"We are extremely excited about this unique opportunity for Elsie to become a signed pro, while still having flexibility to be a 12 year old."
If you want to get excited about the future of professional pickleball, consider this: The best player a few years from now could very well be someone we've never heard of.
Until now.
Over the past couple weeks, the PPA has quietly signed a handful of the top-ranked male and female junior prospects, including:
- Cam Chaffin - Age 14; Doubles DUPR: 5.885
- Ella Yeh - Age 15; Doubles DUPR: 5.246
- Elsie Hendershot - Age 12; Doubles DUPR: 5.124 (picture above)
- Jade Rau - Age 15; Doubles DUPR: 5.068
- Tama Shimabukuro - Age 14; Doubles DUPR: 5.434
They might not be household names just yet – they range in ages from 12 to 15 – but they're getting their shot to change that, beginning now.
The plan, PPA Tour Deputy Commissioner and General Counsel Chris Patrick told me, is to expose the next generation to the best talent the game has to offer as soon in their development phase as possible, while also giving them room to grow and mature at their own pace.
"If you look at our stars today — players like Gabe Tardio, Hayden Patriquin, Jorja Johnson, JW Johnson, Dylan Frazier and Anna Leigh Waters — they all started out as teenagers with us," said Patrick.
"It only makes sense that the next generation of PPA Tour stars will be kids who are growing up in the sport. This program gives them a pathway to chase their dreams while at the same time getting to develop into the pros of tomorrow."
Pro Exposure, Without Limitations
The United Pickleball Association has spent months renegotiating and extending contracts of the biggest, most established names in the sport – from Christian Alshon to Anna Bright, Jorja Johnson to Hayden Patriquin – all in an effort to incentivize the best players to compete for the most prize money anywhere in the world.
Depending on when they originally signed UPA contracts, these pros slot into either a Gold or Standard Contract Prize Money Grid, which dictates how much prize money they're entitled to depending on the discipline.
Erik Tice
The juniors have been signed to Futures Contracts.
This means they're limited in terms of prize money potential offered per event but, critically, will be allowed to participate in events outside of major UPA tournaments, including PPA Challenger and PPA Junior tournaments, high school and college events, and even local moneyballs.
When their results warrant it, the juniors will be moved up to the Standard Contract Prize Money Grid, which offers a significant increase in available winnings for placing on top of the podium.
In this way, the UPA is treating these as developmental contracts – the best juniors will have an opportunity to play in the main PPA draws against the sport's top talent, but will also continue to get invaluable experience with elite players closer to their own age along the way.
For a player like Tama Shimabukuro, who made headlines recently at PPA Cincinnati for strong performances in singles and men's doubles, it's a welcome challenge.
“This is such a great program for juniors like me to have a chance to develop and take my game to the next level," Shimabukuro told The Dink. "I am ready for the challenge, and very excited for this opportunity."
'A huge decision for our family'
The juniors, like all UPA pros, signed their new contracts through 2028.
For an established pro, that means job security and stability.
For a pre-teen and their family, it requires a bigger leap of faith.
Zane Navratil
For Elsie Hendershot, a 12-year-old who won the girls singles 12U 2024 Junior PPA Finals and has seen lots of success since, and her dad, Kade, it's been a dream come true.
"This was obviously a huge decision for Elsie and our family," Kade told The Dink. "Elsie's goal for the past two years has been to sign a pro contract with the PPA."
Elsie and the other newly signed PPA juniors represent a generation of pickleball pro whose sights have long been set on professional pickleball. They're not transitioning from highly competitive baseball or tennis; this has always been their sport of choice.
Still, for Kade, at least, there's perspective and an appreciation of what this contract requires of his young daughter – and what it doesn't.
"We are extremely excited about this unique opportunity for Elsie to become a signed pro, while still having flexibility to be a 12 year old," he said.
"One of her favorite things about PPA events has been the friendships she's made along the way. Elsie realizes she will be experiencing more losses at the pro level and is ready to learn and work in between each opportunity she has to play against the best."
