We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Diamond League Pickleball Team. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Diamond League Pickleball Team below.
Diamond League Pickleball Team, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
Our purpose wasn’t born out of a business plan — it came from standing on the sidelines of other tournaments, watching one person try to manage everything, and thinking, there has to be a better way.
We’d all been players, coaches, and volunteers before. We’d seen how stressful tournaments could get and how easily the player experience could be overlooked. We wanted something different — something that made players feel valued, welcomed, and part of a true community, not just another event.
That’s how Diamond League Pickleball began. Four of us came together — three coaches and one event organizer — with the same goal: to create tournaments that we’d want to play in ourselves. We focused on clear communication, organized schedules, and an environment that felt positive and professional from start to finish.
Over time, that purpose grew beyond logistics. It became about connection — bringing together players from different parks, cities, and skill levels. It’s about the energy, camaraderie, and pride in knowing we’re helping build something that genuinely brings people joy.
Our purpose is simple but powerful: to make every player’s experience memorable, so that when they leave the courts, they can’t wait to come back.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Diamond League Pickleball (DLP) is a Southern California–based organization founded by four co-founders — Carter Southern, Louise Datu, Matt Weinberger, and Tim Chuko — who share a love for the sport and for building community through it. What began as a side project among friends has grown into one of the most active pickleball organizations in the region.
Our team blends coaching, design, planning, and operations to create organized, welcoming events that celebrate the best parts of pickleball: competition, connection, and camaraderie. We’ve hosted large-scale tournaments and leagues across Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Northern California — each designed with care and a strong sense of community.
What sets DLP apart is our collaborative approach. Every event is a team effort, from logistics and planning to branding and player engagement. That balance of professionalism and warmth keeps players coming back.
As we move into 2026, DLP continues to expand with new partnerships, statewide events, and creative tournament formats that bring fresh energy to the sport. Our goal remains simple: to keep elevating the pickleball experience while strengthening the connections that make this community so special.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Looking back, the three qualities that have shaped our journey most are organization, creativity, and community-minded adaptability.
Organization gave us our foundation. Coordinating tournaments means managing countless moving parts — registrations, schedules, vendors, and volunteers — and making it all feel seamless. Strong systems let us stay calm, consistent, and prepared for growth.
Creativity keeps our events vibrant. We approach every tournament as a chance to design something new — whether it’s format, layout, or player experience. Thinking differently has allowed us to stand out without losing our sense of fun.
And community-minded adaptability ties it all together. We’ve learned to adjust quickly while keeping people at the center of every decision. Plans change, weather shifts, things go sideways — but empathy, teamwork, and flexibility turn those moments into opportunities to connect.
Our advice: build structure early, stay open to change, and always lead with creativity and care for your community.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
We’re always excited to collaborate with people and organizations who share our passion for growing pickleball and creating meaningful experiences for players.
We love partnering with brands and companies who can help us bring extra joy to our players — whether that’s through raffle giveaways, player swag, or product demos that make tournament days more memorable.
We’re also looking to connect with clubs, recreation centers, and venues interested in hosting Diamond League Pickleball tournaments or co-creating new event formats. We’re expanding both within California and into other states, and we’re eager to collaborate with venues who want to elevate their local pickleball scene.
Beyond events, we’re open to creative and educational collaborations — from workshops and speaker sessions to cross-state partnerships where we can share our process, lessons learned, and ideas for building stronger pickleball communities.
If you’re interested in partnering or exploring ideas together, we’d love to hear from you at [email protected]
or via Instagram at @diamondleaguepb
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Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.diamondleaguepb.com
- Instagram: @diamondleaguepb
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