When you find a sport you really love, it’s hard to stay quiet about it. Fortunately, that is the primary trait needed to be a great pickleball ambassador. As an ambassador, you receive support to form or expand your local team, and you get to inspire new players to join. Several programs even include free or discounted equipment and apparel!
If you have been playing pickleball for a long time, you are probably already doing many of the things that would make you attractive to companies that sell equipment and other items for the game. Before you take the plunge to apply, look over this checklist of characteristics that any program is going to expect its brand ambassadors to have.
Characteristics of an Excellent Pickleball Ambassador
When it comes to having a thriving pickleball community, finding lots of people who participate enthusiastically is the goal. There are several ways that you can motivate other people to get involved with a local team, and being a known leader in the game means that others look to you for guidance when it comes to picking the best gear or understanding how to improve their skills. Here are four ways to know you have what it takes to be an official pickleball ambassador.
Knowledge of the Game
Understanding how to play the game well is a solid foundation for qualified representatives. You need to be able to demonstrate the skills it takes to compete in regional tournaments and make a name for yourself. To be a good team player, though, it’s not enough to be a pickleball superstar. You also should be able to help others learn how to improve their game, too.
By coaching a team or offering to train new players, you demonstrate that you are committed to developing more than just your own talents. It shows that the game itself is important to you. Pickleball Portal offers great resources for coaches who want to teach new players some vital strategies:
- Developing the habit of ready position
- Learning different shots and when to use them
- Understanding the rules of the game
- Communicating effectively with a partner
There are many online resources to help pickleball players of every skill level improve their techniques. Coaching is a combination of demonstrating solid skills and being able to direct players to these supplemental materials.
Local Involvement
Anyone who wants to be a pickleball ambassador should be heavily involved with local teams and clubs. Many ambassadors are already instructors, so they are connected with players and those who are interested in learning more about the sport. What many people don’t realize is how much pickleball leaders rely on developing and using their organizational skills.
Any time a game or tournament happens, someone has to organize it. You need to have the local connections necessary to secure a space and the marketing savvy to understand how to promote the event. If you are not a certified instructor, reach out to and plan sessions with local trainers who can get your teams ready to compete. While it’s not impossible to handle these responsibilities as an outsider, it will go much more smoothly if you have already started building local relationships.
Solid Online Following
The first place many people go when they want to find out more about a topic is the internet. Therefore, it just makes good sense for a pickleball ambassador to have a strong web presence. The best place to start is with your social media accounts. Click on hashtags about the sport to learn what others are posting about so that you can join the conversation seamlessly with your own posts.
In addition to building up a strong social media following, it’s also a good idea to have a website that caters to local enthusiasts. This gives them a place to get the most up-to-date information on events happening in your area. Online forums and other ambassadors can help you find people who are willing to provide quality technical support so that your site is easy to find and use.
Contagious Enthusiasm
Finally, a telltale sign that you’d make a great pickleball ambassador is your exuberant love of the game. Who better to represent the sport than someone who cannot stop talking about it to all their friends and family? Such positive energy is contagious, and before you know it, people will be lining up to see what all the fuss is about.
The great thing about pickleball is that it is a sport that everyone can play. Children can start at an early age learning to volley the ball. It’s also a great way for older adults to stay active and social, which is important for living long, healthy lives. Everyone you meet is a potential future pickleball champion.
Top Pickleball Ambassador Programs
Now that you know you have what it takes to be a fantastic pickleball ambassador, the next step is finding the team that is right for you. A good place to start is to read through what each ambassador program requires and what it has to offer. All of the following teams have great benefits for people who are enthusiastic about the game and want to share it with others. It’s just a matter of finding the one that is the best fit.
TeamEngage
TeamEngage seeks pickleball enthusiasts who love how the game brings people of all different ages and abilities together. If you are an instructor or a captain of a local team, you may be a good fit for this program. Even if you aren’t certified to coach new players, though, you may still qualify if your rating is high enough or you can demonstrate that you have encouraged a lot of people to join the game. It also helps if you have a large online following or consider yourself a social media influencer.
The benefits of being a TeamEngage pickleball ambassador include free promotional materials to help you get the word out. You receive a 50% discount on merchandise and are welcome to participate in the TeamEngage portal. If you are selected to be an ambassador, you also have access to successful fundraising programs to help support your local teams. Fill out the form on the TeamEngage website to apply.
ONIX Pickleball
Instagram influencers who love pickleball make great candidates for ONIX’s ambassador program. It relies on your online reach to promote products through your love of the sport. To qualify, your Instagram posts must meet the minimum requirements:
- Made from an active, public account
- Reach at least 500 followers
- Tag three or fewer accounts
- Mention @onixpickleball overtly
After you join ONIX’s pickleball ambassador team, you can start earning rewards with your very first post. The more you promote, the better benefits you receive.
Team Vulcan Pickleball
Regardless of your experience level, there is likely a place for you on Team Vulcan. The brand ambassadors are divided into three categories:
- Community ambassadors
- Player ambassadors
- Pros
Vulcan likes to go for the action shot, and the company prides itself on its diverse cast of ambassadors. This program gives you the opportunity to show how well the company’s products work both on and off the court. Whether you are wearing your favorite performance shirt or cap in social media posts or you are using a Vulcan pickleball paddle when you play in your next tournament, you can earn perks just by engaging in the sport you know and love.
USA Pickleball
Your community spirit is what may make you a good fit for the USA Pickleball ambassador program. Do you enjoy inspiring others to get involved with your local team? Have you coached or served as a team leader? If your love of pickleball is contagious and you are interested in starting or growing a team where you live, the USA Pickleball program may be right for you.
This ambassador program focuses on spreading the love of the sport, especially to those who may have never had the joy of playing before. Your responsibilities include but are not limited to helping new players learn the game, using marketing materials to promote pickleball memberships, and acting as a liaison with other ambassadors in surrounding areas. Any member of USA Pickleball is welcome to apply.
Learn More About Becoming a Pickleball Ambassador
There are many different ways to get involved and help people in your area discover a love of pickleball. The ideal ambassadors are vocal about their enthusiasm for the game both online and in person, possess a vast knowledge of the rules of the sport, and look for creative ways to attract more people to it.
If you would like to be a pickleball ambassador, the best place to start is by brushing up on your knowledge of how to improve your game, the best equipment to use, and the latest news on the subject. Pickleball Portal is the place for all the information you need to be an exemplary ambassador for the sport of pickleball. Subscribe to our newsletter today.