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“Pickleball changed my life. It gave me the chance to compete again at the highest level of the sport.”

It’s not every day that a qualifier makes it to a pro singles final, whether it’s in pickleball or any other sport — and yet that’s exactly what 23-year-old Collin Shick managed to pull off at the PPA’s Red Clay Hot Sauce Florida Open earlier this year.

Yet meteoric as his rise may appear, it didn’t come completely out of the blue. Shick is a former collegiate tennis player specialized in doubles who considers Rafael Nadal his role model. Suffice it to say he’s no stranger to racquet sports.

After deciding against a pro tennis career, Collin started playing pickleball for the same reason all of us do — for fun. Yet what started as a fun pastime quickly evolved into an obsession. Ultimately, it was the team spirit that drew him to pickleball the most.

“In my experience with college tennis, team events have always been my favorite thing,” says Collin. “Whether it was juniors or college, I love playing for a team and having your teammates grinding with you day in and day out."

A med student at the University of North Carolina, Collin was playing pickleball at a local park with a friend one day when the UNC Pickleball Club president walked up and encouraged him to join the club.

That’s when Collin discovered DUPR Collegiate tournaments. “My favorite memory is winning the first-ever DUPR Collegiate National Championship,” he says. “That was pretty special, it was the first real professional pickleball event I ever played in.”

After a little over a year of perfecting his pickleball skills, Collin decided to go pro in 2023, with a sponsorship from Selkirk and joined DUPR as a DUPR athlete in July 2023.

After reaching the quarterfinals in the Boca Masters in January, Collin went on to compete in PPA’s Florida Open in Daytona, where he barely lost to Ben Johns in the finals.

Wondering how Collin manages to juggle med school, pro pickleball, and being a college athlete all at the same time?

“I like to stay busy. I can’t study all day, every day in medical school. I love getting out there, getting some exercise, and getting to be competitive again. Also, working on something new, that’s how I stay motivated.”

Clearly the future is looking bright for Collin. Here’s to his success and to many more matches where he keeps us at the edge of our seats!

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DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating) is thrilled to announce its expansion into China with the launch of its new club – DUPR China. This strategic move aims to standardize ratings in pickleball competitions across the country and promote the rapid growth of the sport among Chinese players. DUPR China will be led in collaboration with Yui See Lau, Co-Founder of the Canadian National Pickleball League.

China's deep-rooted passion for racquet sports has laid a solid foundation for the introduction and development of pickleball. With its unique blend of strategy, skill, and fun, pickleball promises to captivate Chinese tennis, badminton, and ping pong athletes and provide them with an exciting new opportunity to delve into the world’s fastest-growing sport.

DUPR China will revolutionize the pickleball landscape in China by implementing a standardized ranking system, ensuring fair and accurate evaluations of players' skills and achievements. By introducing consistent ratings, DUPR China will offer players a clear path to track their progress and compete against opponents of similar abilities. This initiative aims to foster healthy competition, inspire new players, and elevate the overall level of play in China's pickleball community.

Yui See Lau, Co-Founder of the Canadian National Pickleball League, will be partnering with DUPR to lead the charge in China. Yui See’s understanding of the industry’s dynamics combined with his passion for promoting pickleball make him an invaluable addition to the DUPR China team. Together, DUPR and Yui See will work to ensure the sport thrives and pickleball becomes a household name in China, enlisting the help of Full Send (Fu Xin) Pickleball’s Juan (Yuki) Chen and Han (Kevin) Chenas their liaisons in China to connect with the multitude of pickleball clubs that have started appearing and gaining momentum in the Guangdong Province in cities such as Hengqin, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, as well as in Beijing and Shanghai.

DUPR China is committed to supporting pickleball enthusiasts, players, and clubs across the country. By providing a standardized ranking system and fostering a sense of community, DUPR China aims to accelerate the sport's growth and build a vibrant pickleball ecosystem throughout China.

