Mad Squeeze
Kiawah Island Club welcomed Major League Pickleball’s best to The Sports Pavilion for a showcase of elite play and spirited competition.
Story by Stephanie Hunt | Photographs by Charlotte Zacharkiw
On a golden April evening at The Sports Pavilion, Kiawah’s newest obsession unfolded with quick-footed finesse.
Rather than the quiet formality of other racquet sports, the courts buzzed with friendly competition and world-class play as Major League Pickleball pros from the Los Angeles Mad Drops and Orlando Squeeze took the stage. What stood out wasn’t the speed of the volleys (though they were astonishing), but the warmth: playful teasing, courtside grins, and a sport that, despite its meteoric rise, still manages to feel neighborly.
The lively soundtrack included rapid-fire banter and laughter as well, both on and off the court. “Yeah, so that’s the #1 player in the world, ladies and gentlemen,” Hunter Johnson of the Los Angeles Mad Drops ribbed his chart-topping nemesis, Federico Staksrud of the Orlando Squeeze, after Staksrud totally whiffed an easy serve.
Evidently, pickle can be tricky even for the pros. Staksrud’s embarrassing boff aside, the level of play on display during the Los Angeles Mad Drops vs. Orlando Squeeze Major League Pickleball (MLP) exhibition match was, as the Gen Z’ers might say, lit. As the unseasonably warm afternoon sun began to slink toward the horizon, the exhibition court radiated and sparked with powerhouse athleticism. Much of pickle’s appeal is its zippy pace, but these pros really ramped it up. A typical point would begin with measured and methodical back and forth after the return of serve—a rally that, frankly, most average players can manage—then wham! Volleys would ricochet at wild speeds, and a winning slam or passing shot would seal the deal. “Holy moly!” and “Did you see that?!” would erupt from the crowd.
Staksrud was far from the only top-ranked player ponking away. Lacy Schneemann, ranked #12 in singles and #7 in women’s doubles, and Dylan Frazier, ranked #9 in singles and #6 in men’s doubles, joined him on the Squeeze squad, while across the court, the Mad Drops lineup included Catherine Parenteau, currently #2 in women’s doubles and #6 in women’s singles; Hunter Johnson, ranked #4 in men’s singles; and Jade Kawamoto, ranked #18 in women’s doubles.* And here’s what made it so fun: they’re all friends. The professional pickleball circuit, while exploding in popularity, is like a packed jar of dills—they’re a tight-knit group who travel on tour together, competing both as individuals in the Professional Pickleball Association and on their respective MLP teams. Top players can earn over $1 million in a year from tournaments, appearance fees, and sponsorships, with total earnings for top pros exceeding $30 million in 2024. Many are veterans of college and professional tennis circuits as well, so their paths, racquets, and ribbing barbs have crossed courts for years.
“That’s what I love about playing professional pickle,” says Catherine Parenteau, still glistening in sweat and big smiles after the matches. An MLP exhibition match is really a series of four matches in one: women’s doubles, men’s doubles, then two mixed-doubles matches. If there’s a tie after those (and there was at Kiawah), the teams play a rapid-fire, decisive “Dream Breaker” rally to 21, in which players rotate in and out every four points in confusing—but entertaining to watch—climactic chaos.
“It’s so fun and friendly. We’re all close, even literally, because the court is so small. You always have a teammate next to you. Yes, I’m super competitive, but I also really like having fun,” says the Montreal native and former Michigan State tennis player. Parenteau, who was drafted to the Mad Drops two years ago, switched to pickleball because it’s such an enjoyable sport—plus one that she can stay active with for years to come. “They say pickleball is easy to pick up, and that’s true. I love that all ages can play—I can have a rally with my grandmother, who’s never played racquet sports before—but it’s hard to master,” adds Parenteau, though watching the ease with which she crushes a winning overhead or smashes a volley makes it appear her mastery has been natural.
To help Kiawah Island Club’s expanding cadre of pickle enthusiasts better master the game, players from the Squeeze and the Mad Drops hosted a day of clinics on The Sports Pavilion’s six courts prior to the final exhibition match. “As a beginner who’s just starting to play, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was so casual and fun. They did a great job really mixing it up,” says Jamie Ryan, who attended the exhibition with her fellow pickleball pals, Toni Wimans and Carol Goldstein.
Between the clinics and the exhibition, the visiting pickle pros had time to enjoy Kiawah as well. “It’s so beautiful here. We had a great time. The guys really loved the golf, and the beach was so lovely,” says Parenteau, holder of fifty championship medals. She’s already hoping they get an invitation to return—and she’s not the only one. “I’d love to see Kiawah host more of these,” says Kiawah homeowner Carol Goldstein. “The clinics helped push my game to the next level. It’s been great.”