More Than an Influencer: How Tyler Stroyek Is Building a National Pickleball System Through Universal Rackets
By The Pickleball Weekly Editorial Team • May 20, 2026 • 9 min read
From content creator to community builder
IF YOU SCROLL through your Instagram feed and see a blur of neon yellow, a CRBN paddle, and a coach with the kinetic energy of a live wire, you’ve found Tyler Stroyek. To his 128,000+ followers, he is @pickleballwithtyler, the 2025 Feedspot Content Creator and Coach of the Year. To the corporate giants like WebMD and Goldman Sachs, he is the CEO of Universal Rackets, the man who turned a pro-down-the-street hobby into a multi-state infrastructure.
But if you sit courtside with him, you realize Tyler isn’t just selling tips. He’s selling a system.
The Stroyek era didn’t begin with a viral video, though he’s posted over 8,000 of them. It began with a realization that while pickleball was exploding, it was also messy. It was a sport of open play chaos and hope-and-pray transitions. Tyler saw the void and filled it with a high-octane blend of professional standards and raw, human enthusiasm.
“Experience matters. Systems matter. Partnership matters,” Stroyek often says, a mantra that has propelled him to the #13 spot on the 2026 Global Pickleball Influencer rankings. He isn’t just a guy with a camera. He’s a founder who went all-in during the spring of 2020 and hasn’t looked back. Today, Universal Rackets isn’t just a coaching business. It’s a movement operating in over 60 communities across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Florida, Texas, and Illinois, powered by a fleet of over 50+ instructors.
From designing digital masterclasses to partnering with Lululemon for corporate experiences, Stroyek’s momentum is undeniable. He’s the coach who makes you feel like you can conquer the kitchen, and the CEO building unforgettable pickleball experiences and thriving communities across the country. He’s building the largest racket sports platform in the world.
A Conversation: A Q&A with Tyler Stroyek
TPW: When did pickleball first come onto your radar, and what made you decide it was more than just an add-on to Universal Rackets, which initially started solely as a tennis business?
TYLER STROYEK: “Pickleball came onto my radar in 2021 when my wife started playing at our local Life Time Fitness on basketball courts. I saw how much fun she was having, eventually jumped in, and got hooked pretty quickly. Around the same time, I started seeing courts being built everywhere. That combination of how fun and addictive it was plus the rapid growth made it clear this wasn’t just an add on. That’s when I decided to go all in.”
TPW: What were the biggest challenges in the early stages of including pickleball to Universal Rackets? How did you push through them?
TYLER STROYEK: “Coming from a tennis background, we already knew how to run structured clinics camps and events so operationally it was pretty seamless. The biggest challenge was getting pickleball players to buy into level based structure instead of just open play. We stayed consistent with our system and once players experienced it the growth and retention followed.”
“When you choose us to run programming in your community, you’re not just hiring a pro down the street. You’re hiring a company built on systems, structure, and experience.” — Tyler Stroyek, Universal Rackets Founder & CEO, Sponsored Athlete, and Influencer
TPW: On multiple social media platforms, your coaching style is high-energy, positive, and engaging. How would you describe your philosophy for helping players improve, especially in pickleball?
TYLER STROYEK: “I’ve learned that different tips work for different people. It’s not one size fits all. My approach is built on real coaching experience with thousands of hours on court, so I focus on giving practical tips that actually work for real players. I also believe coaching is human. Instead of trying to be overly professional, I keep it fun, high energy, and engaging. When players enjoy it, they learn faster and improve more.”
TPW: The Slinky Drill has become something people really associate with you. What inspired that drill and why do you think it resonates so well with players?
TYLER STROYEK: “It actually came from tennis. The idea was to take something players are already comfortable with like dinking and build off it to teach a more advanced skill. Most players can dink, that’s not the issue. The challenge is transitioning from a dink into a controlled drop with the right upward and forward momentum.
The Slinky Drill bridges that gap. By gradually moving players back they start to feel the progression and develop the right trajectory and touch. It works because it’s simple, visual, and immediate. Players feel the difference right away and it gives them a clear path from what they know to what they’re trying to improve.”
