LAFAYETTE, La. — St. Thomas More senior offensive guard Tyler Ritz spends his offseason on the pickleball court and he's not going alone.
Ritz noted the sport is more than just a way to pass time between football seasons.
"Pickleball is fun to me right now. Pickleball is just easy, simple, works on hand-eye coordination and moving around laterally and everything," he explained. "So it helps with aspects of football too, you know."
His regular partner on the court is the same one lining up next to him on the field his center, whom he calls "Big Al."
"Me and Big Al are partners right there," Ritz stated. "I've known him freshman year, we both thought each other as competitive, and then as soon as we met each other, we're gonna be friends."
St. Thomas More offensive coordinator Shane Savoie added that the connection between the two goes beyond friendship.
"Him and Ritz bonded more that guard-center works together in so many different ways. And from a football standpoint, they do a lot of things in tandem… because of the bond from playing next to each other for so long and the friendship they have," Savoie noted.
Ritz added that having his center beside him gives him an edge.
"A big guy having the same twin next to me. Same size and everything," he expressed. "If we get made fun of, it's both of us against one. So, you know, it's already trouble."
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