Today we’d like to introduce you to Elissa Brown.
Hi Elissa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Hi! I’m Elissa and I grew up in Alabama. I’ve played sports my entire life, with softball being my main focus. That passion led me to earn a softball scholarship to play at the University of Alabama, which was an incredible experience. After college in 2021, I entered the working world, but I quickly realized how difficult it was to stay active without the structure of competitive sports I’d known my whole life.
About a year ago, I moved to Atlanta and was introduced to pickleball through my job. We started playing weekly games on Thursdays, and I fell in love with it. I joined two leagues and before I knew it, I was playing almost every day.
As I got more involved, I noticed something: there weren’t many people who looked like me on the courts. And when you’re showing up to play alone, it can be hard to break into groups where everyone already seems to know each other. So I decided to do something about it. I created a social media page called Black Girls Pickle, Too—a space to showcase and celebrate Black women playing pickleball and to invite more of us to play. It’s meant to be a safe, welcoming place for our people to come together, compete, connect, and try something new.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Breaking into pickleball comes with its own set of challenges. The rules can be confusing at first, courts are often crowded or not free to use, and you really need other people to play with, which isn’t always easy to find.
Personally, I picked up the sport pretty quickly thanks to my athletic background. But as a Black woman, I’ve noticed that people sometimes assume I’m not as skilled, and I’ve felt that hesitation from others when it comes to playing with me and that can be really discouraging.
That’s part of what inspired me to create Black Girls Pickle, Too! To show that we’re out here, showing up, learning, and putting in the same work as anyone else.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Black Girls Pickle, Too is more than just a social media page—it’s a movement and a community for Black women to feel seen, welcomed, and empowered in the world of pickleball.
Black Girls Pickle, Too creates opportunities for women to show up, learn, and compete. I host monthly meetups in the metro-Atlanta area, create content that highlights Black women playing the game, and provide resources to help women find courts, leagues, and to ask questions through our Facebook Group. At the moment, every event and meet ups have been free for all participants!
What sets us apart is representation. Pickleball is growing rapidly, but when I first started playing, I noticed very few people on the courts looked like me. That lack of visibility can make it hard to feel confident, especially when you’re showing up alone. So I created a space where we could show up together.
What I’m most proud of brand-wise is how every Black woman I run into is always like “I want to try pickleball.” Then we play and they fall in love! My mom is a great example of that. I hosted a meet up in my home town and they are still asking for the next one.
If there’s one thing I want readers to know, it’s this: Black Girls Pickle, Too is here to build a space where Black women are encouraged to show up fully and unapologetically. Tag us, collaborate with us, we want to see you on the court. Just go for it!
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I definitely stepped out on faith creating this page. I just wanted to showcase me playing as a black woman! Eventually, that led to more and more ladies joining the group (81 women), tagging @blackgirlspickletoo on their pickleball journey, and being proud to be a black woman on the court. I’ve worked with brands for awesome opportunities for more representation in pickleball spaces. There is definitely more to come.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @blackgirlspickletoo
