Jade and Jackie Kawamoto started playing pickleball in 2019 after competitive tennis careers. Selkirk Sport reported it signed the duo to a sponsorship deal as ambassador athletes.
The sisters are members of the ATX Pickleballers franchise under the Major League Pickleball (MLP) banner in the premier division.
Recognized as top-ranked pickleball players, the sisters grew up in Maui, Hawaii, before moving to Greenwood, IN, where they played tennis in high school. Jackie won the 2013 state singles championship, and Jade became the 2014 state runner-up. They competed for The University of Dayton’s women’s tennis program in college. Discovering pickleball in 2019, they started playing doubles.
“We are so excited to welcome Jade and Jackie Kawamoto to Team Selkirk,” said Mike Barnes, co-founder and co-CEO of Selkirk Sport. “Jade and Jackie are talented athletes with massive potential, and their success thus far in MLP and on the PPA Tour is a testament to their hard work. They are also awesome people and advocates for pickleball off the court, and we are thrilled to welcome them to the Selkirk family.”
The sisters are on the PPA Tour as contracted professionals and members of the ATX Pickleballer MLP team, owned by American professor Brene Brown. Jade competes with the Selkirk Vanguard Power Air Invikta paddle, and Jackie plays with the SLK Halo.
Photo courtesy Selkirk Sport
