Technically Legends, a proud partner of the USLPL, is officially live — hosted by USLPL League Correspondent Michele "Sparky" Spahr and team co-owner of the North Carolina Breakers Jeff Yurk.

Each episode brings fans in-depth coverage of the USLPL — player and team stats, Showdown results and predictions, and interviews with owners and players across the league.

Follow Technically Legends for continued coverage throughout the season, including a deeper dive into each team ahead of the August 17 draft.

Our 2026 50+ and 60+ Tryout Combines were a great success, bringing together talented players, enthusiastic team owners, friends and family, and a great atmosphere for everyone involved.

Players had the opportunity to showcase their skills, compete with like-minded, and like-leveled players, and meet fellow athletes while enjoying a fun and positive experience. The energy throughout the combines was outstanding, with players giving their best effort and coaches evaluating talent for the upcoming season.

Congratulations to 60+ winners Sarah O'Brien and Steve Martin, and 50+ winners Mari Buenaventure and Wayne Bigg! They'll each get a bid onto one of our teams this season!! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more updates! 

 

U.S. Legends Pickleball League (USLPL) announced Skechers as the Official Footwear Sponsor of the USLPL 50+ for its 2026-2027 season.

In season one of the partnership, each player on the winning team for each Showdown Weekend of the USLPL 50+ will receive a pair of Skechers as part of their prize package, in addition to their league prize money and honors. Skechers will be represented on event signage and uniforms, and all players will receive additional Skechers branded swag. This season, the USLPL 50+ is expanding to 16 teams and will play five Showdown Events from September 2026 through January 2027.

“Partnering with a dominant pickleball brand like Skechers is an exciting opportunity for our league and players,” said USLPL Co-founder Mike Cao. “Their shoes are designed for performance, comfort, and speed – exactly what we all need on the court.”

“Adding the USLPL to our list of event and tour sponsorships was an easy decision,” said Liam Jason, Skechers Performance. “Aligning with the USLPL can further demonstrate Skechers as the leading pickleball footwear brand in the U.S. We can’t wait to work together to support these amazing senior pro players.”

The Skechers Pickleball range offers footwear for every type of player with performance-driven styles that focus on speed for dynamic play or control for strong defense, as well as versatile options that will transition from action on the court to post-match hangouts with ease.

About USLPL

U.S. Legends Pickleball League was created for elite players 35+, 50+, and 60+ looking for their next great competitive challenge. The USLPL 50+ launched its inaugural season in Fall of 2025 with 12 teams and will expand to 16 teams in 2026. 50+ teams include the Boston Dragons, New York Ballers, Keystone Crushers, Maryland Mayhem, NC Breakers, Kentucky Thoroughbreds, Roanoke Shine, Buffalo Blizzards, Northern Virginia SuperNovas, Florida Storm, Villages Heat, the Delrays, Cape Cod Sharks, Columbus Arsenal, Florida Royals, and Texas Stars. USLPL 35+ kicked off its first season in March 2026, and a dedicated six-team league for 60+ players launches in Fall 2026.

About SKECHERS U.S.A., Inc.

Skechers, The Comfort Technology Company^® based in Southern California, designs, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle and performance footwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and children. The Company’s collections are available in 180 countries and territories through department and specialty stores, and direct to consumers through skechers.com and approximately 5,300 Skechers retail stores. A Fortune 500^® company, Skechers manages its international business through a network of wholly-owned subsidiaries, joint venture partners, and distributors. For more information, please visit about.skechers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

 

MEDIA CONTACT: Dani@DaniMackey.com

Our team owners are known for their fun-loving personalities, but the owners of the Maryland Mayhem (Keri Teodori and Sandra Masterman) and the NC Breakers (Jeff Yurk and Lane Ethridge) take it to a whole new level! These two teams, who are joining the USLPL in season 2, received shout-outs at their recent visits to Orioles Park and Wrigley Field.

Watch this space and our social media channels for more fun on and off the court to come from all our teams.

The USLPL 50+ is excited to reveal the 16 teams that will compete for the league title in 2026-2027! The roster includes 4 expansion teams, 3 teams that moved hometowns, and 9 teams representing the same cities as season 1. Join us in welcoming all of our teams and owners to season 2, starting this Fall.

