Grandfather and 10-year-old form unlikely pickleball team
BERLIN, N.J. (CBS) -- Pickleball continues to explode in popularity across the United States.
In South Jersey, the sport is bringing together an unlikely pair to the court.
It's 8:30 a.m. Thursday and Jase Volz is well into his first pickleball game of the day.
Not even a year ago, the 10-year-old from Sicklerville started playing.
For him, the game is a family affair.
"My dad invited me out to play and then we started playing more and playing more," Volz said.
Arguably Volz's biggest support is his grandfather – or "pops" as he calls him.
But John Volz isn't cheering him on from the stands. He's on the court.
"If you look at me, I have braces all over my body just to keep my knees and joints in shape, but I do what I have to do just to play," John Volz said.
That's right – 10-year-old Jase and 69-year-old John are pickleball partners.
"This sport it's not that weird because anybody can play together," Jase Volz said.
"We wind up playing guys that are in their 20s and 30s," John Volz said. "They probably see us coming and think it's all over, we're going to kill these guys, and Jase pulls out the magic and we wind up winning."
Together they play against family and friends, but they also the two now compete in tournaments.
Last weekend was their first.
"We communicate well together and we just have a great time," John Volz said.
"He takes more of the overheads because I'm short," Jase Volz said.
The two love pickleball, but more importantly, win or lose, both say they love the game because they love playing together.
"I love playing with him and it's a fun memory," Jaze Volz said.
There's no date on the calendar just yet, but the duo says they're planning on playing in more pickleball tournaments together very soon.