyesight, and we know that people are going to get harder and harder, so you'd like something a little bit higher visibility. So we are here to announce our partnership with Crown Pickleball. In our show notes you'll have a link where you get a discount for your first set of Crown Pickleballs. I can tell you that they don't crack, they are. They beat the price point of the competitors and they beat the quality of the competitors. So you get some crunch, gets cold, gets you some crowns.

Speaker 3:

But I want to get her back out there.

Speaker 1:

No, no, no. We want to get out there with you guys. Oh, we're going to do that, yeah, and get her like body bagging her. Stop it.

Speaker 2:

No, you're not, Bring back some flashbacks. You totally can.

Speaker 1:

So funny story is like when we first started playing and I don't know, do you remember when I saw on your profile that you joined the club in okay so, august of 22. Does that sound right?

Speaker 3:

That sounds about right, it does.

Speaker 1:

Okay, okay, so, yeah, so you weren't so early on. Well, let me go back. So you, joe, is the one who brought you, and, but do you know Paul Mamoser before then, or any of those guys like Sean Cocher, or any of those guys before?

Speaker 3:

I didn't know anyone. Was it the club?

Speaker 1:

Okay, okay, wow.

Speaker 3:

So many people with the club, including you all. The only person I knew was Joe.

Speaker 1:

Okay, okay.

Speaker 2:

Well, we used to see Joe and Tim. That's how we kind of got to know them. They would be up there playing singles when we were going up there to play doubles with friends and stuff. We would see them up there all the time.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, this is when COVID so the you know, no one was out there. We had the courts all to ourselves.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, that goes back almost already four years yeah.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and then you had, like, sean Cocher had his crew, right, that's the Mamoser, the who else? Robert Kent, jerry Benavidez, randy King, all these guys right, they're all out there playing Dino. Well, the friends that we started playing with their kids prevented them from playing a lot more once things got back to normal.

Speaker 1:

Because they're a little, because they're young, and so we didn't have anyone to play with and I was like John, if we're going to get good, we have to go play with those guys. And so it was all these guys and me out there getting pommeled at. Like I told them, I said, don't hold back from hitting the ball at me, because it's the only way I'm going to get better. And so that's how I started. But I don't have the tennis background. So I think your wife has a huge advantage there with tennis. But it translates really well. But there's some things you have to unlearn from tennis that of course, you want to get to that next level you know, but the bottom line is pickleball is fun and it should be fun, no matter, and I hate that.

Speaker 1:

that was her early introduction.

Speaker 3:

That's okay, she's tough and the four of us will get out there. I just picked the wrong format for a date. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2:

Lesson learned Now? Have you played in any real tournaments?

Speaker 3:

You know, John, the only one I played in was the Texas Open last year.

Speaker 2:

You did Okay, so do you enjoy the tournament you?

Speaker 3:

know I did right. I loved going back to competition. I loved the competition and I played in singles singles only, actually and I think I won two matches or something and I played a guy and I got beat. But I haven't played since. I don't know if it's and I'll play another one. It just takes so much time. Oh, it does, it does, it does. I think I've played it at the weekend and but I love the format and, again, I just love the competitive. You know the competition, the way that stuff set up. I'll do it again. I look occasionally but I enjoy what I'm doing now. Like I said, I play a lot and I get what I want out of it the social side of it, the exercise, the competitive side. I mean tournaments maybe, but it's. I'm not dying to play more tournaments All right, what's racket ball?

Speaker 3:

Is that the one where you're in a room? It's a little good side.

Speaker 1:

It's a little ball and it bounces everywhere. Yeah, okay.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, yeah, I used to be a freak on racket ball. That was back many years. That was kind of my off season training because it would keep you loose and flexible and quick and agile and hand-dying coordination. So I haven't played that in many years but I used. That was my only racket sport other than ping pong, but yeah.

Speaker 1:

Well, that translates really well too, and that for everyone? Yes, and for those that are listening, I told the story about you. Was it to Larissa? About us? We don't need to talk about it. Yes, I mean, this is the Alex that I was talking about. Who partner didn't show up or was?

Speaker 2:

running late to one of our events.

Speaker 1:

And so you're like I'm going to take you guys on by myself and I'm like no way, we'll just wait. And he's like no, and I'm thinking, okay, we have a. You know we got a shot. I mean, alex is good, but can you beat two people? You nail that. Perfect, yes, alright story. Nothing else to say. What's that G? Do you remember what the score was?