DUPR China invites all pickleball enthusiasts, players, and organizations to join them on this exciting journey. With the combined efforts of DUPR, Yui See Lau, and the pickleball community in China, this initiative is set to revolutionize the sport and create a legacy for future generations of Chinese pickleball players.

THE '23 DUPR CHINA SERIES TOUR

August 12 (Guangdong Province — Hengqin)

Our first stop takes us to Hengqin, located in the southern part of Zhuhai City and separated from Macao by a bridge, is a major platform for promoting the diversified development of Macao's economy.

August 19 (Shanghai)

Our second tournament of the series will be in Shanghai. Shanghai is the Oriental Fashion Capital, a city that is constantly being put in industry lights with Milan, Paris, London, New York and Tokyo. As Shanghai was opened as a commercial port in 1843, it became one of the first Chinese cities exposed to Western culture and customs.

August 26 (Beijing)

Beijing will play host to our third tournament. Beijing is a metropolis in northern China and the capital of the People's Republic of China (PRC). It is also known in English as Peking. Beijing is also one of the four municipalities of the PRC, which are equivalent to provinces in China's administrative structure and is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China.

August 27 (Chongqing)

Our fourth stop, Chongqing, is one of the four municipalities of the PRC, one of China's five major cities, and constitutes another metropolis made from a large city (Chongqing Downtown), and six regional central cities with populations of over one million each, and 25 other counties. The world map hanging in the halls of the United Nations marks only the names of four cities in China, one of which is Chongqing.

September 3 (Guangdong Province — Hengqin)

For the championship we come back to Hengqin (our first stop) where we will be inviting the top 3 teams/players from each city that participated in the series tournaments and divide them into two big group by age, 50+/50-, to compete in a final showdown for a high-stakes, winner-takes-all tournament!

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For media inquiries, please contact:

Yui See Lau, DUPR China Club Director

DUPR is proud to announce its partnership with Total Pickleball, who will  be the official retail partner of DUPR. Total Pickleball is a leading provider of pickleball equipment and accessories. This collaboration brings together two industry leaders committed to promoting the growth and development of pickleball worldwide.

"We are thrilled to join forces with DUPR as their official retail partner," said Rick Kerpsack, President of Total Pickleball. "Both Total Pickleball and DUPR share a common goal of enhancing the pickleball experience for players worldwide. By offering a comprehensive range of high-quality products, we aim to empower players to reach their full potential and enjoy the sport they love."

As the official retail partner of DUPR, Total Pickleball will offer a wide range of products that cater to the needs of pickleball enthusiasts at every skill level. With a shared passion for the sport and a commitment to excellence, this partnership will enhance the overall pickleball experience for players around the globe.

"This partnership with Total Pickleball has laid the foundation for an extraordinary alliance that will propel us to new heights," said Tito Machado, Head of DUPR. "This strategic collaboration combines our shared vision, experience, and passion for the sport of pickleball."

DUPR has gained recognition as the most accurate global rating system in the pickleball community. By utilizing advanced algorithms and data-driven analytics, DUPR provides players with precise skill ratings, ensuring fair competition and facilitating player matchmaking. With Total Pickleball's dedication to offering top-notch equipment and accessories, players can now access everything they need to elevate their game to new heights.

Through this partnership, Total Pickleball will also actively collaborate with DUPR to promote events, tournaments, and initiatives that foster community engagement and player development. Together, they will work toward creating a more inclusive and accessible pickleball landscape, encouraging players of all ages and skill levels to embrace the game.

About Total Pickleball

Total Pickleball is a leading provider of premium pickleball equipment and accessories. With a wide selection of paddles, balls, bags, apparel, and more, Total Pickleball is committed to serving the needs of pickleball enthusiasts at every level of the game. With a focus on quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction, Total Pickleball is dedicated to providing an exceptional pickleball experience for players worldwide.

Total Pickleball Media Contact:

Grace Oeser, Partnerships Manager Total Pickleball grace@warehousesports.com

About DUPR

DUPR is the gold standard in Pickleball ratings and event management, and is the official ratings system for MLP and PPA. In November of 2022, DUPR successfully launched a collegiate Pickleball national championship in which 16 co-ed teams participated using the same unique team format used in MLP.

