ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, and the best pickleball player in the state of Virginia lives in one of our hometowns.

Meet Pierce Rakes, a Roanoke native, who was introduced to the game of pickleball in January by his dad.

“We went out and played the other day, and it’s just fun that we can. We started out playing this together, both of us not knowing anything, and it’s been exciting to see his support and my mom’s support of moving on to the national and world level,” Rakers said.

You heard Pierce right; he will be competing against the world’s best pickleball players in Dallas later this year, after winning the state championship in Richmond.

You’d think a state champion would be a natural, but Pierce said that wasn’t the case.

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