One of the staples of summertime television is Big Brother. And in just a few days, the long-running reality show will feature a particularly intriguing contestant: Rome Seymour.

Seymour, a 28-year-old pickleball coach from Delray Beach, Florida, has competed in several men’s doubles qualifiers on the PPA Tour over the past few years. This summer, he’ll trade the courts for the Big Brother house, cutting himself off from the outside world as he competes for a $750,000 grand prize.

“I would describe myself as bashful, extroverted, and extremely excitable,” said Seymour. “To be on Big Brother is a dream. I’ve never felt anything more exciting than this.”

Although, Seymour may want to reserve that level of excitement—because anyone who’s witnessed a 19-19 DreamBreaker between the New Jersey 5s and the St. Louis Shock at an MLP event might argue that nothing tops that kind of intensity for a pickleball enthusiast.

As a pickleball coach, Seymour seems well-equipped to succeed on the show. Competing in Big Brother requires a mix of athleticism for demanding physical challenges and sharp thinking to navigate the game’s strategy, two areas that are second nature to anyone who spends serious time on the court.

Then there’s the social element. At its core, Big Brother is a relationship game, and there may be no better training ground for that than pickleball. Whether it’s managing emotions while playing against bangers, keeping composure in tense moments, or building quick connections with new partners and opponents, the court constantly tests your ability to work with different personalities. Those same skills can be a major advantage inside the house.

At the end of the day, pickleball and reality competition shows share the same core ingredients: physical ability, mental toughness, strategic awareness, and strong social instincts. It might be a bit early to call it, but could Rome Seymour be our BB28 winner? It’s not out of the question.

In his preseason interviews, Seymour made one thing clear. He’s “extremely competitive”and “talks a lot of trash.” That should make him not only a fun opponent, but also an entertaining houseguest.

More than anything, though, I’m excited for Seymour’s profession to get a spotlight in front of a massive audience—many of whom probably have no idea pickleball coaches even exist, let alone that you can be a pro at it. You can already picture the moment: the houseguests standing in a circle for those first introductions, Seymour says he’s a pro pickleball coach, and it cuts to reactions like, “A pro pickleball coach!? That’s a thing!?”

As the summer unfolds and conversations turn to life outside the house, pickleball is bound to come up again and again, giving the sport some valuable exposure.

By the end of the season, don’t be surprised if the houseguests, the production crew, and even fans watching at home feel inspired to pick up a paddle and give it a try, all because one contestant happens to be a coach.

I didn’t expect pickleball to make its way into my favorite reality shows this quickly, but I’m glad it has. Now, it’s just a matter of waiting for the action to begin.

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