Tokyo Adventures, Two Golds, and a Quick Stop Home

Hey y’all, Jack here!

The past couple weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind, so I figured it was the perfect time to sit down and write another Jack’s Journal update. Between traveling across the world, playing a couple tournaments, and squeezing in some time back home in Austin, there has been a lot going on both on and off the court!

Let’s start with Japan, because that trip was something really special!

I Am Officially OBSESSED with Japan

Japan was so incredible. Like genuinely one of the coolest places I have ever been to in my life!

I had heard great things about Tokyo before going, but nothing prepared me for actually being there. The culture, the food, the way the city moves, it all just felt different in the best way possible! I’m not exaggerating when I say I might be a little obsessed with the place now haha!

I flew in a few days early so I could actually experience the city instead of just showing up for the tournament and leaving. My partner, Richard Livornese and Zach Marceau were there too, along with two photographers and friends of theirs named Cris and Stevie. The five of us basically became a little travel crew for the week. And we tried to do as much as humanly possible. One day we were making our own chopsticks, the next we were hanging out at a capybara cafe, and then somehow ending the night exploring Shibuya nightlife. The funny thing about Tokyo is that the more you explore it, the more you realize how much you have not seen yet!

Every time we checked something off the list, we discovered three more things we wanted to do. I can confidently say we did NOT want to leave!

Flying in early for international tournaments is something I will always recommend. If you are already traveling halfway across the world, you might as well take a little time to actually enjoy the place.

And Tokyo is definitely worth enjoying.

A Great Week On The Court

The tournament itself went really well too, which always helps make a trip even better. This was my first tournament of the year playing with Richard and also my very first tournament ever playing with Sofia Sewing. New partnerships always take a little time to figure out, so we went into the event knowing it would be a learning experience as much as anything else.

Luckily, things worked out pretty well!

Richard and I ended up winning men’s doubles after a tight three game battle in the finals, and Sofia and I also fought through another close three game match to take home gold in mixed doubles. Two gold medals to start the year is something I am definitely proud of!

Even with the wins though, it was clear that there is still a lot to learn about playing together. That is the reality of new partnerships. The first few tournaments are really about figuring each other out. What shots they like. Where they are most comfortable on the court. How to support each other when things get tight in the middle of a match.

All of that stuff takes time, but this tournament was a great first step.

Pickleball Looks Different Around the World

One of the coolest things about playing internationally is seeing how different countries approach the game. In Japan, we noticed right away that a lot of players had a very unique playing style. Many of them used really aggressive forehand grips and loved hitting forehands even on what would normally be their backhand side.

It meant they were covering some spots on the court that we normally expect to be open, which forced us to adjust our patterns a bit in the early rounds. You also saw a lot more tomahawk style shots and pancake forehands than you typically see in the United States. It made for some really interesting matches and honestly kept things fun and exciting because you never quite knew what kind of shot was coming next.

That is one of the best parts about international tournaments. You get to see new styles, adapt to them, and learn something from every match.

Tokyo Adventures - Continued

Once the tournament wrapped up, our little travel group decided to squeeze in a few more adventures around Tokyo. We spent some time in Shinjuku, which kind of reminded me of a Japanese version of Times Square with all the lights and people everywhere! We also explored Ginza, which is more of the shopping district and has a totally different vibe.

Even after all that exploring, it still felt like we barely scratched the surface of the city. Looking back, it was honestly one of the most fun trips I have ever taken. And I owe a lot of that to the people I was with. Traveling with a good crew always makes everything better.

Collegiate Nationals

Right after Japan ended, I caught a red eye flight straight to Florida to play in the APP Collegiate National Championships with my team, Longhorn Pickleball. That was definitely a quick turnaround.

The individual events were a bit frustrating for me personally. I didn’t play as well as I would have liked and ended up taking my first men’s doubles loss of the year. That one stung a bit. Part of the challenge was that the tournament rules require you to play with someone from your own school for the individual draws, so I could not partner with players from other colleges like usual.

The positive side was getting more reps with teammates. I played with Eli Trumeter in men’s doubles and Victoria Falk in mixed, and both of them are great players. In the team event though, we were able to bring home bronze, which officially makes Longhorn Pickleball the third best collegiate club team in the country!! That was a really cool moment for the program.

Cape Coral itself did not offer a whole lot outside the tournament, but honestly the best moments came from hanging out with the team at the Airbnb, telling stories, and getting to know each other better off the court. Those are the memories that really stick with you.

Back Home and Right Back to Work

After all the travel it honestly feels amazing just to be home back in Austin for a week. I wish I could say I was relaxing, but as soon as I landed I jumped right back into filming content, training, and getting ready for the next stretch of tournaments! One thing that has really helped me manage travel and jet lag lately is Ashwavana.

I usually take it the morning after I land somewhere and it has made a noticeable difference. My mood feels more balanced, my focus is sharper, and I just feel better overall after long flights. I usually carry two bottles with me. One with Ashwavana mixed in and one with just water. I finish the Ashwavana earlier in the day and then switch over to water.

They also have a creatine mix that I take daily which honestly tastes amazing, and their Zen Relax formula has been great for helping me wind down and recover at night.

If you want to try it yourself I will drop the link below!

What’s Coming Next

Next up is Vietnam!

I will be heading there next weekend for the D-Joy tournament and I am really looking forward to that one. After Vietnam I will fly straight to Seattle for the first domestic APP tournament of the season.

Seattle should be a fun one and a good test for the partnerships with Richard and Sofia now that we have a few tournaments under our belt. After that I will be visiting my best friend in California for a couple days at the end of March before finally getting a short stretch back home in Austin.

And then the travel starts again…

That’s a Wrap

Thanks for following along with the journey. These past few weeks have been packed with travel, competition, and some really amazing experiences. I appreciate all of you reading along and supporting everything I am doing.

More updates soon.

See y’all next time!

Jack Munro