For more information on DUPR, visit the official website and follow DUPR on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

DUPR Media Contact:

Kevin Brown, Marketing Operations Manager kevin@mydupr.com

On April 14-16, 2023 DUPR held their Collegiate Individual National Championship at the Life Time Fort Worth-Alliance facility in Fort Worth, Texas. In total, there were 73 players and 20 universities represented during the event that competed for $22,000 in scholarship money.
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The University of Virginia brought the highest number of participants with 18 students representing the University's Cavaliers.

The purpose for DUPR starting the Collegiate Individual National Championship this year was to recognize the most talented college players in pickleball, regardless of the university they attend. Any college student taking a minimum of 6 college credits is eligible to participate in this league. For players, the goal is to secure a spot for themselves in the Collegiate Team National Championship which will take place in November later this year.

Throughout the weekend, some of pickleball’s most talented up and coming players competed in Gender Doubles, Mixed Doubles, and Men and Womens Singles. The Collegiate Individual Nationship Championship league is the only tournament through DUPR with a singles event.

Each player is guaranteed 5 matches per event, utilizing the rally scoring format. For each perspective event, the scholarship payouts were as followed:

$2,000 Winner

$800 Runner-Up

$400 Semifinalists

$200 Quarterfinalists

In addition to this, the winner(s) of each event earned a bid for their school to compete in the year-end championship in November.

Recent PPA Pro Singles Silver Medalist and University of North Carolina student, Collin Shick had all eyes on him this weekend, and rightfully so, pulling off a 27-0 record for the weekend and earning him the triple crown in all three events. Dylan Ciampini, another rising star in pickleball hailing from Utah Tech University, won women’s singles and doubles.

Below are the results for the finals of each event:

Men’s Singles

Winner: Collin Shick (University of North Carolina)

Runner-Up: Martin Michelsen (University of Florida)

Women’s Singles

Winner: Dylan Ciampini (Utah Tech University)

Runner-Up: Caitlin Lewis (University of North Carolina)

Men’s Doubles

Winner: Collin Shick & Hunter Boyd (University of North Carolina)

Runner-Up: Christopher Crouch & Django Chassang (University of Flordia)

Women’s Doubles

Winner: Dylan Ciampini & Katelyn Nadauld (Utah Tech University)

Runner-Up: Taylor Crabtree & Lillian Vandixhorn (Texas Christian University)

Mixed Doubles

Winner: Collin Shick & Sarah Carpenter (University of North Carolina)

Runner-Up: Jared Brungard & Dylan Ciampini (Utah Tech University)

The following Universities were represented during the event with the amount of players representing the colleges and universities in parenthesis:

• Boise State University (2)
• Carnegie Mellon University (1)
• Collin College (2)
• University of Colorado at Boulder (3)
• Florida State University (1)
• Grand Canyon University (2)
• University of Oklahoma (2)
• Ohio State University (2)
• Tarrant County College (1)
• Texas Christian University (6)
• Texas Woman's University (2)
• University of Florida (8)
• University of North Carolina (4)
• Utah State University (2)
• Utah Tech University (7)
• University of Virginia (18)
• University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (4)
• Virginia Tech University (4)
• University of Washington (1)

We would like to thank our event sponsors: Gamma Pickleball, OOFOS, and Cirkul who provided our players with bucket hats and water bottles. Additionally, we’d also like to thank the LifeTime Fort-Worth Star Alliance facility for hosting the event and providing an excellent experience for all participants.

If you are interested in getting involved with DUPR Collegiate Pickleball, please e-mail us at college@mydupr.com.

Be sure to follow us on social media as well to stay up-to-date for all future Collegiate events.

Written By: Sydney Steinaker - Executive Assistant

Edited By: Kevin Brown - Marketing Operations Manager

Contact: Marketing@mydupr.com

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We are excited to be adding a Professional event as a part of the Road to Oasis, Waterfall Nationals this year in Rockwall, TX on October 12-15, 2023. Waterfall Nationals is a culmination for the amateur athletes who have competed and earned their Platinum Ticket to Nationals throughout the year at DUPR’s local Waterfall events.

