Country music artist Ian Munsick isn’t necessarily a newcomer to the picklesphere.

A teacher from his past deserves credit for that.

“The first time I played was in elementary school actually,” confirmed Munsick, during a recent break in his Horses Are Faster Tour across the U.S. that runs through mid-April. “I grew up in Wyoming, and I think there was like a week that we played pickleball, and then I kind of forgot about it for 20 years.”

At 31 years old, Munsick is absolutely hooked on America’s fastest-growing sport.

It has become a staple activity with his entire touring party.

“I’m trying to remember the first time it was introduced to me on the road because that’s really when it started to become more of a thing in my life,” pondered Munsick. “I got a new drummer back in August of last year, and he had played pickleball with his old band that he was touring with. He was like, ‘Man, we’ve got to get a pickleball court out here. It’s a blast. It’s easy to just kind of chalk up a court in a parking lot.’ I just went on Amazon and ordered the net and the paddles, and we’ve just been playing a lot.”

An Instagram Reel published in November 2024 showcased Munsick’s pickleball chops to his social media followers.

It appears that he can also play the role of ball boy to perfection, too.

“Whenever we play arenas, that’s the best because the floor is usually compatible, the ball bounces good, and there’s plenty of room,” said Munsick. “But, there’s also times where if it’s a beautiful day outside, we’ll just wheel it out into the parking lot by the tour buses, chalk up a court, and do it outside.”

Time spent on the 20x44 is therapeutic for Munsick and company.

Life on the road can be chaotic, and pickleball helps manage that from city to city.

"I’m one of those guys that needs to exercise every day. This lifestyle that we live is extremely travel-heavy. You’re just kind of waiting around all day and then you get thrown into action. You’re on an airplane or you’re on a tour bus, so there’s a lot of static," explained Munsick. "Being able to play pickleball with my band and my crew is just a cool way to compete with each other, so it’s a great way to experience activity within our tour camp."

The man behind songs like "Long Live Cowgirls" and "Long Haul" confirmed that a notable music industry executive really solidified his passion for the game.

His name is Brian O'Connell, the head of country touring for Live Nation.

"Brian is a fierce pickleball competitor, and he’s an older guy. He caught wind that we played and he challenged us [while we were on tour with Lainey Wilson], and he really taught me how to play the proper way and not just kind of the pick-up way, so through him, we really learned a lot about pickleball," noted Munsick. "It’s a very easy way to get the blood flowing. It has the convenience of ping-pong, but it has the openness of tennis, which I think is just a really cool mixture, very addicting."

Munsick still needs to hone his pickleball skills, of course, but it sounds like he has internalized some of O'Connell's lessons and enjoyed a measure of success.

A win is a win, right?

"I can only compare my game to who I’ve played and what I’ve experienced. We always have tournaments where we play singles and then doubles. I’ve won the singles tournament a few times, and our camp ranges from pretty good to not very good, and probably no really good players. But, I love to compete," said Munsick. "I think I’m pretty athletic, so I just have always loved to play sports. But, when we started playing with Brian, I was like, ‘Ok, this guy is on a whole new level!’ - and he’s twice my age. It’s easy to see how people could just be very, very good at that sport."

As for his favorite part about hitting the court...

"I really like just the reaction, having to react to what your opponent is playing," mentioned Munsick. "There’s a ton of strategy involved, so being able to quickly respond or react to your opponent, I think that’s the most addicting part of the game for me."

Now, if he could only get hooked on Pickleballtv.

"I definitely want to watch it with my band guys," concluded Munsick with a laugh. "Just to see how bad we are at it."

Click here to visit Munsick's official website.

Click here to pre-order Munsick's album, Eagle Feather, set for release on April 18.