Building Pickleball from the Ground Up
Dr. Rommie Maxey, a pickleball entrepreneur, elite coach, and a six-time national champion
By Carl Foster • September 2, 2026 • 9 min read
THIS WEEK’S People Shaping Pickleball heads to Houston, Texas, for a conversation with Dr. Rommie Maxey, a longtime supporter and advocate for military veterans whose influence on the sport extends from the court to club ownership, professional teams, collegiate pickleball and international development.
Rommie and I have shared the stage, competed across the net and managed our respective professional teams over the years. But at the end of the day, we have always shared a larger goal: growing pickleball and expanding its impact, from youth players and veterans to recreational and professional athletes.
A former national championship competitor, Rommie has trained thousands of players while helping build pickleball clubs from the ground up. His work has also taken him around the world through coaching and pickleball travel experiences. Today, his involvement spans collegiate pickleball, professional team ownership, player development and brands including Acacia Sports and the VAIR rating system.
His path to pickleball, however, began simply by walking down to the courts in his own community and wondering what everyone was playing.
“I believe we are just scratching the surface of what is to come as pickleball continues to expand globally.” — Rommie Maxey, Ph.D.
From the Diamond to the Pickleball Court
CARL: Rommie, you spent decades in baseball as a scout. How did you find pickleball and start competing in the sport?
ROMMIE: Actually, I found pickleball in my community, where I built a home 12 years ago. I walked down to the courts one evening and asked the players, “What is this?” I started playing and had success early, winning my first national championship in Indian Wells. Then I returned home and started helping others learn to play as a coach and USA Pickleball Ambassador. Now, that has turned into 15,000 players trained and 45 national/USA champions.
CARL: You’ve been a pickleball entrepreneur for years. When did you begin exploring pickleball business opportunities and building some of the first indoor pickleball clubs in the Houston area? What have you learned about building community at your clubs and retaining members?
ROMMIE: The structure is easy. Building the culture and family is the key to success. Members want to feel welcome. They want a place where they can meet friends, play, visit, stay for lunch or a drink, and feel at home. I believe multisport venues are important. Padel, badminton, table tennis, golf simulators, card tables and workstations can all be part of the experience. Facilities need to be gathering places, a home away from home.
CARL: As a longtime supporter of our military veterans, I’ve appreciated working with you to coach and support veterans through the PTSD Foundation and Camp Hope in Houston. How have you seen pickleball help people physically and mentally, both on and off the court?
ROMMIE: Absolutely. Pickleball has created an environment for better health socially, mentally and physically. Players are losing weight naturally, having positive social interactions and finding a mental escape from their problems in a friendly, healthy environment. Pickleball is the best of all worlds. Studies have shown this to be true. Camp Hope is a testament to this, with the pickleball program they started to help veterans cope with their problems while embracing a healthier lifestyle.
CARL: You also had the vision, as we did in Boca, to invest in a professional Champions League franchise several years ago with the Houston Hammers. You have also hosted league matches at your new Houston pickleball club. Do you see the team format continuing to grow alongside professional and amateur tournament play? What have been the pros and cons of owning a professional team?
ROMMIE: The Champions Tour is growing in a positive direction. The new association with MLP and its younger stars has brought greater attention to the 50-and-over professional players. Just this past weekend, the crowds were amazing watching both groups compete at the same location. The new TV package has also brought national attention. I believe the team format will continue to grow.
The NPL Champions has grown from six to 16 teams in three years, for example, and the outlook for further expansion is bright. Everyone loves their teams, whether it’s football, basketball, baseball or soccer. Ultimately, I don’t expect to make a lot of money owning a team. It’s more about the relationships and being part of the team spirit and enthusiasm.
CARL: You’ve also been involved in the merchandise side of pickleball, working as National Sales Manager for Acacia, one of the first pickleball-specific shoe brands. How have you seen the brand grow as major footwear companies have added pickleball shoes to their product lines?
ROMMIE: Acacia has been a wonderful company to be a part of. It is a great family-owned business that works extremely hard to produce the best products available and was named the No. 1 pickleball shoe in 2023 and 2024.
The challenges are certainly there, with many shoe companies now in the space, just like the hundreds of paddle companies. Acacia continues to develop better shoes and is also co-branding with companies like VAIR to think outside the box and gain more traction in the pickleball space. Acacia is working hard to lead the way.