The amateur athletes are competing for a total prize purse of $20,000+ and the title of Waterfall Nationals Champions. The Amateur event will finish up on Saturday evening ensuring that the Battle of the Paddles will be the premier event concluding our Nationals weekend!

DUPR will be offering Battle of the Paddles on Sunday, October 15, 2023.

The concept is for paddle companies to form one men’s and one women’s team to represent the brand. There will be a men’s and women’s draw. Every athlete needs to have a DUPR rating between 5.0-5.5 at the time of registration. Brackets are formed with a 16-team maximum and after each round, athletes continue playing against a team with the same sequence of wins/losses.

What is a Waterfall: VIDEO

Games will be MLP style rally scoring, best 2 out of 3 games to 21. This event will be live streamed. The entry fee is $500 per team.

Battle of the Paddles prize money is below:

1st: $3000

2nd: $1500

3rd: $1000

Consolation: $500

Least Amount of Allowed: $400

Sportsmanship: $100

Paddles companies, not athletes, are only allowed to sign teams up for this event. Sign-ups will be taken on a first come/first serve basis.

Please book time on Kerri's calendar to sign up for more information, if you have any questions, or to sign up your teams.

Contact: Kerri@mydupr.com

On April 15-16, Minor League Pickleball headed to the Oasis Pickleball Club in Rockwall, Texas for the Dallas Showdown.

The Oasis Pickleball Club has become a premier tournament venue in Texas, with more than 40 permanent outdoor courts and home to many high-profile pickleball tournaments. This was the second Minor League Showdown event to occur in 2023 filled with plenty of highs and lows throughout the weekend in both the DUPR 18 and DUPR 20 divisions. All the teams who competed did not disappoint and brought the same hyped and upbeat team energy to this event as we’ve seen at previous Minor League events.

From customized jerseys to color-coordinated outfits, we saw some unique styles all around. Team names were nothing short of creative with some notable team names such as “Baby Got Backhand”, “Big Dink Energy”, “Dink 182” and “Not Another Podcast”. Minor League teams traveled from near and far to compete in this event, with players traveling from cities around Texas and even out of state from California, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Florida to name a few. On Day 1 on Saturday, the weather brought less than ideal conditions with 20 mph winds at times and large gusts which was challenging for most players throughout the day. Certain players adapted to the conditions and those teams proved to be successful throughout the weekend.

On Day 1, the 12 teams in the DUPR 18 division competed in pool play and the two top teams in each pool advanced to the Semi-Finals on Sunday. The Oklahoma Outlaws advanced to play the 501’s and Baby Got Backhand advanced to compete against Risky Biscuits on Sunday. The remaining teams that didn’t advance played a compass backdraw on Sunday.  Both Baby Got Backhand and the Oklahoma Outlaws advanced to the finals with Baby Got Backhand coming out victorious after winning a fifth game dreambreaker and securing a $1600 prize for their team. The Oklahoma Outlaws took home $800 for second place.

For the DUPR 20 division, six teams competed in a round robin format on Saturday to determine seedings for Sunday. Dink 182 and the undefeated No Strings Attached moved directly into the semi-finals while the remaining teams played each other in the quarterfinals Sunday morning. Team Not Another Podcast and Team DUPR advanced, but Teams No Strings Attached and Dink 182 both advanced to the finals, with Dink 182 winning the final in three games. Dink 182 won the $2,800 prize and No Strings Attached took home $1,200.

All the teams who competed accumulated points based on how they finished towards Minor League Pickleball’s National Pathway Year-End Championship in December. Teams who accumulate the most points throughout the year advance to Championship and compete for large prizes. Thank you to all the Teams, Sponsors, and staff who made this tournament possible.

Written By: Sydney Steinaker - Executive Assistant

Edited By: Kevin Brown - Director of Marketing

Contact: Marketing@mydupr.com