“He was really competitive[by playing pickleball]. Honestly, I don’t have a life other than pickleball anymore,” laughed Doughty. “I picked him up from school yesterday and he didn’t say ‘Mom, are you going out to play?’ come over and ask, “Do you want to leave?” are we going to play

When Barber comes home from school, he practices dinking, a soft-shot technique used to change the pace of the game near the net, on the dink pad in his garage.

Doughty and Barber’s father takes him to Las Vegas every weekend to practice pickleball. Barber is currently being coached by certified pickleball instructor Darla Christensen and will be coached by pickleball pro Steve He Cole from April.

With the help of all the experienced Bullhead City adults playing pickleball with Barber, Barber placed 2nd in the Round Robin Tournament in Bullhead City and 1st in the Round Robin Tournament in Las Vegas. rice field.

Barber’s success attracted the attention of the city of Bullhead’s parks and recreation. Parks and Recreation members thought it would be a great idea to help guide the children’s pickleball classes beginning in June, which Barber happily mandated.

“Just talking to his coaches, and from his experience, they 100% believe Jett has a career in pickleball,” Doughty said.