Eastern Iowa Woman Competing on Reality TV Pickleball Competition

Anybody can play pickleball, but few people are as good at it as a Cedar Rapids woman who's competing in a national competition.  that will award the winner either a professional pickleball contract or a franchise for their own pickleball facility.

Kristine Diehl is a special athlete. The 43-year-old Cedar Rapids mom who has a master's degree and a law degree, is also an Ironman Triathlete. In addition, she's a terrific pickleball player who's ranked as one of the Top 30 women's singles players by DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating). She was an obvious choice for one of the few spots available on a new reality TV pickleball competition.

Pickleball Paddle Battle is a competition that features 16 elite players from the United States and Canada. Diehl is among eight women and eight men battling it out to win "coveted pro sponsorship contracts and the chance to own their very own Pickleball Kingdom franchises." Good luck, Kristine!

Pickleball Paddle Battle is filming now. We'll let you know where and when it will be televised as soon as that information is revealed.

The reality show is sponsored by Pickleball Kingdom, the "nation's #1 franchisor of premier indoor pickleball facilities." The company has locations in or on the way in Chandler (AZ), Atlanta (GA), Orange City (CA), Dallas (TX), Austin (TX), Oklahoma City (OK), the Phoenix (AZ) metro, and northern and central Florida. This summer, Pickleball Kingdom announced a new partnership that will bring multiple locations to the state of Wisconsin.

In Cedar Rapids, the number of pickleball courts continues to grow. In September, Jones Park opened its pickleball courts.

This winter, the Pickle Palace will open along 1st St S.W., bringing more indoor courts to the city.