Speaker 3:

You know, I listened to that podcast. You reminded me of the score. I didn't know you were, I think it was 11-1. No, it wasn't.

Speaker 2:

I think it was. I swear, no, it wasn't, it was 11-9. No, it was not. Yeah, it was.

Speaker 1:

Alex, you whipped our butts.

Speaker 3:

I think it was more towards Karen's score.

Speaker 1:

Yes, it was John's like. I mean, I'm good either way.

Speaker 3:

But you know it was funny about that night One. It's funny that you said it's the worst loss ever. But I mean, everyone shows up. We have four courts. My partner, linda Hades, was sick or something and I'm not going to hold everybody up. I'm not going to be that guy. So I was a singles guy. I'm like let's do it so. And it was summer and I think I played three matches and I was like ready to fall over literally. And then she showed up.

Speaker 1:

Well, if we would have been your third match, I think I would have done a little better. Maybe, it takes us a little while to warm up. John and I are notorious for the longest matches ever because we fight so hard. But you know it takes, and I get to play a lot more than he does, so it takes a little bit for us to get in sync sometimes.

Speaker 3:

Karen, all I remember about that is it was hot and you were not happy at all.

Speaker 1:

Not at all. I didn't play professional anything, but for whatever reason this thing is like, I am bound in a German to overcome what I, you know what I lack You're lack of coordination.

Speaker 3:

I have a huge coordination, alex, you guys are great players and it's so awesome that you play together and so many matches and we love playing against you. I love playing against you. You become my friend in the club and so nice to have me on your podcast. I hope there's something in this time we spend together that's interesting for somebody, but you both are great players. Karen, you're a little spark plug, that's one way to put it.

Speaker 2:

A spider monkey might be another way to put it. That's a good place. I've got a couple nicknames.

Speaker 1:

They call me the ladies, call me Little Monster. That's my favorite.

Speaker 2:

I've been called.

Speaker 1:

The Wall I've been called. Oh, alisson Gray calls me Duck Duck, duck, duck, because you know, when you go to a shooting gallery and that duck that runs all the way around like crazy, you try to shoot it and you can't shoot it and it's just running up. She calls me that. Yeah, so I've had quite a few. A spider monkey. That was from Nicole Nielsen.

Speaker 3:

I think they all fit. They all fit, but you're a great player.

Speaker 1:

Thank you, I'm working on it. It's taken a long time Just because I've had to layer. I didn't have any of that muscle memory. I grew up I'm one of five kids, irish Catholic. My mom was pregnant nine times in nine years. That's just how it was right. My dad wanted boys and he ended up with four girls. He had all this equipment that was like baseball. We had a large backyard. We'd set up the baseball and then we'd play basketball. We had basketball court and we had what's that ball that's on a string that goes around.

Speaker 2:

Tetherball yeah.

Speaker 1:

So I was the girl in Catholic school who wore shorts underneath my skirt. So when recess came off, went the skirt and I was playing football with the boys. So that's you know.

Speaker 3:

I can see that.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I was a little turned pickleballer and just trying to. I really want to get to that 4-0 level and it's going to take me a lot longer, I think, just because I don't have that. You know that anything, no racket sport to pull from Heck. I mean, I played ping pong maybe with you and the boys.

Speaker 2:

That didn't go well. So I mean, but I wanted. So how much do you think you're playing now, like on a weekly basis?

Speaker 3:

You know it's crazy. So when it's cold we have a foursome. Oh, I'll answer your question directly. Probably four times Okay.

Speaker 1:

Four times a week. A week, three times a week.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, and a lot of it right now is chicken and pickle, and there's four of us Tim, joe, myself and Derek, sometimes John Connor, but like we're tomorrow, sunday three hours, sunday two hours, tomorrow two times earlier, but it is so fun and I mean, from a fitness standpoint, we go out at it's a pretty good level. We're not pros, right, we're not pros, but it's a pretty good level.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, that's a.

Speaker 3:

And when you're done, it's just you want to keep going. We all have that right. So, john, I've played a lot played last night, in the Thursday night with the club and with Derek, and three or four times a week.

Speaker 1:

How'd you do on Thursday?

