Summary:
Pickleball pro and community leader Miguel Enciso reclaims full social connection and on-court comfort with Widex Allure hearing aids, customized to support both his sport and everyday life.
Key takeaways:
- Enciso’s unexpected hearing loss prompted him to seek treatment to preserve the social connection central to pickleball and coaching.
- Widex Allure’s customization—especially filtering sharp paddle sounds—enhanced comfort and awareness during play.
- Advanced features like streaming, long battery life, and discreet styling help Enciso stay connected and active far beyond the court.
For Miguel Enciso, pickleball is a lifelong passion. After a childhood filled with play and an industrious career in television, he recently rediscovered pickleball at a local park in California. What began as casual participation soon grew into leadership; as an appointed United States Pickleball Ambassador, Enciso helped build his Oak Park community to more than 200 members. His career then expanded from player to instructor, first at Westlake Athletic Club and later at Sherwood Country Club, where he continues to coach today.
Enciso’s influence also extends beyond the court. During the pandemic, he created viral videos, including one with over 28 million views. He even wrote and performed a beloved song, The Pickleball Life.
Despite his active lifestyle, Enciso hadn’t remotely considered hearing loss a serious concern until an unexpected moment in midair. “I was on a flight and my ears just wouldn’t pop,” he recalled. That discomfort led him to an ENT doctor, who referred him for an audiology test. To his surprise, the results revealed measurable hearing loss.
At first, he was shocked – but he quickly came around to the idea of immediate intervention. “Pickleball is a social game. The laughter, the banter, and the cheering all knit together the community I value,” he said. “Hearing loss threatens to erode that experience. If I can’t hear or engage fully, it can lead to isolation. That’s not the life I want.”
Hearing Aids a Game Changer
Enciso visited Dr Hang Lam at West Coast Hearing & Balance Center for a hearing aid fitting, who recommended he try Widex Allure, based on its sleek aesthetics and sound quality. Once they were on, he noticed a dramatic difference in the sound around him. “It was fascinating to suddenly hear amplified sounds that I hadn’t noticed in years,” he emphasized.
Working with Dr Lam, Enciso had the settings customized specifically for pickleball, dialing down the sharp, high-pitched tones of the ball striking the paddle. The adjustment made the game far more comfortable to play without sacrificing awareness of the action around him, he said.
“I find myself noticing sounds I hadn’t heard before, the rustling of leaves, the background chatter in a room,” he said. “Watching TV and listening to the car radio is more comfortable, and I no longer have to crank the volume at the expense of those around me. I truly forget I’m wearing them most of the time, but I never forget the difference they make.”
In addition to its advanced, customizable sound quality, Enciso says Widex Allure’s wearer-friendly features have made on-the-go adjustments easy for him. “The app gave me a lot of flexibility to tweak the sound when I needed to,” he noted. “The ability to personalize his hearing settings felt empowering. The app is simple enough that I could make it work for me.”
Benefits Beyond the Court
For Enciso, Widex Allure delivers benefits that extend well past pickleball. For one, streaming audio directly from his phone seamlessly turns his hearing aids into earbuds, whether he listens to music or takes calls. Plus, long battery life, often up to 18 hours, allows him to move through long days on the court without worry.
The discreet design and rose gold color also help ease concerns about appearance. But the real impact, Enciso said, is social. Today, he continues to coach, create, and inspire with the added clarity of sound that helps him connect more deeply with those around him.
“Hearing loss doesn’t have to hold you back,” he said. “The technology is here, and it can give you back the moments that matter, conversations, laughter, music, the rhythm of life. If you value connection and quality of life, addressing your hearing health is one of the most important steps you can take.”
