Pierce  Harman

Pierce Harman

Country
Division A1
DOB
Hand Left handed
Height 6'2"
Bio Q & A with Pierce:

How did I get introduced to the sport? I just kept riding my bicycle through Venice Beach and stopping and watching and thinking- damn this looks fun. Then I ordered a paddle (the wrong type) online and began showing up to the courts and immediately people there included me, got me the “right” paddle, etc.

Why did you fall in love with the sport?.
I fell in love with the sport because of the diversity of good people and the sense of community there. I mean, I loved pickup basketball as a kid, at the playground, trying to get “picked” and to perform but at the end of the day it was being a part of something cool and athletic on a beautiful afternoon, something that we were all shaping together, an ethos of fair play. I am 10 years old playing paddle at Venice Beach, feeling the same awe and intensity with which I first discovered sports.

Why Streetpaddle? I’ve played tennis for 45 years and some “platform paddle” during recent Boston winters, but Streetpaddle is a different order of pleasure. It’s so dynamic — I like that it demands an offensive posture, moving in, closing — but that one can still crack the ball from the baseline. And I sorta like the proximity of the players…we’re all ten feet apart, so there’s plenty of “chatter”. Who doesn’t like “chatter”?

What are your plans for the sport?
I hope to compete in the tournaments. It’s the best way to meet new people and to keep growing my skill set. But let’s face it, even having streetpaddle be a social stopover for a quick sweat before enjoying a cocktail and a setting sun in Venice Beach is pretty darned lovely. It isn’t just sports or competition for me…it’s a mood.

A little about your history?

I grew up in Washington DC playing lacrosse and tennis, spent a decade teaching political science and then built a small buisness in Boston. It wasn’t until covid that I had the free time to come and explore Los Angeles, to step away from routine and re-enter pure discovery. I tried surfing first, with joy but limited success, and then streetpaddle just grabbed me by the ears…. I’m now trying to manage to be “bi-coastal” …