Speaker 3:

We did okay. We did okay. We let a couple get away from us. I think we were three and two. We had two close games, but we had fun. Yeah yeah, I got to remind myself it's not life or death, it's good sportsmanship, the social aspect, and I've really learned to control that. That's not all about winning, and we had a great time. We played well too.

Speaker 1:

We just didn't win. Is winning fun. Of course, that's what I told John.

Speaker 2:

I tell her let's have fun, and she goes no, winning is fun.

Speaker 3:

It is fun, but knowing who I am, I mean I burn up inside a little bit. But I've done a lot better, a lot better.

Speaker 2:

Well, there's nothing wrong with that competitive thing. The cool thing about the sport too. I know we're in our 50s and there's not a whole hell of a lot of sports at our age that we can really get into at a highly competitive level. You're right. You know this has been like a whole new venture later in our life that we get to learn and be competitive at, and I know as an athlete that's really kind of cool. That really motivates me to keep playing because you just have that competitive nature. But we can play this for another 30 years, 40.

Speaker 3:

It's the takeoff right. We can, and I was just telling Tim we all had something when we were a little younger, whether it's tennis, soccer, baseball, golf. I need this in my life. I mean that sounds a little dramatic. The social aspect all the people I've met and friends with the club really good friends, the people I play with, and just the competitive outlet to go out and sweat and go at it, Regardless who wins. I mean we need it right, it keeps us young.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, you're right.

Speaker 2:

A body in motion stays in motion. That's you know, you see. Well, now you see, the kids are getting into it, which is really cool. I mean, the growth of the sport goes in all demographics, but especially, I think, for people who have competed at different sports throughout their life and looking for something else and you know I used to golf and five hours, taking five and a half hours, leave the wife and the kids and spend 120 bucks to be pissed off half the day.

Speaker 3:

Shoot a 95. Right and do that.

Speaker 2:

It's like, wow, I just paid a dollar a stroke. So you know I love it.

Speaker 3:

We were talking the other night Tim and I were when we were like, is something wrong with us? We were playing so much at that chicken and pickle because of the weather and it's $20 to play for two hours, which I don't think you can do anything for $20.

Speaker 1:

And then, when are you guys going?

Speaker 3:

Pardon me.

Speaker 1:

How is it only 20?

Speaker 2:

Probably because of the weekdays.

Speaker 1:

Oh, because you're buying your. Oh, because you're only paying yourself. Okay, because I was like we're playing on the weekends. It's a hundred bucks.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, yeah. So we played the other night from eight, nine to 11, eight to 10, you know, but we were talking, we don't have any more, we don't have the country clubs, and it's 20 bucks a couple of weeks a week. Who cares?

Speaker 1:

Right yeah.

Speaker 3:

Anyhow.

Speaker 1:

Well, so tell me you were a singles player. Then you go to mixed. What makes you such a good singles player? How about that?

Speaker 3:

You know, even though I'm a little older here now we're in our 50s I think I still have a little quickness in me, a little bit. That allowed me to get to some balls, and I think it's just the hustle.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 3:

When the hustle is a big part of it, karen, and you know I've just gotten better. I'm not great by any means, but some of the shots you need in singles I'm more consistent with Right and I've just gotten better over time. Joe used to whip me. I couldn't beat him. I'm like you're unbeatable. We'd start splitting and then some days I'd get him four games to three or he'd get me five to two. And I've just gotten better. And I think the hustle piece too, karen.

Speaker 1:

Well, okay, so in singles, because I know nothing about it and I actually Sure you do, because we played.

Speaker 1:

No, sir, we're going to talk about that. I was at. I was playing in the women's mixer two weeks ago at Chicken and Pickle and there's this lady and, darn it, I keep forgetting her name, but she's really good and everyone was talking when she was there. They were like when she gets to the top court because it was one of those, if you win, you move up, you know thing and they're like when she gets to the top court, she's going to stay there and so this is the worst. This happened to me twice now. So I finally get up to the top court and I play with her. So technically I should be the, because I was on, I had to start at the bottom. I'd work my way up. I got up there and technically we should have went one because we were the stronger players and we lost together. So we went down a court, then I opposed her and I beat her.

Speaker 3:

In singles.

