Conversations with Jay Devilliers

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jay Devilliers

Hi Jay, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
After graduating from Wichita State University, and playing tennis on the men’s tennis team, I knew I wanted to do something within sports. I got a Director position for Pickleball where I started off. I played a few tournaments in the beginning of 2020. Being a competitive tennis player for majority of my life, I missed the competition after graduating, so finding tournaments within Pickleball was a good fit, and I enjoyed the competition once again. In fall of 2020 I decided to give Pickleball a go and started playing professionally full time. Here we are now!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t necessarily believe that there is a smooth road in anything we do. There are always gonna be obstacles along the way, and those obstacles make the victory sweeter! There have definitely been some tougher moments with injuries along the way, but overcoming those and competing fully, as well as having some great victories along the way, has been rewarding after the hurdles along the way.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a professional Pickleball player. Traveling for tournaments, hosting Pickleball clinics and getaways take up majority of my time. I travel around 30 weeks a year, as well as the training on and off the pickleball court. I don’t like to talk about myself in general but since you’re asking…I am known for having a charming, positive and outgoing personality that resonates with the audience. I am also a big believer in sportsmanship. My respect for opponents and a positive attitude in general contribute to me being a great competitor on and off the court. I am also a big ambassador for promoting the sport of Pickleball internationally. Being born and raised in France, I am trying to grow the sport overseas and having the French as well as the European culture discover this amazing sport. That kind of goes hand in hand with what sets me apart from others, being international and speaking different languages has been a huge part of my personality. I am most proud of being a father to my kids!

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I am a big believer in risk taking. With that being said, I don’t mean that people need to go crazy and take crazy risks in their lives, but in order to grow I do believe that we need to take risks. I also believe that nothing good comes easy, therefore we need to push ourselves and get ourselves in the uncomfortable zone in order to achieve greatness. It’s not always going to be easy, and it’s not always going to be fun but in the end it’s going to be worth it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jaydevilliers.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaydevillierspickleball/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jaydevillierspickleball
• Twitter: https://x.com/JayDevilliers
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jaydevilliers75