TPW: You often talk about moving up in a ladder instead of rushing the kitchen. What are players misunderstanding about transition play?
TYLER STROYEK: “A lot of players think getting to the kitchen is a straight move from the baseline to the line, but that’s not how it works. I break it into three stages. Point A is your third shot, Point B is the transition zone, and Point C is the kitchen.
Most players try to go straight from A to C and that’s where they get in trouble. They rush forward without earning it and end up popping balls up or losing control of the point.
The key is playing through the transition. You need controlled shots while moving forward and gradually improve your position. I call it climbing the ladder. You earn your way to the kitchen; you don’t rush it.”
TPW: Universal Rackets has grown beyond just coaching into a full community-based model and is built on what you’ve described as “systems, structure, and experience.” What does that look like in practice, and how is it different from a typical local program?
TYLER STROYEK: “Consistency. We’ve built systems that allow us to deliver the same structured experience across every community. Most programs rely on people. We rely on systems. Our coaches and systems are built from real on court experience. Racket sports is in the customer service industry.”
“This company wasn’t built overnight. It started when I was 16 years old teaching lessons, learning what works and what doesn’t. Through trial and error.” — Tyler Stroyek, Universal Rackets Founder & CEO, Sponsored Athlete, and Influencer
TPW: What is the one thing you want every player to feel or walk away with after they’ve spent an hour on the court with a Universal Rackets coach?
TYLER STROYEK: “Confidence and a positive association with the sport. I want every player to walk off the court feeling like they got better. If they had fun, felt improvement, and want to come back, that’s what it’s all about.”
TPW: With Universal Rackets, you’ve worked with major corporate partners like WebMD, JLL, and Goldman Sachs and have hosted large-scale events. How did those opportunities come together, and what role do they play in your overall vision?
TYLER STROYEK: “Those partnerships are a reflection of the credibility and consistency we’ve built over time. They’ve come through relationships, but more importantly from delivering a high quality experience. Once organizations see we’re organized, professional, and can execute at a high level, it opens the door to bigger opportunities. At a high level, those partnerships validate what we do and show our model works at both the community level and with larger organizations that expect a high standard.”
TPW: Pickleball has seen an absolute explosion in popularity recently. From your perspective, what is the biggest growing pain the sport is facing right now, and how is Universal Rackets helping to solve it?
TYLER STROYEK: “The biggest growing pain right now is the lack of structure. At Universal Rackets, we offer opportunities for all ages and all levels. We create an environment where players are with the right group, improving at their own pace, and still feel part of a larger community. That balance between structure and inclusivity helps bring people together, allows them to progress, and most importantly, have fun in the sport.”
“You’re working with a team that can talk the talk and walk the walk. Experience matters. Systems matter. Partnership matters. That’s the difference.” — Tyler Stroyek, Universal Rackets Founder & CEO, Sponsored Athlete, and Influencer
TPW: Looking ahead, what’s next for you and for Universal Rackets?
TYLER STROYEK: “Stay tuned! The goal is to build one of the largest platforms in racket sports. I’m focused on continuing to improve, staying disciplined, and executing every day. I’ve believed in the vision from day one, and now it’s about continuing to build it out.”
The Final Word: 50 States, One Vision
As our conversation wrapped up, Stroyek didn’t head for a break. He headed back to the courts. It is that relentless walk-the-walk attitude that has earned Universal Rackets a 100% retention rate with the communities they serve.
Whether he is teaching 10,000+ players in person or reaching millions through a screen, Tyler Stroyek remains grounded in the impact. It’s the initial implementation phase he loves most; the moment uncertainty turns into a smile, a phone number exchange, and a community transformed. For Stroyek, the scoreboard is important, but the system is everything. And with his sights set on all 50 states, the game is only just beginning.
The Pickleball Editorial Team produces in-depth reporting and cover features that examine the sport’s growth, innovation, competition, and culture. With contributors who understand both the strategy of the game and the forces shaping its future, the team is committed to telling the full story of modern pickleball.
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