Speaker 1:

No, no, no, this was in doubles, but then. So then we were waiting for another court to open up, right. So she's, she's like I go, you want to put it. And she's like, yeah, so we started playing singles, alex, I got one point out of maybe 20. I mean it was, she was so good and I'm like I can't, there's nothing I could do. I just don't even. I don't understand the strategy of it. So maybe give us a little bit of what. What's the strategy in singles?

Speaker 3:

You know it's it's. You want to keep the ball deep? Certainly, and anything mid court deep to their backhand on a return allows you to get to the net and the ball has further to travel to the net and you can react Anything mid court if you're returning or you hit a ball mid court, just like doubles right.

Speaker 3:

It's fair game to have a passing shot or or down the line. So it's all about the placement in singles, cause if you're caught in no man's land, a good player can hit a pass if you will, or a winner pretty easily. So it's positioning of of your shots, especially in singles, I think, more so than doubles, actually, totally.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and the other thing would happen is she'd hit the ball. I think it's the speed of the ball too, not just deep, but how, because she had a lot of time to think and react to my ball. I didn't have a lot of time to think and react to her ball. I go, I go one way, cause I'm thinking she's definitely going that way and she'd see my legs, and at the last minute switch it to the other side, cause my momentum's going this way and the wall's going Exactly.

Speaker 1:

How in the heck do you do that? Cause she, it came so fast and I'm fast, you know I'm, that's why they call me those names. I can get to you, you are fast, but I could not get. I mean, I'd be going one way, she'd go the other way and you know she could read my ball from the minute it left my paddle.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, you know, you have to know you've got to get to the volley line. You got to get to the net in singles. But it's all about that, the placement of the shot that's going to get you to the net or to the volley line, because if it's mid court and you're trying to go to the front, it's you, they're going to hit a pass.

Speaker 2:

Right, right.

Speaker 3:

So you got to. I think you got to think a little more quickly in singles than doubles, Plus you have a partner. Yeah, I mean, you're on your own and I kind of like that too.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, john says he went. He thinks he wants to take up singles.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I want to try singles. Let's do it Well, not with you. Sure Of course we can do it Really. Yeah, that'd probably be good for me. I'd learn from the ground up. Hey, I got three points today. Karen says I come home, well, happy for myself.

Speaker 3:

But you know I started again. I'm no pro, but I started the same way. I had no idea what I was doing and then watching and playing really good people. I played so many games, so many singles games with Bruce and Joe. Yeah, those singles guys. Bruce and I went at it. We used to keep it 16 to 13,. You know meaning he's 116. We'd keep a tally. We play so much and you get better over time. I'd love to go out and play with you, john.

Speaker 2:

That'd be great. Shout out to our buddy Bruce too.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, shout out to Bruce Love you, man, did you? Yeah, how's he doing. Yeah, how's he doing.

Speaker 3:

He's doing great. He's tired and taking. You know we were talking just about the community coming out and showing him all the love and he's one of my dear friends in the club. Like everybody, everybody loves Bruce and he just needed some rest. It's going to take him a while, maybe to mid-June. Yeah, we're going to help him move out of his apartment a few of us on Sunday or his house. Yeah, you know just the love from the community on the meals and you know, that's what makes it special.

Speaker 1:

And Bruce, I'm sorry about my salmon but I hope you love the carnitas.

Speaker 2:

My salmon was awful.

Speaker 1:

It's so bad. I made it so good and then, for whatever reason, I forgot that I had put I was going. Anyway, there's a mess. The carnitas are amazing, so hopefully you love those.

Speaker 3:

I asked him. When I got him on the phone. I just quickly said hey, bruce, are you five, six and 240 pounds? Yet, yeah, right, with all the meals he says on the food train, he's on the food train so is.

Speaker 2:

I know that you're you're a passionate guy about when you're out on the court and I remember the first time I learned that you I had no idea what you did for a living. And to find out that you she bought this company. You know the Rockerman company and that you're, that was obviously a passion project too, because you went from loving it to visiting it to learning it, to buying it. What was the genesis of that whole thing? Because that's really cool I'd like to give your I'm lucky to give your company a little little shy near Rockerman.

Speaker 3:

Well, hey, well, thank you. You know it's called Rockerman of Texas and just, you know, I was corporate America for forever and had a great career and and I retired from corporate America at 50. But, along the way, I'm really a real estate guy, you know. You may not know, I'm just sharing a little bit of my background on the side. Every time I get a bonus or whatever I'd say if I buy another property, you know. And then you keep trading up. You know self storage facilities I got into that probably 1012 years ago and I still have them and commercial properties, duplexes, and so I'm really a real estate guy. Oh my gosh.

