2022 USA PICKLEBALL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
From the CEO
We will look back on 2022 as the breakout year for pickleball and maybe the most significant year in the history of the sport , other than perhaps 1965 when the game was created on Bainbridge Island ,
Washington .
Certainly , pickleball has been talked about for the past few years as increasing in popularity and being “ the fastest-growing sport in America ,” but the explosion of media coverage in 2022 has been extraordinary . A close friend said to me the other day , mostly in jest , that he is “ tired of reading and hearing about pickleball everywhere .” I told him to get used to it because pickleball is becoming a mainstream sport and is here to stay … it is not a fad .
So what has happened this year to push our game into the stratosphere of American sports culture ? A lot .
Pickleball is benefiting from three pro entities ( APP , PPA and MLP ) that are generating significant interest in the sport through competition schedules , broadcast coverage , celebrity events , and investment by star athletes from other sports . These tours are doing a great job promoting the sport to a broader audience , and USA Pickleball supports their efforts to help grow the game ( and be profitable , which is not a bad thing ).
But the key is what ’ s happening at the grassroots level . Yes , national media coverage and pro sports tours help a lot , but the game is also exploding and being talked about because more recreational pickleball clubs and leagues are being established , more equipment and apparel is being sold , more courts are being built ( although not enough ) and more people are discovering our amazing game and making it a part of their lives . Will 2023 be as wild and eventful as this year ? Who knows , but it promises to be a fun ride .
As we wind down 2022 , I would like to thank the national staff who have worked tirelessly over the course of the year , as well as Board of Directors members and USA Pickleball Ambassadors , each of whom has volunteered countless hours to the organization . Most importantly , we extend a huge thanks to our members , who support us and the great sport of pickleball every day . All of us at USA Pickleball wish you a safe and happy holiday season !
Best Regards , Stu Upson CEO
By Stu Upson
USA PICKLEBALL CEO
BOARD CHAIRMAN Robert Quicksilver
BOARD VICE CHAIR Ernie Medina
AT-LARGE BOARD MEMBERS
Philip Bullen Mark Fabbro Bob Franceschelli Suzanne Guerin Stephanie Russell
USA PICKLEBALL STAFF
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Stu Upson
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Justin Maloof
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Dan Ellsworth
CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Chuck Menke
MANAGING DIRECTOR OF COMPETITION & SANCTIONING
Karen Parrish
MANAGING DIRECTOR OF RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS
Hope Tolley
MANAGING DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP
Nikki Greene
MANAGING DIRECTOR OF OFFICIATING
Mark Peifer
MANAGING DIRECTOR OF EQUIPMENT STANDARDS & FACILITY DEVELOPMENT
Carl Schmits
MANAGING DIRECTOR OF PRO PLAYER RELATIONS & EQUIPMENT COMPLIANCE
Donn Paben
MANAGING DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS
John Greene
MANAGING DIRECTOR OF FIELD OPERATIONS
Lance Cowart
DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIP SERVICES
Karen Weiss
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND CONTENT