PPBRVA to be Home to Virginia’s Top-Rated Player
Richmond, VA – Performance Pickleball RVA is ecstatic to welcome Jhonnatan Medina Alvarez to the Performance Team. Medina Alvarez, the most accomplished and recognizable pickleball player in Virginia, will headline the Performance Team as he competes professionally on the PPA and APP tours. PPBRVA will also serve as Medina Alvarez’s official training home, where he will also provide clinical and individual instruction to the RVA pickleball community.
“From the beginning, Lee (Warfield) and I recognized that for Performance to reach its full potential, Jhonnatan needed to be a part of it,” said PPBRVA COO Jon Laaser. “His unrivaled passion for the game is on full display whenever he competes, but witnessing that passion extend to growing the sport in the RVA and Virginia pickleball communities made him the only choice to headline our brand.”
Orginally from Caracas, VZ, Medina Alvarez was a decorated tennis player, competing for his home country in national and global competitions. He also thrived as a professional player and as a coach. After transitioning to pickleball, he rose to become the top-ranked player in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is currently ranked #5 on the APP Tour men’s singles ladder. In 2023, he has already claimed three medals on the APP Tour.
“When Jon (Laaser) and Lee (Warfield) approached me with their vision for Performance Pickleball RVA, I was impressed immediately,” said Medina Alvarez. “As a former professional tennis player and Division-I collegiate coach, I understand the importance of doing everything at a high level, and PPBRVA will be exactly that! That is why I decided to become a part of this journey with a great group of people that share the same passion for the growth of pickleball in our city and our state.”
Medina Alvarez is a Pello sponsored player, and recently debuted his signature paddle, “Vamos,” which will be available for purchase in the PBBRVA pro shop. He is also a published author, having penned Results Generate Results: Sports Data & Agility, Tennis and Pickleball. Additionally, he is a noted speaker throughout the community and frequently donates his time and talents to charitable causes throughout the region.
The newly-minted Performance Pickleball apparel brand will feature a signature “JMA” line, which Medina Alvarez will help design. He will wear this line while competing professionally. PPBRVA will also offer clinics headlined by Medina Alvarez designed to take players of all skill levels to their full potential.
”My biggest goal is to provide a connection from the professional pickleball perspective to all of our players at PPBRVA,” added Medina Alvarez. “It is my desire to share the knowledge and experience I have gained during my training and competing against the best players in the world.”
Medina Alvarez will make his Performance Team debut while seeking his fourth medal of the season on the APP Tour at the Sunmed St. Louis Open, August 9-13.
Membership packages for PPBRVA are currently available for reservation and can be viewed at PPBRVA.com.