Speaker 2:

That's the dog.

Speaker 1:

That's the dog, I'll fix it.

Speaker 3:

But, but I owned John to answer your question, and it ties into real estate. I used to take my boys out to a place in Glenrose called Rough Creek Resort and Lodge. Don't know if you ever heard of it.

Speaker 2:

Yep, absolutely.

Speaker 3:

I've been there. It's beautiful, it's great, and we used to go out there and then we used to have corporate meetings. Long story short is what a beautiful place I used to love after a long day getting a little bourbon and and going out. Each room had a deck, a little porch, and they had these rocking chairs on every in every room On the balcony, and I'd sit out there and look at the sky, the Texas stars, and be like these chairs are awesome, yeah. So flash forward, I don't know Three, four years, I was fishing in South Lake and at the time I owned kind of a big RV park out in Wetherford and I was fishing and I saw those chairs again.

Speaker 3:

I looked on the back and said Rockerman, and it was in Crescent, texas, which is close to Wetherford. And I called them and it was mom and pop, melanie and junior, and I said, hey, I need some picnic tables, I love your chairs. So he built me 10 picnic tables, delivered them, and I told him, hey, I just really love those rocking chairs. And I always had a thing. I don't know where it comes from, maybe shop class, or because everything I owned it, what I didn't have a product, I never owned anything with a product.

Speaker 1:

Never made anything but when he saw those tables.

Speaker 3:

I told him I love the chairs. He said hey, well, we're getting ready to retire, do you want to buy them? I'm like I know I've got too much on my plate. That's the last thing I need. And then I ordered a few more and he brought the tables, the other five, and he said hey, you should take a look at buying it. You sure you don't want to do that? I said no, but anyhow, I started thinking they didn't have a website, they just delivered a DFW like you.

Speaker 3:

All right with what you're doing. I said great product, no website, no marketing. I like that, I can learn it. And then I said, hey, send me your books. And I made them. I wrote a little offer, loi, and I did a buy in it and then I'd go there after my corporate job on the weekend at night to learn how to build them, wow.

Speaker 3:

And then built the website, figured out how to ship outside of Texas, I built a barn which is my shop at my RV park in Wetherford, which was the home of Rockerman of Texas, and I mean more orders than we wanted, with no marketing. And we opened up all the other markets and it's you know, they're just special and they're labor of love. I'm not there. I used to be there all the time and every weekend. Now I don't because I have a corporate job again. I've got guys that have been with me 10, 12 years. They kind of run it. I'm with them, just not every day and it's just been. It's been a lot of work, but I love doing it when I'm in that shop by myself making those with the salt, going the dust and country music, playing my dog there.

Speaker 1:

I'm having a better than that, yeah, and my in.

Speaker 3:

The customers love them. I think I will always have it. That's cool and, yeah, it's grown into something that it's as big as I want it to be. It's as big as I want it to be, but thanks for asking about it.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I mean, it's really cool Rockerman, rockerman of Texas, right, and it's more than just rockers. Now he do, you do swings, I think, and tables and some other stuff as well.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, swings, rocking chairs, rocking benches, stationary chairs, dining tables, dining chairs. We do fewer of those side tables, coffee tables. You know, what's really cool is, if you Google Texas Rangers rocking chairs, it's kind of a little cult following. I've got 30 of them at the Global I field.

Speaker 1:

Oh really.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, and it was during COVID. One of the owners had one and when they were building it they're like, hey, we need these rocking chairs Anyhow. It's right outside the Carbock bar and lounge in left field and they're the best seats in the house. They're the most popular seats Now. They used to get them out for free. Now they have seats on them. You can buy the rockers at the game through Stubhub, and when I go out to the ballpark I go out there and talk to the fans sitting there and said how do you like them?

Speaker 3:

I built those.

Speaker 1:

Those are amazing. I'm looking at the pictures.

Speaker 2:

Oh, that's a way to watch a ballgame right there.

