4 Things Asian Brands Can Learn from Selkirk Sports’ Pickleball Combine to Identify Future Stars
Selkirk Sport this week will be holding a first-of-its-kind pickleball combine as part of its new Selkirk Sparta Program. This groundbreaking initiative designed to identify and develop the next generation of professional pickleball athletes and will take place from 22 to 24 September 2025 at Selkirk’s headquarters in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
Twelve athletes—six men and six women—will participate in three days of advanced performance testing and professional coaching, all aimed at uncovering the sport’s future stars and supporting their pathway to the pro circuit. They will also receive a variety of performance assessments, compete in live match play, and receive one-on-one instruction from renowned pickleball coach Morgan Evans. Additionally, selected athletes from the Sparta Program will receive ongoing support, including paid travel and development opportunities, as they strive to compete on pickleball’s biggest stages.
This combine is ambitious yet practical, and the way Selkirk Sport plans to go about it should serve as a blueprint for other pickleball brands who want to discover and nurture young talent, gain recognition in pickleball communities, and foster brand loyalty. In particular, Asian brands like Sypik and Facolos ought to watch closely as they can learn important lessons in what Selkirk Sport intends to accomplish with its Sparta Program.
They can start with these four lessons:
4 Lessons Asian Brands Can Learn from Selkirk’s Combine
1. Just do it.
What Selkirk did:
Selkirk Sport was probably aware that this combine would be a grand undertaking and will entail lots of investment. The company is pushing through anyway—likely after plenty of thought and planning behind the scenes. It’s a gamble to say the least, but the reward could make everything worth it in the end.
What Asian brands can do:
Be bold and ambitious! Plan something similar and execute it. Invest in it. Be proactive in looking for the next Quang Duong, the next Yufei Long, the next global pickleball sensation.
2. Use data-driven performance testing to spot real potential.
What Selkirk did:
The Selkirk ombine is built on advanced performance assessments—not just match results, but metrics you can measure, analyse, compare. Agility, endurance, technique under pressure, etc. Participants get one-on-one coaching, but crucially after being evaluated on objective benchmarks.
What Asian brands can do:
Set up youth or junior-level combines or try-out camps where performance metrics (speed, reaction times, movement, consistency) are recorded. Don’t just pick the kid with the flashiest shot. Then, use these data to guide which players to invest in. It can be a filter, but also a feedback tool—helping young players see where to improve.
3. Provide mentorship, coaching, and pathway support, not just exposure.
What Selkirk did:
The Selkirk combine isn’t just about exposure—they offer professional coaching, mentorship, and follow-on support including travel, development opportunities, etc. In other words, it’s not a one-off as selected athletes from the Sparta Program will be supported as they aim for pro-level competition. Selkirk Sport
What Asian brands can do:
Sponsor or organise mentorship programs—pair promising juniors with established players or coaches.Cover more than just gear and provide assistance for travel, tournament entry, training camps, mental and physical conditioning. These are barriers that often limit potential in Asia.
Moreover, look to establish clear pathways from local to national to international competition, so young players see that progression and know what benchmarks they need to hit.
4. Brand investment in talent can equal brand growth and loyalty.
What Selkirk did:
By hosting the combine, Selkirk isn’t just finding players—they’re aligning the brand with the next generation of the sport. That builds goodwill, credibility, and long-term loyalty. The program underlines that Selkirk doesn’t just sell paddles, they invest in the game itself. That strengthens their positioning in the market.
What Asian brands can do:
View young talent as brand ambassadors. Even those who aren’t yet stars can help build narrative: stories of growth, local heroes, improvement. And remember: Local branding matters. If Sypik or Facolos or any Asian brand invests in juniors in your city or country, your brand isn’t just another paddle—it’s part of the community.
In addition, use success stories emerging from these investments in your marketing. When one of your sponsored youths wins or performs well, amplify it! This shows you deliver more than just promises.
Final Food for Thought
Asian pickleball brands are in a prime position. The sport is expanding fast, investment is increasing, interest is rising. By learning from Selkirk’s example—combining data-driven scouting, sustained support, and brand-talent symbiosis—brands like Sypik and Facolos can do more than ride the wave. They can help shape the next generation of stars and embed themselves at the heart of the sport’s future in Asia.
To that end, Selkirk Sports has provided a blueprint. It’s there for the taking.
