One of the classic Thanksgiving traditions across America is the family backyard game.

Whether it’s softball with makeshift bases before dinner or the post-meal flag football game, it’s a tradition as popular as the turkey itself. 
 
For pro pickleball players and their families, however, it’s no surprise that their Thanksgiving game of choice is a pickleball tournament.
 
Allyce Jones and her family are quite the avid pickleball players.

Everyone plays, and her daughter Leah has even competed in her fair share of Junior PPA tournaments.

This time around, their Thanksgiving will primarily involve travel... but pickleball will make an appearance.

“We are going to the Welk Resort in Escondido, California and we’re going to play pickleball, swim, and maybe spend a day at Disneyland,” said Jones. “My whole family likes to play pickleball, so we’ll definitely hit the court. But, our priority is getting some good family time together.”
 
Meanwhile, Jack Sock will be celebrating his son Brody’s first Thanksgiving.  

“We’re having family and extended family over for a nice, relaxing day eating a lot of food and watching some football. My favorite is the stuffing,” he said. 
“We'll probably play some pickleball. My father-in-law and my wife love to play. We have a pickleball court in the backyard, so if the weather is nice, we’ll definitely burn off some calories and play a bit.”
 
For their part, Ben Johns and his family hold a proper pickleball tournament. 
 
“My family meets back in Maryland. My mom is an amazing cook. She makes two types of homemade bread, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberries, and three types of pie. It’s just incredible,” said Johns. “But, the classic turkey and gravy is what I’m most looking forward to.”

After fueling up, that’s when the game begins.

The Johns clan boasts world-class pickleball players in Ben and Collin Johns, of course, but essentially everyone plays at a high level.
 
“We used to play football every Thanksgiving. It’s kind of our turkey bowl, but my mom said we have too many people where their hands are too valuable and we don’t want to injure them,” explained Johns. “We have two pickleball players, a pianist, and a dentist, so she ousted the football this year and switched it to pickleball instead. We’re playing doubles, and the boys have to play lefty. We have about a dozen people, so there will be two teams of six and we’ll rotate.”
 
Things might get a little competitive on Thanksgiving Day.

“A couple of my younger sisters are kind of powerhouses, so I think whichever team gets Maggie and Georgia will probably win,” he said.
 
There's no better way to spend the holiday than with family, good food, and playing the sport they love.