STEVE’S DUPR RATING: 5.37 Doubles/6.62* Singles
Steve Henricks will be joining the Bounce staff as a pro instructor and clinician. Outside of pickleball, Steve is a professional musician and runs the music and technical production program at Providence Church in West Chester.
Steve is known throughout the Philadelphia pickleball community as one of the kindest souls in the sport. He has both the patience to work with beginners and the expertise to coach advanced players and advanced skills.
Steve was the 2021 APP Philadelphia Open champion in men’s 5.0 doubles with Troy Clemmer. A gutsy performance, the pair won 9 straight matches after losing their first game, showing resilience. He also was a 2021 US Open gold medalist, and played pro at the 2023 edition with his older sister Angie, who you’ll also see around Bounce.
Get to know Steve!
Where are you going to school/when do you graduate?
I graduated college in 2005. I went to West Chester University and Cairn University.
What is your degree in?
I have a BS in Biblical Studies.
How long have you been playing pickleball?
6 years.
Tell us some of your big pickleball on-court accomplishments?
Big for me has been winning the first APP Philly Open back in 2021 with Troy Clemmer. We lost in the first round and had to win 9 straight matches to win Gold from the backdraw . . . and we did! Also winning Gold (35+) at the 2021 Minto US Open with Nick Hart was a big accomplishment for me!
Tell us a bit about your experience on the pro tour?
I started playing on the pro tour in 2019 and have played 40+ pro events since then. I’ve been able to play with and against some of my heroes in the game. A couple special memories were playing Tyson McGuffin/Morgan Evans in the 2nd Round of the 2019 Minto US Open, playing Ben Johns/Matt Wright in the 2nd Round and then Jay Devilliers/Patrick Smith in the 5th Round at the first ever PPA Tour stop in Mesa, AZ back in 2020. Getting the chance to play these players is humbling and exhilarating all at the same time!
What is your pickleball dream, as a player?
One of my dreams is to play on Championship Sunday in an APP Final. Another dream is to play on the Philadelphia based MLP Premier League Team.
What excites you about teaching pickleball?
Pickleball and the people I’ve met playing it have impacted and changed my life in so many ways…so it’s exciting for me to help people experience the same thing. Also coming from a background in Tennis and Table Tennis, I realized that there’s a magical combination of both of those sports in Pickleball, and most of the changes are small, but important. Helping people convert and adapt their previous skills and strokes is really exciting for me.
What are your 2 favorite drills, and why?
I love hitting soft and controlled ground strokes back and forth from the baseline. My sister and I grew up having a catch with a ball. I always felt like that slow consistent rhythm and motion helps me feel the ball and get my feet and form locked in. I also love volleying from mid-court and working my way into the net while someone on the other side of the net does the same thing…it usually ends in a hands battle. I love this because it’s usually the thing I feel least comfortable doing, and requires the most decision-making [counter, reset, or let it go out]. All three of those decisions are something that I’m always working on and trying to incorporate into my training.
If you weren’t pursuing a career in pickleball, what kind of work would you want to do?
I would work at a recording studio or taste-test ice cream.
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