Selkirk Buys LevelUp: Why Coaching Is Becoming a Bigger Business

Selkirk Sport has bought LevelUp Pickleball Camps, extending an equipment brand’s reach into the coaching experiences that keep players coming back. For coaches and club operators, the deal raises an increasingly relevant question: who will own the relationship with the improving recreational player?

The 5 November announcement says LevelUp runs more than 400 camps annually across more than 35 US states. The business, founded in 2016, largely serves intermediate and advanced players and joins Selkirk’s existing instructional offerings, including Selkirk Academy. Financial terms were not disclosed, according to SGB Media’s reporting.

The Dollard family remains involved as head professionals, while campers retain the formats and more than 30 coaches they already know. Selkirk says the 2027 calendar is set, including new international destination camps.

“Camps are where players get better fastest,” said Mike Barnes, Selkirk’s co-founder and co-chief executive. LevelUp founder Wayne Dollard said joining Selkirk would give the camps resources to grow.

A coaching strategy already taking shape

This builds on Selkirk’s 17 March Academy launch, developed with Pickleball Coaching International. That announcement outlined themed, two-day camps focused on specific skills, alongside video clips of participants’ play with coach commentary for learning afterwards.

It also described assessing individual skills at the start of camp to group players, rather than relying solely on general ratings, and providing instructor certification. These were elements of the Academy’s stated model; the acquisition announcement does not spell out how every feature will apply to LevelUp.

What Racket Business thinks...

The attraction extends beyond selling another paddle. A coaching business can help a brand understand what players struggle with, what they value and what brings them back. Done well, that knowledge can improve both the learning experience and the products surrounding it.

For independent coaches, this is a reminder that their expertise and customer relationships have commercial value. A trusted professional who helps someone enjoy the sport can influence years of participation, bookings and equipment choices. That contribution deserves recognition in any partnership.

Clubs considering hosting camps should examine the whole arrangement: court availability, coach remuneration, marketing responsibilities and what happens after visitors leave. A busy weekend is useful, but the stronger opportunity may be converting enthusiasm into regular local coaching and organised play.

We would also ask how progress is measured. Players need realistic objectives and advice they can continue using, while coaches need the time and support to deliver it. More locations and a larger brand do not automatically produce better instruction.

There is a responsibility here too. When the equipment supplier also provides instruction, players should be able to distinguish coaching advice from a sales recommendation. Clear communication about that relationship would help preserve the trust that makes a coach valuable, particularly when a learner is deciding whether new equipment is actually necessary.

Selkirk’s move gives coaching a prominent place in its expansion. The useful test will be whether the combined operation creates lasting improvement for players and sustainable opportunities for professionals, with commercial growth following from the quality of that experience.