{"id":52517,"date":"2025-07-09T22:39:09","date_gmt":"2025-07-09T22:39:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/52517\/"},"modified":"2025-07-09T22:39:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T22:39:09","slug":"houston-hammers-serve-up-passion-purpose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/52517\/","title":{"rendered":"Houston Hammers Serve Up Passion, Purpose"},"content":{"rendered":"

Houston<\/strong> \u2013 Pickleball may be the fastest-growing sport in the U.S., but here in Houston, it\u2019s also full of heart.<\/p>\n

The Houston Hammers, the city\u2019s only professional pickleball team for players 50 and older, is proving that it\u2019s never too late to level up your game – or make a difference while you\u2019re at it.<\/p>\n

Co-founded by Hugh Zhang and Amy Blumrosen, the Hammers are part of the National Pickleball League (NPL), a growing league that currently has 12 teams across the country. And these aren\u2019t just weekend warriors – Blumrosen is the highest-ranked female pickleball player in all of Houston, regardless of age. Yes, you read that right.<\/p>\n

But what really sets this team apart is their mission: to use pickleball for good.<\/p>\n

From organizing Big Brothers Big Sisters Pickleball for Kids Day to raising nearly $70,000 for veterans\u2019 charities through their Justice Open tournament, the Hammers are proof that sport and service go hand-in-hand. Their latest goal? Build two permanent pickleball courts at Camp Hope to support veterans recovering from PTSD.<\/p>\n

Want to Play Like a Pro?<\/b><\/p>\n

Before you grab a paddle and head to the courts, Hugh and Amy shared a few easy beginner tips live on Houston Life to help you get started:<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd90\ufe0f 1. Shake Hands With Your Paddle<\/p>\n

That\u2019s right\u2014just like you\u2019re greeting a friend. Your grip should feel natural. Forehands come from the palm side of your hand, and backhands from the knuckle side.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfaf 2. Master the \u201cSweet Spot\u201d<\/p>\n

Hold the ball steady in the center of your paddle for 20 seconds. It helps develop control and hand-eye coordination. Once you\u2019ve got that down, start bouncing the ball up and down on your forehand side. Aim for 20 reps!<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcaa 3. Use Your Shoulder, Not Your Wrist<\/p>\n

All motion should come from the shoulder. Keep your wrist firm and steady, and imagine you\u2019re simply flicking your shoulder to control the paddle.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfd3 4. Level Up to Backhand Bounces<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve nailed the forehand, switch to backhand bounces using the same 20-count drill. Think \u201cknuckles,\u201d not palm, and stay controlled.<\/p>\n

\ud83e\uddf1 5. No Partner? No Problem!<\/p>\n

You can practice volleys solo using a wall. It\u2019s a great way to build muscle memory and footwork without needing someone else on the court.<\/p>\n

Watch the video here and follow along to learn the tips!<\/b><\/p>\n

Come Cheer Them On This Weekend!<\/b><\/p>\n

The Houston Hammers will be competing in an official NPL event at Pickleball Country Club (near 59 & the Beltway) this Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is free and open to the public – so whether you\u2019re a pickleball pro or just paddle-curious, stop by, show some Houston pride, and maybe even get inspired to hit the court yourself.<\/p>\n

And yes, the team chant is as fun as it sounds:<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfa4 \u201cWhat time is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\ud83d\ude4c \u201cHAMMER TIME!\u201d<\/p>\n

For more on the Houston Hammers, visit their official website at houstonhammers.net<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Copyright 2025 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Houston \u2013 Pickleball may be the fastest-growing sport in the U.S., but here in Houston, it\u2019s also full…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":52518,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5130],"tags":[2879,4345,39262,32958,39265,39264,39263,1926,62,358,1072,3187],"class_list":{"0":"post-52517","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-houston","8":"tag-events","9":"tag-houston","10":"tag-houston-hammers","11":"tag-houston-life","12":"tag-houston-sports-teams","13":"tag-over-50","14":"tag-something-good","15":"tag-sport","16":"tag-sports","17":"tag-texas","18":"tag-things-to-do","19":"tag-tx"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114825682322191251","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52517","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52517"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52517\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52518"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52517"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52517"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52517"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}