2020 PHOF Inductee

Jim Hackenberg

Competitor

Jim Hackenberg

CITIZENSHIP: USA

BORN: May 22, 1948 in Kalamazoo, Michigan

PLAYS: Right-handed

EDUCATION:

  • Loy Norrix High School, Kalamazoo, Michigan
  • Bachelor of Science, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan

MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS:

  • USA Pickleball Ambassador at Large
  • Former member of the USA Pickleball Rules Committee
  • Tournament Director of the annual Pickleball Fever in the Zoo; Also TD for 3 years of the USA Pickleball Great Lakes Regional
  • Founding member of the IPTPA
  • President, Pickleball Outreach, a non-profit organization that donates funds to local communities to build new pickleball facilities or to enhance existing facilities.
  • USA Pickleball Certified Referee

Background

Jim has always had a love of sports. He played high school tennis for 3 years, but no serious tennis after high school. From the age of 29-45 Jim was an avid runner and competed in many road races, ranging from 5K to marathons. Prior to playing pickleball, Jim and his wife developed a love for platform tennis. Yvonne won 9 national titles on her way to being inducted into the Platform Tennis Hall of Fame with her partner Hilary Marold. Four of her national titles were with Jim in Husband & Wife, and Mixed Doubles.

Jim and Yvonne first heard about pickleball from Jim's aunt and uncle who were living in The Villages, Florida. They, of course, dismissed the game thinking it was only for older people, plus they thought it had a ridiculous name. However, one winter day they saw in their local paper that pickleball was offered at their YMCA. They gave it a try, and thanks to the encouragement of Ambassadors Bob Northrop and Melissa Muha, they immediately fell in love with the game. Because of Bob and Melissa they feel an obligation to “pay it forward” which they have tried to do over the years.

Jim says he owes his induction into the Pickleball Hall of Fame to his many wonderful partners over the years, especially his wife, Yvonne.

Yvonne and Jim Hackenberg 

 

COMPETITION AND AWARDS RECOGNITION:

2019 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships

  • Mixed Doubles 5.0 70+ Gold (with Yvonne Hackenberg)
  • Men’s Doubles Sr Pro 65+ Gold (with Mark Friedenberg)
  • Mixed Doubles Sr Pro 65+ Bronze (with Yvonne Hackenberg)
  • Men’s Doubles 5.0 70+ Silver (with Mark Friedenberg)

2018 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships

  • Men’s Doubles 60+ Bronze (with Del Kauss)
  • Men’s Singles 5.0 65+, 70+ Gold
  • Mixed Doubles 70+ Gold (with Yvonne Hackenberg)

2017 USAPA National Championships

  • Men’s Doubles 5.0 65+ Bronze (with Paul Coletta)
  • Mixed Doubles 5.0 65+ Gold (with Yvonne Hackenberg)\
  • Men’s Singles 5.0 65+ Gold

2016 USAPA Nationals VIII

  • Men’s Doubles 55+ Gold (with Scott Lennan)
  • Mixed Doubles 65+ Gold (with Yvonne Hackenberg)
  • Men’s Singles 65+ Gold

2015 USAPA Nationals VII

  • Mixed Doubles 65+ Gold (with Yvonne Hackenberg)
  • Men’s Doubles 55+ Gold (with Scott Lennan)
  • Men’s Singles 65+ Gold

2013 USAPA National Tournament

  • Men’s Doubles 50+ Gold (with Scott Lennan)
  • Mixed Doubles 65+ Gold (with Yvonne Hackenberg)
  • Men’s Singles 65+ Gold

2012 USAPA National Tournament

  • Men’s Doubles 60+ Gold (with Paul Coletta)
  • Mixed Doubles 60+ Gold (with Yvonne Hackenberg)
  • Men’s Singles 60+ Gold

2011 USAPA National Tournament

  • Men’s Singles 60+ Silver
  • Men’s Doubles 60+ Silver (with Paul Coletta)
  • Mixed Doubles 60+ Gold (with Yvonne Hackenberg)

