Pickleball Magazine 7-3 WD | Page 48

own teaching academy , CP Pickleball Academy . “ Many players used to have a full-time job when they competed in order to make a living , and now they can do so just through playing professional pickleball . Also , the fact that pickleball has been on different networks such as ESPN 3 , CBS Sports , Tennis Channel , and others has really provided tremendous exposure for the players .”
Sponsorship dollars for tournaments and athletes are starting to increase dramatically as well and Parenteau has felt its surge personally , recently signing a partnership deal with Skechers , which offers a diverse range of lifestyle and performance footwear , apparel and accessories for men , women and kids .
“ It means a lot to me to be partnered with a brand that is so passionate about designing footwear with the athlete in mind . Skechers may be new to pickleball , but they ’ ve been innovating with comfort technology in their award-winning performance footwear for many years ,” she said . “ The designers nailed it with the Skechers Viper Court . It features everything I need to stay comfortable on the court so that I can focus on achieving my goals — like winning gold ! And it was an incredible experience playing alongside my fellow Skechers athlete , Tyson McGuffin , at the US Open . What a week in Naples , and this is just the beginning with so much more to come for this great sport !” The duo captured the bronze in mixed doubles .
Johnson is also a pickleball athlete on the rise for sponsors ’ interest and chimed in with his thoughts on the meteoric rise of the sport of pickleball : “ There are several factors — the creation of the professional tours , the continuous growth of the sport at the local levels , the influx of talented players — and there ’ s just a lot of people with money now who love the game . There are certainly people like Seymour Rifkind who are working tirelessly to bring the sport to the Olympic stage , but there are also other types of events being held that are really bringing it to the forefront , such as Major League Pickleball and the APP holding a tournament at the iconic Flushing Meadows in NYC , site of tennis ’ US Open .”
During the year , the total number of pickleball players in this country will top 5 million and with its exponential worldwide growth not likely to wane at all , seeing country flags flying in Los Angeles in 2028 for the Summer Olympic Games or in Australia in 2032 may eventually become a reality . •
Gold medal winner in Senior Men ’ s Pro Singles — the fierce Mattias Johansson .
Photo by Scott H . Shook ; Coastal Breeze News
The determined look of champion Beth Bellamy in Senior Women ’ s Pro Singles .
Photo by Scott H . Shook ; Coastal Breeze News
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