Hours of Prep, Minutes of Chaos: Life as an MLP Dreambreaker Specialist

As a Dreambreaker specialist, you're only playing a handful of points. The rest of the day, your job is being the best teammate you can be.

Most people think being an MLP Dreambreaker specialist is just about playing singles.

It's not.

It's about spending an entire day preparing for a moment that might never come.

I'm the singles specialist for the defending champion Columbus Sliders, and I genuinely love the new MLP rule. It gives players like me—guys who aren't as established in doubles—a chance to help a championship team in a meaningful way.

It's nerve-racking. But it's also incredibly rewarding.

My day starts long before the Dreambreaker ever happens.

Luckily, I have Judit Castillo, our women's singles specialist, with me. We'll get to the venue early, hit for 45 minutes or an hour, and sometimes even jump into rec doubles while the rest of the team prepares. We're always staying ready.

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The weirdest part comes when the match is unfolding.

As soon as it gets to 2-1, Judit and I quietly leave the bench to warm up. We hit for 10 to 15 minutes because the last thing you want is to walk into a Dreambreaker completely cold.

The hard part? You also want to be there supporting your teammates. Thankfully, our team understands that's our job.

Once the Dreambreaker starts, everything changes.

Everyone is tighter than normal. Even the best players miss volleys and passing shots they'd make 99 times out of 100.

So my first priority isn't hitting something spectacular.

It's making balls.

• Get the return in.
• Extend the rally.
• Make your opponent play one more shot.

For me, I'm constantly looking to find my backhand. That's my most reliable weapon. My forehand can break down under pressure, so if I can shape the point around my backhand, I will.

I'm also looking for every opportunity to move forward.

Passing shots aren't nearly as sharp in a Dreambreaker because of the pressure. If I can work my way to the kitchen, I'm taking that chance.

Here's the thing most people don't realize, though.

As a Dreambreaker specialist, you're only playing a handful of points. The rest of the day, your job is being the best teammate you can be.

Our team makes Judit and me feel like we're a huge part of what we're building. So when we're not on the court—which is most of the time—we're locked in on the bench, bringing energy and supporting everyone else.

That's part of the job, too.

So far, it's been a pretty good one.

I'm 16-8 all-time in Dreambreakers, including 13-3 over my last 16.

Hopefully, we're just getting started.

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