Will Howells: Former Tennis Standout Rising in Pickleball

Will Howells Pickleball: Two Gold Medals and Counting on the APP Tour

Will Howells already has two gold medals to his name on the APP Tour thus far in 2024 and is quickly making a name for himself. Will Howells pickleball is a story that only began in early 2023, making this meteoric rise all the more remarkable.

At the APP Punta Gorda earlier this year, Will and CJ Klinger won men's doubles gold. This last weekend at the APP Sacramento Open, Howells took a men's singles gold medal, defeating Jack Foster.

What's his background and how did he get into pickleball? Get to know Will Howells as we dive into his journey to becoming a pro pickleball player.

Growing Up and Tennis

From Richmond to South Florida

Will grew up in Richmond, Virginia, and played almost every sport you can think of while growing up.

At the age of 13, he moved to South Florida to pursue a tennis career while staying with a host family. After that first year, his family moved to Florida with him. Howells started training under Nick Saviano and played on the junior circuit.

At the time, Genie Bouchard was also a student of his. Howells credits a lot of his mental toughness and his overall confidence to his time spent with Saviano.

The Notre Dame Chapter

After juniors, Howells was recruited and played for the University of Notre Dame. He went 45-18 in singles during his first two years and had a really unfortunate ankle injury during his junior year that derailed his pro tennis career.

Turning to Pickleball

Will Howells Pickleball Training: Quality Over Quantity

Howells picked up a pickleball paddle for the first time in February of 2023. The Will Howells pickleball journey was just beginning.

He played some rec games and had a blast and then started going to the Delray Tennis Center for higher-level play. Almost a year later, Will is training with people like JW Johnson, Anna Bright, Christian Alshon, Gabe Tardio, Bobbi Oshiro, Millie Rane, and a lot of other great players that live in the area. His timeline in pickleball is almost identical to another player we profiled recently, Cason Campbell.

Howells still has a full-time job at an alcohol distribution company, which forces him to train at night for about two and a half hours. He knows this isn't as much time as other pros get to train who don't have other jobs, so he is extremely intentional about training.

Will always has a gameplan for training and makes sure he is super focused during that training so he doesn't waste any time. In speaking with him, he used the term "quality over quantity" when he talked about practice.

Rekindling Competitive Fire

Will has found a new joy and his competitiveness has been rekindled with pickleball. After college he lived in Milwaukee for a little while before moving to Florida. He basically completely stopped playing tennis at that time.

With pickleball, he's able to put competitive pressure on himself again, which is relatable to so many people playing pickleball. As CBS Sports has documented, former competitive tennis players are increasingly finding a vibrant second act in this sport.

Whether you are a recreational player or a pro, many people play pickleball for the athletic competition.

I really believe in myself and I believe in my game. Whenever I go out there I step foot on the court believing I can win any match that I’m playing.

Will's confidence level is through the roof, but he is definitely not a cocky or arrogant kid. When he's playing you can see the confidence and competitiveness, but he is able to keep his emotions in check. The 26-year-old has a quiet demeanor, but when he is on the court you can see how focused he is.

When asked about his goals this year for pickleball, Howells said he wants to find a way to go full-time. He is currently not sponsored by any paddle or apparel brand. (HINT HINT - Someone sign this guy RIGHT NOW!)

Will Howells Pickleball Pro Career

The Will Howells pickleball resume has been building at a breakneck pace, with results that are turning heads across the APP Tour.

Building Early Tournament Experience

Howells started playing tournaments in May of 2023 at the professional level. By August, he played in the APP Sunmed St. Louis Open with Nicolas Acevedo. They lost to eventual winners Andre Mick and CJ Klinger in three games, with the final game score of 12-14.

In the losers bracket they beat Yates and Hunter Johnson and finished eighth. In singles at the same tournament he lost to Yates Johnson, but then ran off three wins in the loser's bracket for a 7th-place finish. Again, this was six months after picking up a pickleball paddle.

