By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
WHEN the Pickleball Federation of the Northern Mariana Islands officially announced its six-player Open Division roster for the upcoming 2026 Pickleball World Cup, it was not just a historic milestone for local athletics — it was a life-changing moment for one Saipan household.
For the Henzon family — husband and wife Ernie and Joan, along with their daughter Chelsea — the news came with a rush of excitement, gratitude, and emotion.
“When she first found out who made it to the CNMI team, my daughter Chelsea came right away to our room, all smiles and screaming with excitement that we all got in!” recalled Joan Henzon, 45. “It was something that we had all been waiting and looking forward to for a couple of months. We prayed and thanked God as it sank in that our family would travel to represent our beautiful island.”
Joan, alongside her husband Ernie, 47, and their 18-year-old standout daughter, Elisha Chelsea Henzon, will make up half of the roster representing Team CNMI in Da Nang, Vietnam, from Aug. 30 to Sept. 6, 2026. Along with teammates Mikayla Lopez, Sean Ficke, and Richard Asuncion, they will represent the Northern Mariana Islands at the international competition.
The Henzons’ rise to the CNMI team mirrors the rapid grassroots growth of pickleball on Saipan. Just six years ago, the sport was played on makeshift courts marked out in empty parking lots. Today, the federation is preparing to send a delegation to an event expected to draw nearly 4,000 athletes from more than 80 countries.
“It is amazing to see how the pickleball community has grown over the years,” Chelsea said. “Our pickleball federation has been very active from the beginning in promoting the sport on our island, and I think this opportunity is a great reward for all the hard work. To be included in the World Cup is such a huge blessing, and it is exciting to be part of the sport’s growth.”
The family’s introduction to pickleball was entirely unexpected and dates back to July 2022.
“We simply went to American Memorial Park to play tennis and found players using a different racquet and ball,” Joan explained. “Chelsea wanted to try it, and the players were very welcoming. They taught us about the game, lent us paddles, and played with us. From then on, we never stopped playing.”
Now, four years into their pickleball journey, the unique experience of having immediate family members as teammates brings both motivation and accountability.
“I consider it a great blessing that we were all selected to be part of the Open Team,” Joan said. “It is wonderful to play with Ernie and Chelsea because they are both very good players. Of course, there is sometimes pressure when you are competing alongside family members, but most of the time it serves as motivation and inspiration for me to keep improving. We watch each other’s matches, talk about them afterward, and discuss what we need to work on next. One of the best parts is that we get to spend time together during training.”
With the World Cup less than three months away, the training regimen inside the Henzon household has intensified. Their schedule is carefully divided between skill development, tactical drills, and high-level match play across multiple locations on Saipan.
The family trains at least three times a week at the Capital Hill and American Memorial Park courts, in addition to dedicated Wednesday evening sessions at the Tanapag indoor facility.
“It’s been busy for the players because we want to train as much as possible despite limited court availability and time constraints,” the family noted.
Their commitment extends beyond time spent on the court. Off-court hours are devoted to studying professional matches and using specialized training applications shared among CNMI ball placement, strategy, and defensive consistency.
The road to Vietnam, however, still requires overcoming a significant financial challenge. Federation officials have made it clear that fundraising efforts will ultimately determine the size of the traveling delegation. While the goal is to send the full six-player roster, financial realities mean community support will be crucial.
The CNMI continues to recover from the extensive damage caused by Super Typhoon Sinlaku, but the Henzons believe the team’s World Cup campaign represents an opportunity for the community to rally together.
“We understand that our island was recently devastated by a Category 5 storm, and this may not be the ideal time to seek support,” Chelsea said. “But by helping the pickleball team, you are doing more than helping fund a trip — you are helping young and older athletes pursue their dreams of competing on the world stage.”
For an island community rebuilding after disaster, sports have long served as a powerful source of unity and camaraderie. The Henzon family views its upcoming journey as an extension of that spirit of resilience.
“This opportunity for the CNMI to be represented at such a prestigious event is a tremendous opportunity for all of us,” Chelsea added. “Even as we continue to recover and rebuild, your support would demonstrate how the people of our beautiful island come together to uplift one another during challenging times. We sincerely thank everyone for their support.”
James Sablan has been a sports reporter for Variety since 2013. He was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College and covers all local sports.
