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The Pickleball Japan Federation Partners with the International League PCL to Promote U19 Player Development

  • 2 days ago
  • 3 min read

Recruitment and Selection of Players Begins for the “PCL Asia Rising Stars” Hainan Island Asia Final


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The Pickleball Japan Federation (hereinafter “PJF”) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a strategic partnership with the international competitive platform, the Pickleball Champions League (hereinafter “PCL”). Through this collaboration, PJF will further advance next-generation player development in Japan by participating in the U19 international development and competition program, “PCL Asia Rising Stars.”


PCL Asia Rising Stars is a program designed to provide young athletes across Asia with competitive opportunities and structured development pathways aligned with international standards. Through this partnership, young players from Japan will join this global development route, expanding their opportunities to compete on the world stage.


Dispatch of Selected Japanese Players to the Asia Final (Hainan Island, China)

As an official event within this program, the Asia Regional Final will be held on the following dates. PJF plans to dispatch selected U19 players from Japan to compete in this prestigious event.


Event Period: March 31 (Tuesday) – April 6 (Monday), 2026

Location: Hainan Island, China

Eligibility: U19 players (19 years old and under)


This tournament is positioned as the official final event within the PCL Asia Rising Stars pathway. Selected athletes will gain valuable international competitive experience along with further development opportunities.


In addition, support for travel and accommodation will be provided to selected players, ensuring that young athletes can confidently compete on the international stage.


Dedicated Coaching and Mentorship by Professional Players

During the tournament, selected players will receive not only international competitive experience but also enhanced developmental support. At the Asia Final, each qualified team will be assigned one professional pickleball player affiliated with PCL (for example, Rob Nunnery, Roos Van Reek, James Ignatowich, among others).


These professionals will serve as dedicated coaches and mentors throughout the event, supporting the athletes in their challenges.

For the next generation of players, this represents a rare and valuable opportunity to receive direct instruction and guidance from world-class athletes.


(Official Information: https://pclasia.org/)



Recruitment and Selection of Players to Represent Japan

(Document Screening + Domestic Selection Tournament)

PJF plans to dispatch a total of four players from Japan: two male and two female athletes.

The selection process will be conducted as follows:


1) Document Screening (Application Review)

Applications will be accepted nationwide. Based on the submitted materials, a document review will be conducted to determine participants for the domestic selection tournament.


2) Final Selection through Domestic Tournament

Athletes who pass the document screening will compete in a domestic selection tournament held in Japan, where the final representatives will be determined.


Date: March 8, 2026 (Sunday) 10:00–17:00

Venue: KPI PARK (Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa)

Capacity: 16 male players / 16 female players


Application details and registration: https://forms.gle/4Y8AmvEFpsPdNhfF6

Cost Coverage

The expenses related to participation in the Final Tournament will be covered as follows:


Airfare (round-trip from Tokyo): Covered by PCL

Accommodation (during the tournament period): Covered by PCL

Tournament entry fee: Covered by PJF

＊Please note that transportation and participation fees for the domestic selection tournament will be borne by the individual participants.


Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities for Junior Development

Through this partnership, PJF will continue building an environment where Japan’s junior athletes can challenge themselves on the international stage, while also strengthening the domestic development foundation.


To sustainably support the discovery and development of next-generation athletes, PJF is seeking corporate and organizational partners who are willing to support young players in their pursuit of international competition.


We welcome partners who share our commitment to youth development, health promotion, education, and international exchange through pickleball, and who wish to help nurture Japan’s future star players.


About Pickleball Champions League (PCL)

Pickleball Champions League (PCL) is a global pickleball platform dedicated to building structured competitive environments and promoting international collaboration. Through professional league operations, academy programs, international tournaments, and the youth development program “Rising Stars,” PCL supports long-term growth pathways for players of all generations.


Official Information:https://pclasia.org/


About the Pickleball Japan Federation (PJF)

The Pickleball Japan Federation (PJF) is Japan’s leading organization representing the sport of pickleball. PJF promotes the development of competitive environments aligned with international standards, tournament management, and the growth and promotion of the sport nationwide.


With the mission of creating a sports culture that connects people across generations and backgrounds, PJF works with domestic and international partners to contribute to health promotion and international exchange.


Contact Information Pickleball Japan Federation (PJF) Secretariat Email: contact@pickleball-japan.org


 
 
 
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