A few months later, at the APP Dallas Open in October, Howells played doubles with Johnny Goldberg, who Howells is very close with. Will said that Johnny has helped him tremendously in his pickleball career. They got a couple wins in the winner's bracket, eventually losing to Andrei Daescu and Rob Nunnery.

In the loser's bracket, they got big wins over Martin Emmrich and John Cincola, and then beat CJ Klinger and Ross Whittaker for a fourth-place finish. In mixed doubles at that same tournament, Howells got a seventh-place finish with Christa Gecheva. That run was highlighted by a win over Bobbi Oshiro and Andre Mick.

Like his shirt says, Will Howells is on the rise.

At APP Punta Gorda he played with CJ Klinger and won gold. The duo got a huge win over Hunter and Yates Johnson to make it to Championship Sunday. Unfortunately, Rob Nunnery suffered an injury during the championship match and had to retire, so Howells and Klinger won gold.

At that same tournament, Will and Bobbi Oshiro got bronze, with a win over Parris Todd and Hunter Johnson.

In February of 2024, Howells played the PPA Desert Ridge. He smoked the singles qualifiers, winning that, and then played in the main draw. He got a win over Ryan Sherry in the main draw before losing to the eventual winner, Federico Staksrud.

In doubles, he again played with Johnny Goldberg and got a win before losing to the Johns brothers.

Will Howells Pickleball: Winning Gold at the APP Sacramento

Last week, Howells played the APP Sacramento Open. He got silver in men's doubles with JW Johnson, eventually losing to Andrei Daescu and Gabe Tardio. In singles, he got wins over Chris Haworth and Jack Foster, winning his first men's singles gold medal on tour.

A Champion's Character

Howells is for sure on his way to being a regular name in professional pickleball. Although he is currently unsigned by the PPA or MLP, I have no doubt he is going to be medaling on a regular basis. As Sports Illustrated has reported, the professional pickleball scene is one of the fastest-growing sports stories in the country, and players like Howells are proof of that momentum.

One of the coolest things about Will is how genuine and nice he is. After his first singles win on tour at the APP Sacramento, he posted on his Instagram account about the win.

This is part of his post: "Despite having some amazing moments on the court in Sacramento, the highlight of the tournament was definitely Joshua's excitement when I gave him my paddle after the singles final! Certainly a rewarding moment in my career."

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A post shared by Will Howells (@williamhowells12)

Joshua was just a young fan who was cheering for Will in the final match. Afterward, Will gave him his paddle, signed it, and took pictures with him. That single moment captures everything about the Will Howells pickleball story: the results on the court are extraordinary, but the person behind them is even better.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Will Howells get started in pickleball?

Will Howells picked up a pickleball paddle for the first time in February 2023, starting with recreational games before quickly stepping up to competitive play at the Delray Tennis Center. He entered professional-level tournaments just a few months later, an uncommonly fast trajectory even by pickleball standards.

What tennis background does Will Howells bring to pickleball?

Will Howells trained under world-renowned coach Nick Saviano in South Florida, competing on the junior circuit alongside players like Genie Bouchard before earning a spot on the University of Notre Dame tennis team. His collegiate singles record of 45-18 reflects the competitive foundation he now channels into every match as a pro pickleball player.

What has Will Howells won on the APP Tour?

Will Howells earned two APP Tour gold medals in 2024, including men's doubles gold at the APP Punta Gorda Open alongside CJ Klinger and men's singles gold at the APP Sacramento Open over Jack Foster. He also added a mixed doubles bronze at Punta Gorda alongside Bobbi Oshiro.

Does Will Howells play pickleball full-time?

As of 2024, Will Howells has not yet transitioned to full-time professional pickleball, still holding down a full-time job at an alcohol distribution company while training at night for roughly two and a half hours. His disciplined, intentional approach centered on "quality over quantity" has clearly been effective given his rapid results on the APP Tour.

Who does Will Howells train with?

Will Howells trains alongside some of the top names in the sport while based in South Florida, including JW Johnson, Anna Bright, Christian Alshon, Gabe Tardio, and Bobbi Oshiro. The caliber of his training partners has played a significant role in his rapid development since first picking up a paddle in 2023.