Speaker 3:

It is. And the cool thing pardon me, the cool thing is is for the last four years I am on the stadium tour, so when you go through the clubhouse they finish it, the rocking chairs so they can rest and they talk about my background, the history, of the chairs where you can buy them, and they didn't know that I was associated with the Rangers until after they were delivered. I didn't mention it to anybody.

Speaker 1:

Wow.

Speaker 3:

I'm really proud of that because you know, I guess I made it to the big leagues, john.

Speaker 2:

You finally got there Just in a different way than you imagined.

Speaker 3:

No, ah, yeah, anyhow that was probably too long for you and your listeners, but that's a story, no.

Speaker 2:

Because I bet I would be shocked if more than maybe a dozen people even know about it. In a club there's so many layers to people. That's part of what Karen wanted to do at Commender, because we do, we try to talk to some people who are maybe in the pickleball world. But we wanted to. She initiated us, we wanted to talk, get a little bit deeper with some of our friends in the club, because we do. We have 1500 plus members or something and there's some that are everybody kind of knows. But then you start peeling layers back and you realize, man, I had no idea. I mean Larissa, you know a gymnast and a rugby player and all kinds of. She was a coach and I mean who the hell knows what these people do when they're not on the court? I think it's fantastic.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's just like. That's why, Alex, like you know, you said you hope somebody got something out of this. It's just the pickleball builds community. It's created these friendships. Now let's go a little deeper and really get to know who someone is off the court, and I think that there's a lot that we can learn from each other's lives and backgrounds, and that that's. The exciting thing about pickleball is that we have friends from all different walks, backgrounds, ages, ethnicities that we would never have had if it wasn't for this wonderful sport.

Speaker 3:

So you know, karen, I agree, and the competition in playing is a blast, but the community and social side is what I've really enjoyed because you know, when your parents and your kids are growing up, you're going to every sporting event, right, and those are your friends. And then they go off to college. You look around and say, well, we don't have, we have some friends, but where'd they all go? It was all associated with their sports, absolutely Right. And pickleball, when you get, it's a great game for all ages. But certainly when the kids have left the home where we're at, it's an opportunity to meet so many new friends that you had when your kids were growing up that might have, you know, at some distance now, chance to meet so many new people and that's what I honestly truly love about it.

Speaker 2:

Your boys play.

Speaker 3:

You know they do. My oldest played tennis at Carroll for years.

Speaker 1:

Okay.

Speaker 3:

Oh, wow, all right, he's kind of a banger. He doesn't understand the soft game. That's all right we all start there. Yeah, yeah, for sure. My oldest, our oldest, is in Indianapolis post TCU and we all played three or four times over the holidays together.

Speaker 2:

Oh, that's the best, isn't it? You get a chance to play as a family.

Speaker 3:

It's the best, yeah, we went to.

Speaker 1:

We took the boys to Lake Tahoe this summer and one of our favorite places to go, and this year we added pickleball and it was so much fun. Yes, and where else did we do go when we played with them?

Speaker 2:

With them, Austin down at.

Speaker 1:

Dreamland. Oh yeah, we took them to Dreamland.

Speaker 2:

And have you been down there? The Austin facility that's seen down there.

Speaker 3:

I have not.

Speaker 2:

Boy, the Dreamland facility. It's in Dripping Springs, austin. So not only can you go down for this unbelievable pickleball, but they've got distilleries bunch of vodka distilleries down there so you can go on tastings and stuff like that. But they had we didn't even realize it at the time. We were watching pros at the court next to us warm up and just to see that next level that close, we're just in awe. But yeah, if you ever get a chance to go down that way, that's a pretty cool thing down there at Dreamland, yeah.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, I love to see it. I'll look it up and I love the Hill Country.

Speaker 1:

Oh, it's beautiful. Oh yeah, and didn't we stay in teepees down there?

Speaker 2:

Or was it teepees? Oh, we went glamping?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, no, it was like a way to go, John.

Speaker 2:

No, that's when we stayed. It was like a half 10 condo.

Speaker 1:

No, we stayed in that a frame, half 10.

Speaker 3:

What are you?

Speaker 1:

Or a year, it wasn't a year it was like more of an a frame tent thing, but it was cool and remember it had like all the Christmas lights and that went in there we had the boys with us.

Speaker 2:

They're not going to stay. You know they're too high tone.

