Community Sports

Gig Harbor man is at the eye of the pickleball storm with the Seattle Tsunami

On any given week, you might find Brian Baker at Canterwood Golf and Country Club playing one of the fastest-growing sports in the country.

Pickleball has become much more than a hobby for Baker. At 50 years old, he is ranked No. 10 among senior professional men in the latest DUPR rankings (the ranking system used by the USA Pickleball organization) and is in his second season with the Seattle Tsunami.

The Tsunami are one of 16 teams competing in the Champions Series Pickleball League’s premier division for players 50 and older.

But despite the national ranking, Baker still sees himself as a local guy who happens to love playing pickleball.

“I mean, it’s really rewarding to be able to be doing what I’m doing as I’m aging,” Baker said. “But to still be able to nurture this competitive side that I have and to do it around here.”

Brian Baker of Gig Harbor plays professionally with a team called the Seattle Tsunami. Photo courtesy of James Main

Top 10 in the nation

Baker grew up playing tennis and competed through high school before stepping away from competitive sports when he began his studies at the University of Washington. Decades later, he would discover his true sports calling.

“It was in 2017 when I lived in Arizona and one of my tennis buddies got me on pickleball,” Baker said. “So that just refueled the competitive side of me.”

Baker moved to Gig Harbor in 2020 and began connecting with local players. He played tournaments throughout the region but never expected pickleball to become a professional pursuit.

That changed when he turned 50 and thus became eligible for CSPL’s premier league. He joined the Seattle Tsunami in 2025 after an informal tryout and quickly became one of the team’s top players.

Brian Baker played tennis through his high school years, but left sports behind to focus on academics in college. As he grew into middle age, he discovered pickleball. Photo by Nathan Hyun

The Tsunami finished second in the league last season, when Baker played primarily on the team’s top men’s and mixed doubles lines. This year, he is 13-3 individually through the team’s first two events, while Seattle is 6-2 in regular season play.

“I’ve cracked into the top 10 in kind of the senior world rankings,” Baker said. “Definitely want to stay there and see how high I can get.”

From having fun to signing a professional contract

Baker didn’t start playing pickleball with a professional career in mind.

When he began, the sport was still largely unknown. He remembers people joking that pickleball was something their grandparents played.

Now, professional leagues have created opportunities for players like Baker to compete at the highest level in their age groups. James Main, general manager and co-owner of the Seattle Tsunami, said Baker stands out because of his playing style as much as his results.

Brian Baker of Gig Harbor joined the Seattle Tsunami in 2025 after an informal tryout and quickly became one of the team’s top players. Photo courtesy of James Main

“He is just freakishly filled with energy, and he is all over the court,” Main said.

Baker is a left-hander whose athleticism and pickleball IQ make him difficult to play against. He was also named a team captain this season.

“He brings a lot of spirit and energy to the team as well,” Main said. “He’ll do whatever he needs to be done for the team.”

Baker is contracted directly with the league. His contract includes appearance fees and helps cover travel expenses.

“I still have a job,” Baker said with a laugh. “This is definitely not paying the bills.”

Instead, the league gives Baker an opportunity to travel, compete against elite players and continue doing something he genuinely enjoys.

Brian Baker of Gig Harbor picked up pickleball less than 10 years ago, but now he is the 10th-ranked senior player in the country. Photo by Nathan Hyun

The growth of Gig Harbor pickleball

One of the most rewarding parts of Baker’s journey has been watching pickleball grow in the community he now calls home.

When he moved to Gig Harbor, he connected with local players and began playing at places such as Sehmel Park. The arrival of dedicated public pickleball courts near the Tom Taylor Family YMCA helped accelerate that growth, Baker said.

“The YMCA courts are packed all the time,” he said. “It’s just really cool to watch the sport grow and blossom.”

Baker believes dedicated courts give people an opportunity to pick up the sport and help build a larger community around it. He has also watched his own family become part of that growth. His two sons play pickleball, and he loves that it’s a sport anyone can pick up.

“I just want to be able to play as long as I can,” Baker said, “I also want to be able to teach people how to play and just be around and do whatever I can to keep this growth going.”