“Tennis, pickleball, padel — different games, shared roots. At the heart of every court are the communities and lifelong friendships that make us feel at home.”
When people ask why I started EVERYDAY SOCIAL®, the answer has never really been about paddles or apparel. It has always been about people and relationships.
Growing up in California, I picked up a tennis racquet at the age of four. Years later, I discovered pickleball at eleven, back in the early 1990s, when it was simply part of our school's curriculum—long before the sport became what it is today. To me, tennis and pickleball were never separate worlds. They were different expressions of the same thing: community, competition, and joy.
Through sport, I learned lessons that would shape the rest of my life—discipline, dedication, leadership, teamwork, and humility. The habits formed from waking up at 5:30 every morning and being on the court by 6:30, long before school, carried far beyond competition and into every chapter of my life and career.
But perhaps the greatest gift sport has given me has been friendship.
I've always believed that pursuing a sport at a high level opens doors far beyond the game itself. Some of my closest friendships began with a shared passion for the court.
From California to Hong Kong, Taipei, Shanghai, Tokyo, and now Karuizawa, I've found that every court speaks the same language. We may come from different cultures and backgrounds, but a love of the game has a remarkable way of bringing us together.
Looking back, I realize that the greatest rewards were never the trophies or rankings. What endure are the friendships, the communities, and the memories built along the way.
That's the spirit behind EVERYDAY SOCIAL®.
We are inspired by tennis, pickleball, padel, and all racquet sports because we believe they share the same roots. Different games, perhaps, but built on the same foundations—sportsmanship, camaraderie, and lifelong friendships.
Because long after the match is over, it's the people who make us feel at home—and who remind us that life is best lived together.
—Ivan H.
Founder, EVERYDAY SOCIAL®
Karuizawa, Japan
