I had no idea what I was in for attending my first pickleball tournament. Sure, I had heard of how in the U.S. the sport of pickleball was sweeping the nation and getting so huge in popularity a whole new industry of sporting goods was growing, businesses were popping up for outdoor and indoor play, and even old-school neighborhood tennis courts were being repurposed to pickleball courts. It had gotten so big, one of the brands I support at 3M, FUTURO™ Brand, had actually decided to become a sponsor of the PPA Tour.

The setup day for the Cincinnati Open was pretty quiet, and my coworker and I got our activation space ready. We were positioned right near the championship courts, and a few folks were passing by starting the early tournament play and getting the center ready to go for the rest of the event.

As we got started the next day at the official start of the tournament, the traffic to our booth increased. It ebbed and flowed between matches and as play got going. We had all ages, genders, and backgrounds stop by with interesting stories. People from all parts of the U.S. from Illinois, to California and Arizona to Florida and New Jersey. We even had Canadians too! Through the week, we spoke to parents looking for solutions for their kid players as young as 8 to players who were still going strong and playing on a regular basis in their 80s. Their stamina and athleticism was so impressive! A few folks shared they travel the circuit and go from tournament to tournament. It sounds like a wonderful life to travel and play a sport you love at the same time.

What stood out to me is how happy and friendly everyone was. Everyone that stopped by our vendor booth was cheerful and courteous and in a good mood. Even those that lost matches bubbled with kindness and enthusiasm. And like smiles and laughter could be contagious, the positive energy was flowing, and we were catching in on the positivity. 

Our purpose at the event was to introduce our FUTURO™ Premium Compression Sleeves for knee, elbow and ankle that came out this spring. These sleeves help support your joints and help provide relief where you need it. With active pickleball athletes, we were able to fit quite a few with samples to help them keep moving on the court, or even find some relief to make it home or back to the hotel comfortably after a hard day of play. 

One of the most rewarding parts of the activation was seeing the comfort and relief on people’s faces when they put our compression sleeves on. In some cases, we even heard an “Oh!” or an “Ah!” It felt so good being able to help people that were in pain or had discomfort.

This event really opened my eyes to the magic of pickleball. With what I thought would be a long week leaving me tired and exhausted, I actually came home happy, energized, and ready to pick up a paddle. 

Check us out on futuro-usa.com/compression

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This article was written by Erica Schiebel - Global Consumer Experience Manager, FUTURO™ Brand.