America, Keep Your Hands Off Our New Kid on the Block!
Key Takeaways
- This story reflects a key shift defining the maturity and expansion of the global pickleball landscape in July 2026.
- Decisions and infrastructure investments made now are establishing the long-term foundations of the sport.
By Scott Mayo
Spotting a junior pickleball player in Wales can feel a bit like spotting the country’s only venomous snake. Rare, unexpected, and something people tend to talk about afterwards. Then, just like London buses, you wait ages for one and suddenly a few arrive at once.
One of those youngsters helping to lead the next generation of Welsh pickleball is 14-year-old Joey Hornbuckle. Born in Florida, a fact we’ll quietly gloss over for now, Joey has set his sights on a goal that would make any Welsh player proud: representing Wales on the international stage.
His introduction to the sport was unremarkable at first. Casual hits with his dad, uncle and grandfather at Newport Velodrome every month or so, the kind of family rhythm that slowly becomes something more serious without anyone quite noticing. At the time he was still playing tennis, but pickleball steadily began to take over his attention.
A key part of that shift has been Newport Tigers Pickleball Club. Despite being considerably younger than most members, Joey was welcomed straight into the environment, given space to play, learn and grow alongside far more experienced players. That openness has played a significant role in shaping both his confidence and his game.
The early issue was simple. Joey was improving quickly, but there were very few players his age or level locally. Thanks to the efforts of local player John Killock, a dedicated junior session was set up every Tuesday. It gave him a structured space to develop alongside other young players while building the fundamentals properly.
Even so, it did not take long for him to move beyond that level. His grandfather Dave recognised the gap and pushed for him to be included in adult club nights. After a few conversations and some understandable hesitation, Joey was brought into Friday sessions. He has not looked out of place since, regularly competing with and beating players far more experienced than him.
To support that progression further, Joey has also been working with coach Matthew Hazelhurst. Those sessions have focused on refining the technical details: cleaner drives, more controlled serves, and the introduction of more advanced shots like the backhand flick.
“Playing with Matt has really helped my game,” Joey explained. “I’ve learned new shots and improved my power. It’s helped me take what I do in practice into matches.”
For all the technical progress, though, Joey’s motivation is still simple. He enjoys it.
Coming from tennis, he found the repetition and structure of drills frustrating at times. Pickleball, by contrast, felt more natural.
If you’re following how the global game is shifting day by day, the World Pickleball Report breaks this down in our daily briefing.
“I like that the rallies are longer,” he said. “The hands battles at the kitchen line are my favourite part.”
That enjoyment carried into competition when he entered the Junior Pickleball League at Dinks Pickleball Club. Against some of the strongest young players in the region, he finished with a balanced win-loss record and, more importantly, left the court still wanting more.
“When I’m enjoying myself, that’s when I play my best pickleball.”
Away from organised sessions, Joey has taken ownership of his own development. He brings paddles into school, hits against walls whenever he can, and recruits friends into informal games between lessons. There is no structured pathway at that point, just repetition, curiosity, and a growing attachment to the sport.
If you're following how the global game is shifting week by week, the World Pickleball Report breaks this down every day in our morning briefing.
His interest even crossed into the classroom.
As part of a school Eisteddfod project, Joey was asked to write about a sporting figure he admired. Instead of choosing a mainstream professional, he chose Welsh international pickleball player Scott Mayo, documenting his journey representing Wales at the European Championships.
As someone who usually writes about other people’s stories, discovering I had become one of them was both unexpected and genuinely humbling. Thank you, Joey.
But Joey’s focus remains firmly forward. The aim now is to keep improving, return to the Junior Pickleball League, and take on more local Dreambreaker events around Newport.
The long-term goal, however, is clear.
Representing Wales.
And if there is any doubt about allegiance, it has already been removed.
So America, keep your hands off.
Seeing players like Joey coming through matters. Not because they are rare, but because they are early signs of structure forming. They show what happens when clubs, families and informal coaching environments align just enough to give young players momentum.
If he continues on this path, there is every chance he will not just represent Wales one day, but arrive there feeling like he never really left the system in the first place.
And when that happens, Wales will be very glad it held on to him.
📖 Read the Full July 2026 Issue
This article appears in Issue #18 of World Pickleball Magazine — download the complete edition free.
Further Reading
- Latest pickleball news from around the world
- Tournament coverage and results
- Rankings and player profiles
- Regional pickleball coverage
For a clearer view of where the sport is heading each week, you can join the World Pickleball Report here.
Chris Beaumont
Founder and Editor-in-ChiefChris Beaumont is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of World Pickleball Magazine. Chris follows the global game closely, reporting on the latest news, developments, stories and tournaments from all five continents. He also hosts the World Pickleball Podcast, interviewing people at…
View All Articles →