Speaker 1:

They would stay in a freaking jeer Jack Whitaker, shout out to my oldest who. We took them to the Grand Canyon and you know the Grand Canyon, there's like not a ton of hotels and there's actually the Grand Canyon Hotel.

Speaker 2:

Motel.

Speaker 1:

And you, as we're pulling up, Jack goes this is an hotel. Where's the palm trees? This is a motel.

Speaker 3:

This is a motel I'm not staying here on the bottom floor. So all right, Alex, I get it.

Speaker 1:

I ask everyone All right, your favorite pickleball shot.

Speaker 3:

You know, I heard you asked that on a couple episodes and I thought about it. Tell us you know probably one you wouldn't think of because I'm really practicing. It's probably not the best use of it, but I'm learning the deep dink kind of from the baseline. Right Just with a little topspin on it, because it could be so effective when it works, that's my favorite shot when it works.

Speaker 1:

So kind of a ball A deep dink.

Speaker 3:

Yeah a dink is a drop in the kitchen.

Speaker 1:

Drop in kitchen right. That's what dink stands for. Did you know that?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, it means what.

Speaker 1:

Most people think that dinking is like when you're at the kitchen line, but dink the dink stands for drop in kitchen.

Speaker 3:

Oh, is that right?

Speaker 1:

So, no matter where you're at Right so if you're on the baseline and you hit it into the kitchen. That's a dink.

Speaker 3:

It's just a long. That's a tough shot, right?

Speaker 3:

Because if you try, to drive it from back there which we all do and both players are at the baseline. It's happened so many times where it's just an easy especially higher level players. They can cut it, they can touch it and it just goes over the net. You have no chance. So if you can get a reset when you're back on a good return or a deep ball and they're coming to the net and you hit a good at least for me, right, I'm learning a good topspin, dink Right, it allows you to reset the point.

Speaker 2:

That's when we were we talked to these guys. We had guests that were I don't know if you listed it, but we have one these guys from New Jersey, they have a pickleball academy up there and we were asking them what is the biggest differentiator to up your game? And that's basically what they said. They said when you get to a point where you can put it a drop, a dink from anywhere on the court, then you really have an advantage, because then you know how you just said it you get to reset.

Speaker 3:

I think, so too, I think so too, and I'm doing it more and more and becoming more consistent. But when it doesn't work, it's like. But when it does work, it's beautiful. That's my favorite shot, Karen.

Speaker 1:

One thing that I've been learning how what's improved? My dinking is just getting low and I forget I'll start off the game up high. I got you gotta get low on that shot for it and then I hit it more consistent. It's just a much more consistent shot if you're getting low and a lot of people don't. That's that goes with even like thinking at the net right where you're at the kitchen line, and that was what we saw down in dripping springs with the pros is there there.

Speaker 1:

they are so really getting low, and a lot of times and you're too often we're standing up straight trying to hit the ball and wondering why we're not, you know, not executing the way we should.

Speaker 3:

I couldn't agree more.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, do you watch any of the pros? Do you keep up with the pro game at?

Speaker 3:

all you know, I like determined. That was in Texas recently. I had it on. I couldn't name 10 pros, to be honest with you, but if it's on TV I will watch. I watch a lot of videos, certainly. Yeah. Yeah, there's one Shot I can learn like the backhand roll, or I'm working on that. I'll watch videos, but you know I don't no. So if it's on all, I'll certainly spend some time there.

Speaker 1:

Now do you drill?

Speaker 3:

That's a great question. I did in the summer with three or four guys, it was always on.

Speaker 1:

Sunday.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, I like to play, I do too.

Speaker 2:

I do, I don't get out there and you start drilling after about three or about five minutes. You want to just play sure, and so your drill session just turned into an impromptu game.

Speaker 3:

I get it because, yeah, it's a drill. It kind of loses me a little bit, but I'm not an every week drill guy.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I'd rather play. All right, final thing we're going to talk about Sure, one of the coolest things that's ever happened and is I talked to not ever, I mean just about Alex, right and and what. What speaks to you and your character. So I got draft. I was drafted as an alternate for MLP tournament and I picked silently between the board members. I was saying that your team was going to win the overall thing, right, and so after the draft you said that they, I did, I did I said Sandman all the way right.

Speaker 2:

Enter the sandman.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, so we had this little side, like like tax chain between the four of us and where did you say our team?

Speaker 2:

my team would finish.