Boston Dragons (Michael Tow)
Buffalo Blizzards (Cris Kessler)
Cape Cod Sharks (Aaron Brochu)*
Columbus Arsenal (Bill Taylor)*
Delrays (Karen Urban, Aila Main)
Florida Royals (Oto Hlincik, Dean Packard, Brooke Peters)
Florida Storm (Eddie Anderson, Stacey McKay)
Kentucky Thoroughbreds (Marina Anderson)*
Keystone Crushers (Amy Taylor, Stef Connell)
Maryland Mayhem (Keri Teodori, Sandra Masterman)
New York Ballers (Ron Sussman)
North Carolina Breakers (Jeff Yurk, Lane Ethridge)
Northern Virginia SuperNovas (Dani Mackey)
Roanoke Shine (Trish Hammer, Carter Turner)
Texas Stars (Craig Bobo, Dino Patane)*
Villages Heat (Kim Stevenson)
* Denotes expansion team

 

 

ATTENTION NEW AND RETURNING LEAGUE PLAYERS: It's time to register for the 2026 Tryouts Combine and/or enter the Official Draft

There are two pathways to become a player in the USLPL 50+ and 60+ leagues this upcoming season, which kicks off September 2026. 

 

Path 1: Play in the Combine AND Enter the Draft 

(Ideal for new players and those who want to meet all of the team owners, showcase your skills, and have some fun!)

 

COMBINE Dates:

60+: August 5-7, with unstructured practice late afternoon on the 5th and competition starting early on the 6th and 7th, wrapping early afternoon

50+: August 7-9, with unstructured practice late afternoon on the 7th and competition starting early on the 8th and 9th, wrapping early afternoon

Male and female combine winners receive an automatic bid onto a team! Max of 200 players per combine.

 

COMBINE Play Format: Gender doubles round robin, followed by a seeded gender doubles round based on round 1 play. Two courts will be broadcast on our YouTube Channel.

 

COMBINE Location: Performance Pickleball RVA (Richmond, VA) - GREAT VENUE, Lunch Provided on Competition Days

 

Local Hotel Info (league rate): Residence Inn by Marriott Richmond/Midtown Glenside ($159/night while rooms last), please book soon!

 

Our sixteen 50+ and six 60+ team owners will be at the Combine and look forward to getting to know you and watching you play!  

================ 

 

Path 2: Enter the Official Draft ONLY

(For players at the highest level whose skills are known to team owners)

 

Go directly into the draft without playing in the Combine. Registration is open now with the deadline of midnight on August 12.

 

The draft will take place mid-August, following the Combine. Players will be notified of the results shortly thereafter.
 

 

Costs: 

Combine Fee: $225.00 (includes practice time, two competition days, lunch)
Draft Fee: $1,300 (includes registration fees for 5 league events)*
*Non-drafted players who entered the draft will be refunded $1,300 minus credit card fees

 

Register for the combine and/or the draft at this link! 

The full season player information deck can be found here.

Anything we forgot? Got questions? Email us at info@playlegends.com. 

 

 

The six teams of our inaugural 60+ league are locked in and getting ready to hit the courts this Fall! BIG warm USLPL welcome to the Cape Cod Sharks (owner Aaron Brochu), St. Louis Archers (owner Pete Spanos), Gotham Flash (owner Robert Goodwin), Kentucky Thoroughbreds (owners Eddie Anderson and Marc Bondi), Palm Beach Picklers (owner Ira Rapaport), and Carolina Coyotes (owners Mike and Michelle Weeks)! 

The 60+ league will play on Thursdays and Fridays (with practice Wednesday afternoons the day prior) - followed by the 50+ league on Saturdays and Sundays. The 2026-2027 season kicks off in Columbus, OH, September 9-13 with an additional 4 events in October, December, and January!  

Combine registration is now open! 

The 2026 season of the USLPL will feature sixteen 50+ teams and six 60+ teams! There are two paths to joining us and claiming one of more than 120 spots on our 50+ teams or one of 50 spots on our 60+ teams. Want to showcase your skills for our team owners? Register for the Combine at Performance Pickleball RVA in Richmond - August 5-7 (for 60+) and August 7-9 (for 50+). The Combine registration link is now live! Sign up today to take part in two days of gender doubles round robin competition. The Top male and female from each age group will get an automatic bid to play in the USLPL.

The full player information deck can be found here. Questions? Email info@playlegends.com. 

Ever wonder what it's like to play in a pro pickleball league tryouts Combine? USLPL's Director of Athlete Development Sonny Tannan has launched our Combine Academy, designed to help aspiring 35+, 50+ and 60+ USLPL players practice and prepare in advance of the main USLPL Combines. Combine Academy events are perfect for seeing what a Combine is like. These one-day competitive round robin events include seeding and playoff rounds. The top male and female player from each event will receive FREE entry into the main Combine in August in Richmond, VA. 

The first Combine Academy date is June 27 (Chantilly, VA). The cost to play is just $150 for session and includes lunch and league giveaways. This is a great opportunity to test your level of play in a fun and competitive environment. REGISTER HERE.

