Ballers Alum

I was born and raised in Lahaina, Maui until 2004, when our family moved to Indianapolis. I grew up playing tennis and soccer, and ultimately went on to play tennis at the University of Dayton (alongside my twin sister Jade). I now live in Indianapolis and work full-time at the NCAA in Championship Operations. My father introduced me and Jade to pickleball in the spring of 2019 and we immediately fell in love with it! Outside of competing against the other amazing athletes on tour, I love being able to play with my family. 

My name is Jade Kawamoto, and I am originally from Maui, Hawaii but live in Indianapolis now. I graduated from the University of Dayton where my sister and I both played tennis, and now I work full-time as an Assistant Director at the NCAA Headquarters in Indy. I first discovered pickleball in 2019 and have loved competing in tournaments and being a part of such a fun community of people. 

James Walter (“JW”) Johnson grew up playing a number of different sports. While he enjoyed team sports, his full- time focus turned to tennis as he entered his teenage years. Growing up in the Midwest it was difficult to play tennis year-round, so shortly after he turned 15 the family relocated to Naples, Florida, where JW discovered a love for pickleball and decided to switch to pickleball full time. In 2021, JW surprised everyone on the professional pickleball scene, capturing 4 singles titles. Since then, JW has consistently been among the top ranked players in both singles and doubles and has won many more titles in all disciplines, including a mixed doubles championship with his younger sister, Jorja. JW is sponsored by Franklin, Day One Beverages, and Yowbow.

My name is Gabriel Tardio and I live in Jupiter, Florida. Originally from Bolivia, I’m 17 years old. I’ve played pickleball for 2 and a half years. I first played pickleball in Bolivia because my grandfather had built 2 pickleball courts at his house. When I came to the United States, after not being able to play tennis, I tried pickleball and loved it.