Sonny Dickman hadn’t been in the pickleball world for all that long when he was already presented with a big decision: how high of a level of competition was he going to go up against in his first tournament?

Entering one of the lower tiers seemed to make the most sense. After all, the 22-year-old Beachwood resident had only been playing the sport for about a year-and-a-half, and there would surely be top-notch athletes in this tourney.

But that’s simply not the kind of mindset Dickman possesses.

“I’d rather be the tail of a lion than the head of a sheep,” Dickman said. “I’m always trying to chase and be better, and I have always been competitive.”

His father, Ethan, suggested he start at 4.0, the third level of advancement. Dickman went with 4.5, just one step below the highest stage.

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