Danny Jensen is overseas on important business this month.

Jensen and fellow players Taylor Garcia, Courtney McIntosh, and Courtney Kendall are currently in the midst of a 14-day tour of U.S. military bases across six countries - the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Djibouti - to spread the love of pickleball and a message of gratitude and support during the holiday season.

The Pro Pickleball Tour in association with Pro Sports MVP presented by Armed Forces Entertainment is near and dear to Jensen’s heart. A few of his family members have previously served, and one of his cousins recently deployed, too.

“I think it’s about the best way I can possibly give back with the sport of pickleball, especially to our military, especially on the other side of the world,” said Jensen, during a recent stop in Bahrain. “This is something I put at the top of my priority list. It wouldn’t matter if there was a tournament, it wouldn’t matter what there is, I would always choose serving those who serve our country and allow me to play this incredible game. I’ll choose that over playing for myself any day.”

Jensen, Garcia, McIntosh, and Kendall are hosting clinics and teaching the fundamentals of America’s fastest-growing sport, talking strategy, and playing a few matches along the way.

Apparently, pickleball is rather popular among military personnel.

“A lot of these military bases are actually creating their own pickleball groups. We have anywhere from 15 to 45 people at every base playing very consistently on everything from gym floors to makeshift courts outside. These guys and girls do anything they can to play,” explained Jensen. “We played with firefighters in Saudi Arabia on a court where they park all their trucks. We played with a bomb squad in the UAE that has a court in their parking lot, too. They really enjoy pickleball just as much as anybody I’ve ever met. You’d think that the Super Bowl was happening when we stepped on base because they’re just chomping at the bit to play. It’s easy to get obsessed with pickleball.”

It certainly is, and Jensen is adamant about providing a memorable experience that gives every participant a chance to focus on something other than their duties for a while… even if it’s just for an hour or two.

A short break can definitely go a long way.

“What it really comes down to on bases is people coming together and enjoying a sport that’s healthy, that takes them away from the stress of day-to-day life and their work, and they get to enjoy some quality downtime,” he explained. “We’re in the holidays, too, which always makes things even tougher when you’re away from your family. Pickleball brings a little bit of that sense of normalcy, that sense of fun and competitiveness, and it’s a stress outlet for them. Being able to do that for our military people who put their lives on the line every single day is really incredible.”

When it’s finally time for Jensen, Garcia, McIntosh, and Kendall to wrap up on-site, they always make a point of thanking everyone for their service and rallying them to keep hitting the court.

That’s what this tour is all about.

“Everything we do is for these men and women. When we’re leaving, part of it is we try to encourage them, ‘Hey! Keep growing the sport.’ They really love pickleball, and they’re great advocates, especially amongst other members of the military. They’re growing the sport organically, which is exactly what we’ve done in our local communities,” concluded Jensen. “We encourage them not to be shy about inviting new people out, regardless of their skill level. Just getting more people out there is going to grow the community that’s already there.”

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