
Bobby Edwards 'super grateful' to support Rohrabacher on pickleball journey
There’s been plenty of attention on pro pickleball WAGs (wives and girlfriends), but what about the BAHs (boyfriends and husbands)? Across the country, there are incredible men traveling alongside their pro pickleball partners—supporting them courtside, helping with training, and playing a huge role behind the scenes in their success.
Bobby Edwards is Rachel Rohrabacher’s significant other, and he’s a familiar face at tournaments who proudly refers to himself as a “full-time pickleball fiancé.”
“It feels like just yesterday she burst onto the pro scene,” said Edwards. “But this life is something that I know won’t last forever, and I’m super grateful to be able to be present with her here. It’s super rewarding.”
Edwards and Rohrabacher got engaged last December and have been together since 2020, well before she ever picked up America's fastest-growing sport.
Along the way, Edwards has had a front-row seat to her journey from college tennis to the pickleball's elite circuit.
“Rachel went pro a couple of months after we first moved in together in Indiana. I just thought pickleball was going to be a great way for her to meet people and make friends, because we were in the middle of nowhere in Indiana. It was cold and she didn’t know anyone, and I thought pickleball would be a great social thing for her,” he explained.
“But then she met Jade and Jackie Kawamoto, and they were her original pickleball friends. She’d practice with them, and I sometimes would play with them, but I saw how good she was getting. Then, she got drafted to the Orlando Squeeze. It’s been a crazy sequence of events since, but I’ve loved every second of it.”
During that time, Edwards was a goalkeeper for the Indy Eleven, giving him a firsthand understanding of how exciting, unconventional, and unique life as a professional athlete can be.
More recently, the couple relocated to Tampa, FL, so Rohrabacher could train and be closer to other pros.
Edwards rarely plays competitive pickleball with Rohrabacher. After all, she’s ranked among the top five women in the sport.
When they do share the court, though, it’s no surprise that Rohrabacher eases up a bit on her soon-to-be husband.
“She’s very loving and supportive when we play together, and I can feel her taking it easy on me. Then I’ll tell her to stop taking it easy on me, and that’s usually when I get hit in my chest and I eat my words quickly,” he mentioned. “I don’t play pickleball much because it’s almost frustrating for me. I watch so much pickleball and I understand what should be happening, and I cannot even come close to doing it.”
At the end of the day, Edwards appreciates his pickleball fiancé duties.
“I’m very grateful that I selected such a wonderful person,” he concluded. “When I go to these tournaments, I just get to hang out with my best friend and cheer her on, and I just really enjoy it.”
The couple are set to exchange vows in 2026.
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