is exactly what he did when inventing the first composite pickleball paddle . He got his first material from the Boeing surplus store .”
The culmination of Arlen ’ s ingenuity was the development of lightweight panels with honeycomb cores that Boeing had used extensively in aircraft interiors . Arlen built pickleball ’ s first lightweight paddles . Players were excited with the new models , and soon thereafter Arlen formed the Ultra-Lite Paddle Company , home to the Pro-Lite line of paddles .
“ Dad turned our garage into a pickleball manufacturing plant and made them assembly-line style ,” Steve recalled . “ He had about 20 steps involved in making each paddle including routing , silk screening , applying edge guards , assembling grips and making end caps .”
Arlen Paranto created the first composite pickleball paddle in 1984 and that was the genesis of improved technology of the paddle . Pickleball became a more enjoyable sport — lighter paddles meant prolonged rallies with larger sweet spots . “ It took many years before other companies started making composite paddles — for almost 20 years , virtually all tournaments were won using a Pro-Lite ,” said Steve .
By 2018 , more than 100 companies were manufacturing composite paddles and almost all of them clearly resembled the construction model of the original Pro-Lite paddle .
Steve had started playing pickleball in 1974 , and is enjoying his 50th year on the pickleball courts , winning events in six different decades . He taught elementary physical education for 30 years and is now a pickleball coach outside Portland , Oregon .
“ I may be the only 68-year-old who has played in tournaments with both their mom and dad ! Many of our tournaments in the ‘ 80s were on indoor / outdoor carpet . I have played in tournaments on cement , blacktop , tile , wood , carpet , rubber and today ’ s popular tennis surface ,” said Steve , who ’ s not intending on slowing down anytime soon .
“ My drive to keep competing is just because of the pure joy of playing the sport . I was a college tennis player and I enjoy the rallies and the strategies so much more in pickleball . Also , I love making new friends and seeing old friends while playing tournaments . The process of getting ready for competition has also kept me competing . I love continuing to improve various shots and strategies .”
What started as tinkering around in his garage eventually led Arlen Paranto to induction into pickleball ’ s first-ever Hall of Fame class in 2017 . “ I was so happy to
STEVE AND HIS DAD ON THE COURT IN 2017 , THE YEAR ARLEN WAS INDUCTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME ALONG WITH THE FOUNDERS OF THE SPORT .
be by my dad ’ s side when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame with the inaugural class ,” Steve recalled . “ He was inducted along with the inventors and players he respected so much . It was a very emotional night for both of us . I did my dad ’ s introduction speech that night and it wasn ’ t easy for me to fight back the tears . I will never forget that evening and still remember my dad looking at me while he was accepting this honor . My dad accomplished a lot in his life , but I feel he was most proud of being inducted into the Pickleball Hall of Fame .”
Steve ’ s own pride was bursting at the seams in 2019 as he too was inducted into the sport ’ s hallowed hall . “ I was inducted into the Hall of Fame two years after my dad , and at the time I was notified , my dad was in hospice care and didn ’ t have long to live . The moment I found out , I drove four hours to my dad ’ s hospice care facility so that I could tell him in person . I took a picture of him that day with his Hall of Fame jacket on top of him .”
It is beyond rare when family members enter their respective sports ’ Hall of Fame , and for Steve Paranto , his love of pickleball endures and continues to grow stronger with each passing year . “ I am currently teaching pickleball about 70 hours a week at a great indoor pickleball club near Portland called RECS ,” he said .
“ I ’ m teaching players of all ages and abilities . It does not seem like a job at all . I ’ ve met so many great people and I simply love the joy of seeing my students enjoy the game so much . I also do some teaching at my two private indoor courts at my house . During my years coaching pickleball , I have coached over 10 national champions at either the pro level or highest skill level for the age they are competing in . And I ’ ve recently been involved in coaching young rising talent .”
Arlen and Steve Paranto , a doubles team that has revolutionized the sport of pickleball . •
Drew Wathey is a published author and screenwriter (“ A Season With Hope ”) and former director of communications for the PGA Tour ’ s Phoenix Open . Wathey is the owner of SportsLink , a home-based sports public relations and marketing company . He is also a national sports anchor for iHeart Radio . His family lives in Phoenix , Arizona .
MARCH / APRIL 2024 | MAGAZINE 37