CARL: As a national championship professional player and coach, what do you enjoy most about teaching pickleball to everyone from beginners to advanced players? Are you still seeing an influx of new people learning the game? You also take groups on pickleball getaways, combining clinics with the social side of the sport. How have you seen that area grow?
ROMMIE: Yes, having trained more than 15,000 players and 45 national/USA champions does give me some insight into trends in the sport. The number of players coming into the game has not slowed down. If anything, there has been an increase, especially among younger players ages 8 to 18. More schools are now adding pickleball as a regular activity as well as a club sport.
Through my work with the National Collegiate Pickleball Association (NCPA), I have witnessed an explosion in the college ranks. Travel groups like DreamTrips, the largest travel club in the world, are taking notice and expanding into pickleball.
“The structure is easy. Building the culture and family is the key to success.” — Rommie Maxey, Ph.D.
CARL: You are also helping shape the future of the sport as a board member of the National Collegiate Pickleball Association. Pickleball clubs are growing on college campuses, along with collegiate national championships, and we’re beginning to see scholarship opportunities at some smaller schools. What is your vision for the future of collegiate pickleball?
ROMMIE: NCPA and youth programs are expanding in a big way. Twelve regional and two national events are planned with NCPA this year, as an example. In time, we will see colleges continue to build facilities to match students’ growing interest in playing pickleball. College pickleball is alive and growing!
CARL: You are also involved with VAIR, a newer rating system in a space currently led by DUPR. As a coach, what is most important when it comes to creating a level competitive playing field for recreational play, leagues and tournaments?
ROMMIE: VAIR plays a vital role in the pickleball ecosystem. It provides recreational players as well as competitive players with a platform for development. VAIR also incorporates age, gender and mixed play into its algorithms to make leagues, tournaments and recreational play fairer for everyone. Having a choice is good for the sport. VAIR is providing that opportunity.
CARL: You received one of our first CourtReserve World Pickleball Conference Golden Pickle Business Awards in 2025 for your contributions to growing the sport. You’ve also spoken several times at WPC events, sharing your knowledge with attendees. How do you see pickleball evolving over the next three to five years?
ROMMIE: It has been an honor to speak at the prestigious World Pickleball Conferences. The future remains extremely bright for pickleball, not only nationally but also because of the tremendous international growth we are seeing. I believe we are just scratching the surface of what is to come as pickleball continues to expand globally.
CARL: Finally, if you were the “Commissioner of Pickleball,” what do you believe needs to happen for pickleball to reach the Olympics? Which countries do you see on the fastest growth trajectory, and how are you incorporating the sport’s global expansion into your own businesses?
ROMMIE: A unified global body is imperative to moving forward. Drug-testing protocols need to be implemented, along with a working relationship with the Olympic committee and global pickleball federations. We need action steps and people in place to make this happen. Vietnam, Malaysia, Costa Rica, the Philippines, China and Australia, host of the 2032 Olympics, are experiencing tremendous growth. I have personally helped certify much-needed instructors in these countries and expanded my outreach and travel to help clubs grow. VAIR is also providing court-management and tournament software to help support global growth.
Growing the Game Together
From the Houston courts where he first discovered pickleball to clubs, professional teams, collegiate programs and communities around the world, Rommie has watched the sport expand from multiple vantage points. His own path reflects much of pickleball’s evolution, moving from player to coach, entrepreneur, team owner and advocate for what comes next.
For those of us who have spent years working alongside one another to grow the game, that evolution is also a reminder that pickleball’s future will not be built by any one league, company, organization or individual. It will be shaped by the people willing to teach the next player, create the next opportunity and continue opening the sport to new communities.
As Rommie sees it, pickleball is still only scratching the surface. Whether the next frontier is collegiate competition, veterans programs, professional teams or countries discovering the game for the first time, there is still plenty of work ahead.
About Carl Foster
Carl Foster is the Chairman of the World Pickleball Conference and the CEO of Foster Events Group, LLC, where he specializes in the production and management of high-profile sports and entertainment events. With over 50 years of experience in broadcasting, fundraising, and event leadership, he produces Inside WORLD Pickleball and serves as a lead moderator for industry summits. He is a central figure in the professionalization of pickleball, connecting technology experts, organizational leadership, and the player community to elevate the sport’s presence on a global scale.
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