Jersey's Got the Cream of the Crop

Sure, New Jerseyans may not be able to play outdoor pickleball all year round like picklers in California, Texas, or Florida. But don't get it twisted, New Jersey is a pickleball powerhouse. We've got tons of tournaments, tight-knit communities, and indoor facilities either just built or coming soon. 

It's not just at the amateur level, though. What you may not realize is that New Jersey is home to some pro pickleball teams! In the National Pickleball League, a pro league for the 50+ age group, we've got the Princeton Bruisers. And in Major League Pickleball (MLP), we've got the New Jersey 5s, which was created in 2022 by Gary Vaynerchuk (Gary V) and Ryan Harwood, a former Division 1 college tennis player.

As for Gary V, the famous entrepreneur and internet personality, he named the team the "5s" because it's his favorite number. “5 means the world to me in the context of sports as it was the first jersey number I received and wore when I came to the U.S.,” said Vaynerchuk. “My mom knitted that jersey for me, and the number 5 has always been my favorite ever since.”

So the team has a famous owner. Cool, but what about the players? Oh, it just has the most dominant pickleball player on earth... Anna Leigh Waters. Along with her teammates Zane Navratil, Mariana Humberg, and Will Howels, the New Jersey 5s actually won the MLP Mid-Season Tournament earlier this summer. Congratulations!