Federico Staksrud has reflected upon the summer with The 5s, and has shown his gratitude to his teammates, coaches, ownership group, organisers and fans for their support during this time and in their time with the team. The professional pickleball player posted this emotional message on Instagram about the people who made his time with The 5s one of his best memories.
Staksrud began his message by thanking The 5s for all the memories he created during the season. Not only his time on the court but also the relationships he formed with teammates and members of the larger team setup.
“Thank you @the5spickleball for the amazing memories,” Staksrud wrote in his Instagram post.
The American pickleball player then turned his attention to his teammates and thanked them for making him feel welcome from the beginning. Staksrud specifically mentioned Noe Khlif, Anna Leigh Waters, Jorja Johnson, Milan Rane and Will Howells; they were all instrumental in helping him settle in the group.
"Thank you to my teammates for welcoming me from day 1 and making me feel at home,” he wrote, and he said he’d keep supporting them.
And his comments were in line with team chemistry in a sport that has become so rapidly developed as a huge professional sport. Individual performance is important for pickleball but Staksrud wrote to talk about how he appreciated the team atmosphere that helped him enjoy his summer with The 5s.
Staksrud Thanks Coaches For Their Support
Staksrud also lavished praise on the coaching staff of the team. The coaches did a good job of keeping the approach simple during competition and helped make the players perform well, he said.
“Thank you to our coaches for keeping it simple out there we couldn’t make this happen without you,” Staksrud wrote.
He tagged Waters and Team Emmrich in his message and acknowledged the work that happens away from the spotlight. Coaches are essential to professional athletes in their preparation for games, their strategy development and their concentration in a demanding season.
Staksrud did include a special thank-you to Ryan Harwood for bringing him into The 5s.
“Thank you @ryanharwood for believing in me and giving me this chance. Forever in debt to you,” Staksrud said.
This recognition indicated Staksrud’s enthusiasm for the opportunity to join the team and to work with the players.
Ownership Group And Major League Pickleball Get Mention
The pickleball star then expressed his gratitude with respect to The 5s ownership group for their support throughout the season. Raquel Joseph and Gary Vaynerchuk, the Gary Vee, were mentioned in his Instagram post.
As Staksrud said, “Thank you to the whole ownership group for always being supportive no matter what,”
Staksrud also took into account the larger Major League Pickleball community beyond his own team. He praised the league for organising events throughout the summer and praised volunteers, referees and other staff members for helping to set those competitions up.
“Thank you to @majorleaguepb for putting amazing events through the whole summer, the volunteers, the refs and all the hard workers that make this possible,” he wrote.
His comments acknowledged the many people who work behind the scenes on every stage of professional sports. From officials and volunteers to event organisers, these people are key in making sure competitions run smoothly for athletes and fans.
Fans Complete Staksrud's Summer Reflection.
The fans were also important in Staksrud’s message. He said they helped him build that atmosphere which made his experience with The 5s even more memorable.
"Finally, thank you to the fans that made an absolutely incredible atmosphere out there,” he wrote.
Staksrud finished looking forward and optimistic about the season. He thanked the people who supported him throughout the summer and concluded with a simple message that implied he's already looking forward to returning.
“It was a fun summer, until next year,” Staksrud wrote.
Staksrud’s post was ultimately a personal tribute to everyone connected with The 5s. He was not only talking about his performances but everything he did with the team, coaches, owners, organisers, officials, volunteers and supporters that made the season memorable.
And his message also emphasized that professional pickleball is growing more and more like a community with the players, teams, leagues and fans who are all playing in the ever-evolving competitive landscape of professional pickleball. For Staksrud, the summer spent with The 5s seems to have been about more than just competition and he’ll take away some of the memories and connections that he would like to keep with him into the next season.