The wait is over! The official tryouts Combine is taking place August 2026!  The 60+ Combine will take place August 5-7 and 50+ will take place August 7-9 at Performance Pickleball RVA in Richmond. This great facility hosted our 2025 Combine - and it was a huge hit! Lunch provided throughout. The cost is just $225 for two solid great days of play. To qualify, you should play at the 4.5 level or above. If your DUPR is not 4.5, but you play at the 4.5+ level, you can include that information in your registration form, and can be accepted. 

SCHEDULE: 60+ evening warm-up on August 5th, rounds of play on August 6/7. 50+ evening warm-up on August 7th, rounds of play on August 8/9. The male and female winners of each Combine will gain automatic draft spot on one of their respective league's teams!  

Register today, as space is limited. 

 

WHAT AN AMAZING SEASON! Our inaugural year is in the books, and the Delrays, who went 11-0 for the season converted their winning ways to 1st place and a big check! Congrats to the entire team and their owners Aila Main and Karen Urban! The Royals fought them tough in the finals, losing in a close dreambreaker to decide the tourney. The NY Ballers placed third followed by the Rocketeers in 4th. More pics and details to follow! Thank you to all of the players, owners, and referees who dedicated their time, effort, and SKILLS to this season. And, we couldn't have done it all without our sponsors Diadem and Dink Eyewear, who both showed up for us all season long.  Watch the replays on our YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/@USLPL/streams

On the heels of the success of the USLPL 50+, our league is launching the inaugural season of the USLPL 60+ in Fall 2026. The league is exclusively for 60+ players and is fueled by the desire to provide 60+ players with their next great competitive challenge alongside others in their age group.

USLPL 60+ will include 6 teams that will play alongside the USLPL 50+, adding to the excitement and camaraderie of the weekend showdown events. Details about the 50+ and 60+ tryouts combine and draft will be announced in early 2026.

“As a 60+ player, I understand the need for super-senior players to compete against people our own age,” said League Co-Founder Ron Cortese of Oakton, Virginia.  “The response to the 60+ league has been swift and positive from players and owners alike.”

Interested players and team owners can register at this link to receive announcements about upcoming events. Limited team ownership opportunities are still available. 

“U.S. Legends Pickleball League has always been about giving elite players across the country the opportunity to fulfill their competitive aspirations,” said League Co-Founder Mike Cao, of Richmond, Virginia, a senior pro player and PPR certified coach. “We cannot wait to welcome more players into our league.”

USLPL is pleased to announce Sonny Tannan as its new Director of Sponsorships & Athlete Development. In this role, Sonny will lead sponsor outreach and coordination for the 50+, 60+ and 35+ leagues, while ensuring that all qualified athletes are supported and encouraged to compete at the highest national level.

Sonny is a sponsored coach with Team JOOLA, a DUPR Master Coach, and a Level 2 Clinician for RPO. He also serves as a strategic consultant and investor in racquet sport facilities both in the U.S. and internationally, with a proven history of connecting athletes, brands, and communities.

“Sonny brings a wealth of experience to the league,” said USLPL Co-founder Ron Cortese. “Our league, team owners, and players are lucky to have him on our team.”

“Pickleball has opened doors for me both on and off the court, and I’m excited to bring that experience to the USLPL. Together, we will create a national stage for our players while building partnerships that elevate athletes and deliver value to the brands and communities that support us,” said Tannan.

SONNY@PLAYLEGENDS.COM

U.S. Legends Pickleball League welcomes the marvelous Michele Spahr to its broadcast team. The co-host of the Mom You're Embarrassing Me Podcast (which she co-hosts with her daughter Jordan Wick) will join the USLPL as Lead Correspondent at its team showdowns in Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New Jersey. She will provide color commentary on select matches, rove the sidelines, and conduct owner and player interviews throughout each showdown weekend. She'll also help fans stay on top of real-time updates, as well as share behind-the-scenes stories and profiles. Welcome to the team, Michele!

The Roanoke Shine are one of the 12 USLPL teams that will compete for the league championship in Season 1. They recently appeared on WSLS TV to share what joining the league means to them. Check out their interview here!

You may recognize Co-Founder Ron Cortese as the head of Legends Sports Leagues (basketball, baseball, and pickleball) or have played in one of the many tournaments he has hosted in the mid-Atlantic region. Ron's a senior pro player, PPR Certified Coach, and is excited to welcome the players and fans to the USLPL this season. Mike is a multiple international pickleball tournament medalist as well as a PPR Certified Coach and all-around great guy. Together, their teamwork has helped make the dream work for the USLPL.