Feature love of the game with others . Sets include paddles , balls , sweatbands and a rules card .
“ We wanted to create a product that makes the pickleball gifting experience as fun and joyful as possible ,” she explained .
As booming as the industry is right now , Elizabeth Brown believes there ’ s still room for growth . The founder of Solar Paddles has been manufacturing beach tennis paddles since 2019 and is now ready to move into pickleball paddles .
“ I ’ m genuinely excited by the existing infrastructure within the sport of pickleball , how well tournaments are organized , and the unwavering dedication the players have for the game ,” she said . “ Pickleball has 36 million RAVING fans . My aim is to channel that same level of passion and bring a fresh perspective to the pickleball community through Solar . I want to build new experiences in addition to new equipment for players to love and play the game .”
Other women in the business include Maggie Brown , who launched Recess Pickleball along with childhood friend Grace Moore . Their goal is to create products that are as fun and approachable as the game itself . Salpi Dunlap , another new entry , is in startup mode with her company , One More Pickleball .
Carly Bellis and Courtney Campbell started their company , Swinton Pickleball , after a rainy day on the courts .
While occupying different niches within the industry and courting different consumers , the common thread among these women is a deep love of the game , a genuine desire to share it with others , and an excitement for its potential to create connection .
“ Pickleball is a love fest ,” Aiken said . “ Everyone should be able to enjoy it and have a laugh . Teaching the sport and watching people fall in love with pickleball is as addictive as playing . There ’ s such beauty in seeing people become happy . It sounds so corny , but it brings people together . Watching people fall in love with something is so joyful . It really gives you such a great sense of purpose .” •
Karen Price is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has covered Olympic and Paralympic sports for various publications . She is a freelance contributor to USA Pickleball on behalf of Red Line Editorial , Inc .
Swinton paddles on display .
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