The Picklr’s Central Indiana clubs have introduced a new Minor League Pickleball team through an exclusive affiliation with the St. Louis Shock of Major League Pickleball, creating another competitive pathway for players in the greater Indianapolis market. The program connects local players with the Shock’s expanding MiLP development system and provides opportunities to compete in local, regional and national tournaments.
Recruiting for the Indiana squad began in May, with five players — Irina Paterson, Dale Happe, Cassie Morrow, Carrie Gordy and Tyler Jones — earning spots on the initial roster. Players represent multiple skill levels and age groups and are eligible to pursue qualification for the Minor League national championships in February 2027. The Shock expects its broader minor league program to grow to more than 500 players nationwide by the end of 2026.
The Indiana contingent has already made an impact in competition. Paterson and Happe joined Shock MiLP players from Alabama for a Dink Minor League Pickleball tournament in Memphis on Aug. 22-23, where their team earned a silver medal in the DUPR 12 division.
The affiliation covers The Picklr’s growing Central Indiana footprint and is open to both members and non-members interested in trying out. Local eligibility and tryout information is available through the company’s Keystone Crossing, Avon and Noblesville clubs. Pickle Indy, which operates The Picklr franchises in the market, also plans additional locations in Greenwood and downtown Indianapolis.
The initiative extends the relationship between The Picklr and the St. Louis Shock while illustrating the increasingly structured development pipeline emerging beneath professional pickleball. The Shock, founded in 2023, won both the 2025 MLP regular-season title and MLP Cup and has expanded its development efforts through minor league programs, youth initiatives and partnerships with clubs around the country.