2010 USAPA National Tournament

  • Sr Men’s Doubles 60+ Bronze (with Sandy Simons)
  • Sr Mixed Doubles 60+ Gold (with Yvonne Hackenberg)
  • Sr Men’s Singles 60+ Gold

2019 Huntsman World Senior Games

  • Men’s Doubles 5.0 65+ Gold (with Gregg Whitfield)
  • Men’s Doubles 65+ Gold (with Gregg Whitfield)
  • Men’s Singles 70+ Bronze

2018 Huntsman World Senior Games

  • Men’s Singles 70-74 A Gold
  • Men’s Doubles 60-64 A Gold (with Larry Moon)
  • Men’s Doubles 5.0 50+ Bronze (with Larry Moon)
  • Mixed Doubles 70-74 A Gold (with Yvonne Hackenberg)

 

2017 Huntsman World Senior Games

  • Mixed Doubles 65-69 A Gold (with Yvonne Hackenberg)
  • Men’s Doubles 55-59 A Silver (with Scott Lennan)
  • Men’s Singles 65-69 A Silver
  • Men’s Doubles 5.0 50+ Silver (with Scott Lennan)

2016 Huntsman World Senior Games

  • Mixed Doubles 65-69 A Gold (with Yvonne Hackenberg)
  • Men’s Doubles 55-59 A Gold (with Scott Lennan)
  • Men’s Singles 65-69 Gold
  • Men’s Doubles 5.0 50+, 65+ Gold (with Scott Lennan)

2012 Huntsman World Senior Games

  • Men’s Doubles 60-64 A Silver (with Paul Coletta)
  • Mixed Doubles 60-64 A Silver (with Yvonne Hackenberg)
  • Men’s Doubles 5.0 Silver (with Paul Coletta)
  • Men’s Singles 60-64 Gold

2011 Huntsman World Senior Games

  • Men’s Doubles 60-64 A Silver (with Paul Coletta)
  • Mixed Doubles 60-64 A Gold (with Yvonne Hackenberg)
  • Men’s Singles 60-64 A Bronze
  • Men’s Doubles 5.0 Bronze (with Paul Coletta)

2010 Huntsman World Senior Games

  • Men’s Singles 60-64 Gold
  • Men’s Doubles 60-64 Silver (with Ron Arnold)

2019 Minto US Open Pickleball Championships

  • Men’s Singles 4.5/5.0 70+ Gold
  • Mixed Doubles 70+ Gold (with Yvonne Hackenberg)
  • Men’s Doubles 5.0 60+ Gold (with Dan McLaughlin)
  • Mixed Doubles 5.0 60+ Gold (with Yvonne Hackenberg)

2018 Minto US Open Pickleball Championships

  • Men’s Doubles 65+ Gold (with Ted Meyer)
  • Mixed Doubles 70+ Gold (with Yvonne Hackenberg)
  • Men’s Doubles 5.0 55+, 60+, 65+ Gold (with Dan McLaughlin)
  • Mixed Doubles 5.0 65+, 70+ Gold (with Yvonne Hackenberg)
  • Men’s Singles 70+ Silver

2017 US Open Pickleball Championships

  • Men’s Singles 65-69 Gold
  • Men’s Doubles 65+ Silver (with Dan McLaughlin)
  • Mixed Doubles 65+ Gold (with Yvonne Hackenberg)

2016 US Open Pickleball Championships

  • Men’s Doubles 60+ Silver (with Byron Freso)
  • Mixed Doubles 65+ Gold (with Yvonne Hackenberg)
  • Men’s Singles 65+ Gold

2017 National Senior Games

  • Men’s Doubles 65-69 Gold (with Ted Meyer)
  • Mixed Doubles 65-69 Gold (with Yvonne Hackenberg)
  • Men’s Singles 65-69 Silver