Zach Miller has been a member of the Toyota U.S. Para Snowboard Team since 2018.

A two-time World Champion and a former Paralympian, Miller was also named “Best Athlete with a Disability” at the 2023 ESPY Awards. 

Interestingly enough, when he isn't training, one of his favorite activities just happens to be pickleball. 

At MLP Salt Lake City, Miller spoke about watching America's fastest-growing sport at the highest level.

“My first impressions of the pro pickleball players was that they play so aggressive. I knew the play was going to be a lot faster than how I play, but watching the pros play in person, their speed is on another level,” he said. “It’s so fun to watch some incredible shots and showcases of skill and technique. It’s really blown me away.” 

Seeing players like Anna Leigh Waters, Federico Staksrud, and Connor Garnett go about their business was extra special.

And Miller even noticed some key connections between snowboarding and pro pickleball along the way.

“At the elite level, I do see a few similarities, namely having to think on your feet and have that anticipation of what the opponent is going to do next. I compete in racing, so it’s one of those things where you can spend as much time as you want trying to make a plan of how you think the race is going to go against your three other competitors, but the second the gate opens, you’re really just reacting. I think pickleball is similar because once you serve, you’re really just reacting,” he described.

“When you’re under pressure, you’re defaulting to your highest level of training, so I can definitely see that in these athletes. When they get into those aggressive rallies or hands battles, it’s incredible to see them lock into that flow state, which is something I can definitely understand,” he added. 

Like most pro athletes who play pickleball in their free time, Miller has found it to be the perfect sport to experience the thrill of competition and have a lot of fun in the process. 

“I love being competitive, so pickleball is great for me to play. If I lose a pickleball match against my best friend, I’m going to be upset for the rest of the day,” he admitted. “If I win, I’m going to be rubbing it in his face for the rest of the week.”

Utah is also a pickleball hotspot, and Miller has witnessed the remarkable growth first-hand.

“Before I moved to Utah, I’d never really heard of pickleball. I don't think there was a single pickleball court in Colorado when I lived there, so I love being in Utah where there’s so many pickleball courts outside and inside so we can play year-round,” he concluded. “When I moved out to Utah because I made the USA team, I started playing pickleball with some friends who introduced me to it. I’ve had a lot of fun learning, playing the game, getting competitive, and now watching the pros play, too.”

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