Louisiana Teen Austin Romaguera Is Rising Fast in Junior Pickleball Ranks

Hailing from Metairie, Louisiana, Austin Romaguera got into pickleball by chance. “I started playing in the sixth grade at my middle school,” Austin said. “There was a pickleball net, and after baseball practice, we would go there and play for hours and at recess too.”

That was four years ago. Since then, Austin has received a series of medals in the world of youth pickleball.

Early Success on the National Stage

This March, at the National Junior Pickleball North Carolina Regional Tournament, Austin went 5-0 on day one in pool play, an impressive feat against other talented junior players. After that, on Days 2 and 3, he won gold in elite 4.0-5.5 doubles.

Climbing the Rankings

Now, in National Junior Pickleball, Austin is ranked No. 2 in Boys 15-18 doubles, second only to Aidan Cheung. Unlike other tournaments divided solely by DUPR, National Junior Pickleball offers pickleball tournaments specifically for ages 8-18 featuring a round robin format followed by medal/play-off rounds.

Just last year at the 2025 Pickleball World Championships, Austin won bronze in decisive 11-0, 11-1 sets. Over the past year, his success has continued to grow. He and his parents attribute his competitive spirit to his athletic upbringing.

Baseball Roots Built Competitiveness

Before pickleball, Austin was a standout baseball player. As the starting center fielder for Eastbank Little League, taking his team to State Championships in 2022, Austin grew up enjoying competition. In some ways, baseball and pickleball share similar, physical movements,

Finding a Community in Pickleball

For Austin, the difference between pickleball and baseball isn’t necessarily the game itself, because both sports are exciting. The difference is the ability of pickleball to bring backgrounds. Austin recalled when he first started playing and got to play with people of all ages, young to old, all different stories, professions, and skill levels. “I learned a lot from them every day I got to see them,” Romaguera said.

Although he still enjoys baseball, competitive pickleball represents something different for him.

“In ninth grade, I found the community of pickleball and made a bunch of friends, and I could just be myself around them, on a day-to-day basis,” Romaguera said.

A Support System That Matters

“His pickleball community has been filled with big brother figures,” father Romaguera said, “who are taking him under their wings.”

Modeling His Game After the Pros

Romaguera’s favorite player on the pro tour now is Hayden Patriquin. Like Austin, Hayden isn’t one of the six-foot-plus former tennis players who utilizes his height–instead, he relies on a scrappy, physical game.

“We’re both more on the shorter side,” Austin said, “so we have to rely on our speed and our shot selection, and then, get to the balls quicker and place our balls more effectively.”

Memorable Moments on Tour

At the Masters this year in California, Austin met Hayden’s girlfriend in the airport by coincidence.

“She was flying on the same plane as us,” Austin’s dad Ryan shared, “and that’s the beauty of the sport–when you see other pickleball players, it just automatically starts a conversation. You automatically have something in common.”

A Breakthrough Close to Home

At the tournament, Austin sat in the player’s box for a few matches, an experience that was unforgettable and inspiring. As far as his favorite tournament that he’s played, both Austin and his dad recalled the NOLA Picklefest.

“I enjoyed playing at the Masters this year in California,” Austin said, “but my favorite tournament would be NOLA Picklefest because I got to meet Drew Brees and Andre Agassi and won men's 5.0 Doubles in front of my entire family that came to watch me.”

For Austin, he was close to his home court in Metairie, so he had a local cheering section, which made the tournament all the more special.

Balancing School and Competition

Now, at Brother Martin High School, Austin juggles both high-level pickleball and tough academics. Last year, Austin and his dad helped direct the school’s first-ever pickleball tournament, a tradition they continued into this year as well.

Family Behind the Journey

When asked whether his parents helped train him, Austin’s dad joked about how his son’s level has progressed so quickly that he wouldn’t be able to offer any help. “So, you know, my job now is just basically logistics and Uber driving,” Ryan Romaguera joked.

Ryan Romaguera discussed his son’s level of determination, focus, and responsibility, all skills that pickleball has helped develop and hone.

“He tries to get most of his homework done during school in his free time,” Romaguera said, “because then he knows if he gets more time on the court, more time to play and train…His academics are important, so we have to focus on that first and pickleball second.”

Eyes on the Future

As for Romaguera, while balancing school and pickleball, he’s hopeful to continue with pickleball into college and possibly at the professional level. The possibility of becoming pro grows greater and greater as time goes on and Romaguera devotes more time to his craft.

Global Opportunity Ahead

This summer, Romaguera was selected to be part of the inaugural National Junior Pickleball Global: Southeast Asia Experience. He will take a 12-day trip through Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. This first-of-its-kind, high-level international development program will let Austin and other elite National Junior Pickleball players take their game to the next level. While representing their communities abroad, the athletes will be working with top coaches and professional athletes.

“For two weeks, we are going to visit some amazing places, experience local cultures, play some intense international tournaments, and make new friends,” Romaguera said. “ I'm grateful for this opportunity because it doesn't come often and it has an Olympic-like feel. I’m super excited.”

Austin and his family have started to document his journey on social media. On his Instagram (@austin_romaguera_pb), you can find tournament highlights, pickleball updates, and more.

Next Stop: Atlanta

Austin is playing in the 2026 Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships this week. He will compete in mixed doubles 5.0 with Makenzie Watlington, U18 junior boys singles, and U16 doubles with partner Jack Loughridge.

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