Speaker 1:

Not where you did. They had a amazing run for the little little team.

Speaker 2:

That was mighty when I asked her how my team would do, she laughed. She said I'm sorry, you guys are just going to get smoked, but anyway I did it's called the finals, right.

Speaker 1:

So I, as an alternate, I was didn't think I'd have any chance in playing.

Speaker 1:

and then on Saturday morning I'm waking up to Tim calling me, saying I'm playing and I'm playing on your team and so you took this little, you know scraggly rat here from the bench and put her on the team and efforts. It was like it was amazing, but I have to tell you what I was going through. I heard you probably let's do on the podcast, but I had the yip so bad I was fighting through it, so my nerve ratio to normal nervous ratio was off the chain like I was.

Speaker 1:

It was the hardest thing and, alex, I'm going to send you a video of what one of my serves looked like, so that you can appreciate the beauty of what I'm telling you about how bad it was. I'm sure you saw me doing, making some weird like.

Speaker 3:

I was there, but I'd love to see it.

Speaker 1:

But did you? Did you? Did you notice this, like when you were playing with me? Like people thought that I was hurt, people thought that I people thought that she had a condition.

Speaker 3:

Hey, karen that the thing I'm not going to interrupt your great story, because it's a great story is that we had that great match before, when it was mixed you and I did, you did and then, when it got into the heat of the battle, I did notice you were nervous, but that's normal. I mean, we're human beings.

Speaker 1:

But your story is wonderful I love you Well, but you were the captain and you took a chance on me and you put me third. Do you regret that decision? Hindsight probably, probably should have known that I was going to think Bobby should have been, karen.

Speaker 3:

You're great. I've seen your game and played with you many times, and against you, so I put you in the right spot.

Speaker 1:

Okay, well, hindsight, it just didn't work out, it's just so. So we obviously lost in a dream breaker and I was the one who is responsible. Well, no, you were just the last one.

Speaker 3:

I was the last one responsible and I think we were off twenty to sixteen or something. Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah, yeah, thanks, alex for that. No, karen, I'm just kidding you. All I had to do was get one stick in point. Yeah, but all I had to do was get one point that's it. That's all I had to do was get one point, and I couldn't do it.

Speaker 1:

But I beat myself up, but you know, what shows up in my mailbox is a note from you and you thanked me for you were so encouraging it was. It was a handwritten note. Nobody does that anymore, and to me that was like all I needed to know about who Alex Smith was because I was world class. I was hurt, real, I mean I was shaking.

Speaker 1:

I was devastated. I all that spark was gone. I was just. I hate letting people down, I hate losing. It was the worst, but to get that just meant so much to me. So there you go. That's what I'm going to end this with, because that's who Alex Smith is and that's who you're, where you know just your leadership, your heart, and we're just proud to call you a friend.

Speaker 3:

Well, great story and I'm so happy to live it with you and and I'm glad the little note is, there's the right thing to do to pick you up and you're a great player and so so awesome to spend some time with you all today and and really appreciate you having me.

Speaker 1:

Oh, it was so good getting to know you and I hope that the rest of the club now knows a little bit more about Alex Smith and why, if they don't know you, they should, and they should go check out Rockerman Texas and and we're going to take you up and get out there in the court.

Speaker 2:

We got to do that.

Speaker 3:

We absolutely will do that. Yes, that will happen.

Speaker 1:

Yes, yes, yes, because I would. We need another couple to play with. We we have a couple that we play with, but we need more regular couples, because if we want to stay together and we do, we don't want to get pickle divorced Then we need to keep practicing together, and there's just not a lot of opportunities when we're available to do that, and so we're trying to just find other couples that we can, you know, learn and play and grow with.

Speaker 3:

I promise you we will do that and we look forward to it.

Speaker 1:

Awesome.

Speaker 2:

All right, buddy boy, do you have anything else you wanted to say before we? We say say sayonara.

Speaker 3:

No, thanks for having us love playing with you all. You're my friends and congrats on what you've done with dinkpro. Right, think that, pro, yeah, and you guys are entrepreneurs that hard and I love what you're doing and I got to order a shorter to.

Speaker 1:

You tell me which one you like, I got it for you.

Speaker 3:

No, no, no, I want to be a customer, but thanks again for having me, you bet. Thank you, alex. All right, come here, we get.