ABOUT PRESTON
Preston Engel is a professional pickleball player, coach, and content creator whose passion for racquet sports has shaped both his career and everyday life. After growing up playing baseball and tennis, he discovered pickleball and quickly turned his love for the game into a profession. In 2023, Preston relocated from Illinois to Florida to pursue new opportunities in the rapidly growing pickleball community. Over the past six years, Preston has coached hundreds of players across the United States, helping athletes of all ages and skill levels develop their game. He is an RSPA Certified Professional and an IPTPA Level II Certified Pickleball Instructor. As a Head Racquets Professional, Preston has organized and participated in exhibition events alongside some of the world’s top players, including the No. 1 ranked professional.
As a competitor, Preston has spent the past four years playing professional pickleball and currently holds a 5.5 DUPR rating in both singles and doubles. Before transitioning to pickleball, he competed in junior college tennis for two years, helping lead his team to the NJCAA National Tournament in both seasons.
Outside of competition and coaching, Preston shares his passion for the sport through Preston’s Playbook, where he creates instructional content, strategy videos, and drills designed to help players improve their game. When he’s not teaching or filming content, you’ll usually find him on a court somewhere staying active—and if there’s a Grand Slam on, you can count on him to be cheering for Jannik Sinner.
ABOUT CLAIRE
Claire Malone is a lifelong athlete, marathon runner, and competitive pickleball player whose passion for sports has shaped every stage of her life. After growing up playing soccer, lacrosse, and basketball, she went on to play four years of Division I soccer at the College of the Holy Cross.
Following college, Claire found a new challenge in long-distance running, completing five marathons, including the New York City Marathon (2x), as well as the Boston, Chicago, and Paris Marathons. Looking for another competitive outlet, she discovered pickleball and quickly fell in love with it. She now competes at the 5.0 level, where she has found not only a new passion, but also lifelong friendships!
Professionally, Claire has more than a decade of experience in media planning and digital marketing, currently working at a leading advertising agency in New York City. She applies that experience to Preston’s Playbook, where she oversees the business side of the brand by managing content strategy, partnerships, operations, analytics, and long-term growth.
Beyond competing and creating content, Claire loves showing that pickleball can be both competitive and expressive. She’s rarely seen without a colorful outfit, fresh nail design, slick back bun and her signature gold jewelry, bringing a little personality and style to every match.
