Kyle Yates, Simone Jardim and John Gullo Earn Pickleball Hall of Fame Inductions

The ultimate dream of every athlete, regardless of the sport they play, is to be recognized and immortalized by their peers as someone essential to their game.

For Kyle Yates, Simone Jardim, and John Gullo, that dream is about to become a reality.

All three have been officially inducted into the Pickleball Hall of Fame's Class of 2024.

The purpose of the Pickleball Hall of Fame

In case you're unfamiliar with the Pickleball Hall of Fame (PHOF), here is its mission (according to their website):

The Pickleball Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have achieved exceptional results in pickleball play over the course of their career, as well as those who have made exceptional contributions to the growth, development and leadership of the game. All candidates should have also demonstrated a high level of character, integrity, sportsmanship and consideration for others and thus earned the respect and admiration of their peers.

It was established in 2017 and the most recent class (2023) included:

Mona Burnett
Jennifer Dawson
Scott Moore
Bill Booth
Seymour Rifkind

You can learn more about the PHOF by visiting their site.

Now, let's learn about this year's PHOF class.

Simone Jardim

Before Anna Leigh Waters, Simone Jardim was considered the queen (and GOAT) of women's pickleball.

She is originally from Santa Maria, Brazil, and moved to the United States on a tennis scholarship. Her coaching career began as an assistant at Fresno State and the College of William and Mary, eventually leading to a head coaching role at Michigan State University.

In 2016, Jardim transitioned to professional pickleball, winning her first singles title in her debut at the U.S. Open Pickleball Championship. She went on to achieve triple crown victories at the U.S. Open in both 2017 and 2018. By 2019, she added another singles title and earned gold in mixed doubles alongside fellow future Hall of Famer Kyle Yates.

Ranked No. 1 in women’s doubles in 2021 with Lucy Kovalova as her partner, Jardim continued her winning streak. In 2023, she clinched the U.S. Open women’s doubles title with Paris Todd and was honored as the APP's Female Doubles Player of the Year.

Simone still plays and wins regularly on the APP Tour, where she is ranked No. 3 in Women's Doubles.

Kyle Yates

Before Ben Johns was considered the best in the world on the men's side of pro pickleball, there was Kyle Yates.

At just 29, he becomes the youngest member of the Hall of Fame. Kyle entered his first formal pickleball competition in 2014, winning the singles title at the So Cal Classic. He quickly made his mark by capturing gold in doubles at the USA Pickleball National Championships that same year.

By 2016, Kyle had completed the grand slam of men’s pro doubles, securing titles at the U.S. Open, the Tournament of Champions, and the USAP National Championships. His dominance continued with seven U.S. Open pro doubles titles, two Tournament of Champions pro doubles titles, and four USAP National Championships pro doubles victories, earning him the title of world No. 1 doubles player by the WPF in 2018.

Kyle regularly plays on the APP Tour and frequently partners with fellow Hall of Famer Simone Jardim in mixed doubles. He's competed in five seasons of Major League Pickleball and currently represents the Brisbane Breakers in MLP Australia.

John Gullo

Similar to other hall of fames, some are inducted based on their incredible accomplishments off the court (or field) rather than on it.

Meet John Gullo.

John is widely recognized as a pickleball ambassador in Northern Utah and for founding the Tournament of Champions, the first tournament to offer substantial prize money for professional players.

Under Gullo’s leadership, the Brigham City courts – originally known as the Gullo Pickleball Grotto in 2009 – were expanded threefold, including the addition of a championship court and bleachers, as the tournament grew in size and prestige.

Known as "The Father of Professional Pickleball," Gullo always prioritized players and their experience. The Tournament of Champions was the first to offer payment for referees and to livestream a pickleball event.

Beyond the tournament, Gullo played a pivotal role in bringing pickleball to 10 Utah cities, resulting in over 360 active courts in Northern Utah today. Through his American Dream Foundation, Gullo also encouraged youth participation by donating over $25,000 in scholarships for Junior events at the Tournament of Champions.

Simone Jardim, Kyle Yates, and John Gullo will be inducted into the Pickleball Hall of Fame on November 14th in Mesa, Arizona.

If you'd like to see last year's HOF induction ceremony, you can find it here: