Initially, pickleball was merely a pastime for first-year students Ellie Jamison and Grace Collins from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.
Under Pickleball’s Spell
Despite originating from cities where pickleball wasn’t as prevalent, Jamison and Collins soon found themselves under the sport’s spell while bonding over their visits to play pickleball at the Snyder Tennis Center during the fall of 2022.
“But we just started playing pickleball and fell in love with it,” Jamison said. So much so they are now the co-founders of Play Henry, a pickleball paddle company.
What began as a means of exercise and socializing soon evolved into a full-fledged commitment, with Jamison and Collins dedicating 40 hours a week to running the business out of Collins’ basement alongside their academic pursuits.
“Constantly Thinking About The Business”
If we are not in class,” Collins said, “we are meeting about the business, selling, or working on expansion efforts for the future. We are constantly thinking about the business.”
As they approach graduation in May, the duo is gearing up to intensify their fundraising efforts and transition to operating Play Henry full-time.
Their entrepreneurial journey hit a significant milestone in February when they secured $5,000 by clinching the top spot in Darden’s Entrepreneurship Cup. Jamison disclosed that these funds are earmarked to bolster the company’s marketing strategies and fuel its growth trajectory.
As a licensed vendor of the University, Play Henry offers “The Hoo,” a paddle featuring the UVA logo, among its offerings. It is available at the Boar’s Head Resort in Charlottesville, the C’ville Tennis Pro Shop, and on its website.
“From Court To Cocktail”
Beyond their standard retail range, Jamison and Collins have also diversified their business by offering bespoke paddle designs for weddings, events, and corporate gifting, adhering to their motto, “From Court to Cocktail.” Their long-term vision entails transforming Play Henry into an apparel brand, aiming for broader market penetration.
“Pickleball is changing the way that people view activity,” Collins said. “We’ve seen huge demand from brides who have decided to include a pickleball event in their wedding weekend festivities or companies who are inspiring their employees to get active and want a beautiful, bespoke paddle.”
Read more of our coverage about how pickleball is exploding at the University of Virginia here.
“Picklebrawl In Virginia’s Blue Ridge”
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Virginia, the City of Salem is poised to host the inaugural USA Pickleball-sanctioned tournament in the Blue Ridge region this September. Dubbed “Picklebrawl in Virginia’s Blue Ridge,” the event will unfold at the newly renovated Moyer Sports Complex from September 13-15, 2024, drawing an estimated 450 players from the Mid-Atlantic area.
Performance Pickleball COO and tournament organizer Jon Laaser announced, “Performance Pickleball was honored to be chosen to organize the first large-scale pickleball tournament in the Roanoke Valley.
“The tournament represents the desire of so many to collaborate and innovate as the Roanoke Valley becomes a vibrant hub for pickleballers throughout the region and beyond.”
John Shaner, Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Salem, added, “This addition will complement and enrich our offerings at the Moyer Sports Complex, reinforcing Salem’s status as Virginia’s Championship City.”
The tournament will debut on Moyer Sports Complex’s 13 new pickleball courts, which are currently in the final stages of construction.
Virginia is a pickleballing hotbed – read more about it here.
