Known for his explosive energy, Selkirk Sparta Pro Rafa Lenhard has been making waves on the pro tournament circuit since he earned a contract at the first pickleball combine in September 2025.
Ahead of the Spring 2026 Combine, Lenhard caught up with the Selkirk team to reflect on his experience, his accomplishments since the combine, and share some insights into his pickleball routine.
The combine experience
Looking back at the combine, what was the most challenging part of the advanced performance testing? Why?
The most challenging part about the performance testing was having to push to our physical limits for each of the exercises, whereas in normal day-to-day training, we pace ourselves to achieve more repetitions.
It's also worth mentioning that the testing ranges from explosiveness, power, dexterity, and reaction, which means your body has to adjust to many different movements in quick succession, which increases the difficulty.
Was there a specific metric or piece of feedback from the Combine that surprised you about your own athleticism?
To be completely honest, no. I had been working extremely hard on and off the court the whole year, and I was pleased to see it pay off with good results across all testing metrics.
Why would you encourage other emerging pros to apply for future Sparta Combines? What makes this program different from a standard sponsorship?
To start off, the combine is an incredibly fun and rewarding experience as an athlete. It felt like "once in a lifetime" when I was there. This program is different from a standard sponsorship because it is a comprehensive contract. It not only includes monetary compensation, but also off-court ambassadorship opportunities and duties, along with gear and other "nice-to-haves."
What is one piece of advice you’d give to an athlete who is currently grinding in the early draws and wants to reach the Sparta level of performance?
Break the game down into four pillars: technical, tactical, physical, and mental. Work every day to improve each of those, even if by a small margin, and you will be poised to see major improvements in your game.
Since the Combine, what has been your favorite or biggest achievement on the court?
It has to be getting a win over the world No. 1 player, Fed Staksrud, and earning my first PPA Main Tour medal with a Bronze in Daytona. Honorable mentions are first ever CAPA Triple Crown, as well as gold in gender and mixed doubles on the PPA Challenger Circuit.
Rafa's secrets to success
Your game is defined by high energy. How do you use your personality as a tactical weapon to disrupt the rhythm of more conservative opponents?
Bit of a trick question. I try not to focus on my opponents, but rather on what I need to do to make sure I achieve the right balance between nerves and calmness to play my best. With that said, if I win an important point or a cool point, you better believe a fist pump follows that. Also, the more energy from the crowd, the better!
You have some of the quickest feet in the game. What is your secret to training for speed and agility?
Ladder work, sprint starts, and big compound lifts like deadlifts and squats to get those fast-twitch muscle fibers firing.
You bring a unique style to the U.S. pro circuit. Are there specific shots or tricks from your sporting background that you’ve successfully snuck into your pickleball game?
In tennis, I used to mostly slice backhands and run around to hit forehands, which I feel shows in my cat and mouse play as well as my ability to hit ATPs from the backhand side. I tend to use one hand on the paddle for the backhand more than most players, who can also hit a two-handed backhand drive.
You’ve recently traveled to Brazil to visit family and teach clinics. How do you see the game growing there, and how do you plan to be involved in its growth abroad?
I think the sport of pickleball in Brazil is a ticking time bomb. There are simply very few countries that bolster such a passionate fan base for sports like Brazil does.
Once the entire country realizes how great a sport pickleball is, the growth will be exponential. We are now at a point where, no matter where you are in the country, you can find courts at most 45 minutes away.
My vision and ultimate goal as an athlete is to represent Brazil in the 2032 Olympics if pickleball can make it there (or 2036, doesn't matter, I will still be playing!) I plan to go down to São Paulo at some point this year to teach more clinics and connect with the ambassadors there, which is currently the heart of Brazil pickleball. It would mean even more if I could bring Selkirk to Brazil, somehow, someway.
You went from a qualifier mentality to being a top-ranked challenger. How has your tactical approach changed with that shift?
It actually hasn't changed much. One of my favorite sayings in sports is "Don't change a winning game plan." What got me to the dance from the qualifying days is also what kept me at the dance when I came up against the big dogs.
Now it's more about fine-tuning the skill set and continuing to add more layers to my game so I can raise my floor and have success against a wider array of players.
Fast facts:
Short, fun answers only!
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Your go-to warm-up song: "Feel Good" by Gorillaz
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Most surprising item in your bag: A tennis ball!
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Post-tournament cheat meal: Any fast food will do, but what's never missing is an indulgent treat like a milkshake or cookies.
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Favorite recovery method: Ice bath
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If you weren’t a pro pickleballer, what would your dream job be?: Doesn't exist. But for the sake of the question, I will say a color commentator.
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One word to describe the Sparta Program: Rewarding
