When Shelby Bates stepped onto her first pickleball court in 2022, she had no intention of going pro.
She had been teaching tennis and playing competitively in college in Myrtle Beach. Pickleball? It was just something new, something fun. She remembers watching Ben Johns run an exhibition and thinking, “Okay, this looks super exhilarating… I might actually be good at this.”
Turns out, she was right.
Just two years later, Shelby is traveling the world on the APP Tour, racking up podium finishes across international tournaments—from the US Open and Nationals to Australia, Vietnam, and India. She won gold in Mixed Doubles at the 2024 PPA Melbourne Open and bronze in Women’s Doubles at the APP Fort Lauderdale. Not bad for someone who, in her words, “never wanted to play pro.”
But going from teaching tennis to chasing international hardware came with a steep learning curve—especially when it came to footwear.
When she started playing pickleball seriously, she stuck to what she knew—tennis shoes. Before switching to SQAIRZ, she had worn the Nike Cage 2 with the attached tongue and ASICS Gel Solution Speed, which she wore for over 15 years.
“I tried a few of the new 'pickleball' sneakers, but they were just tennis shoes with a pickleball label slapped on. Nothing actually changed. Same tread. Same fit. Same wear pattern,” she said. “And they didn’t hold up. I actually developed stress fractures trying Adidas tennis shoes. That freaked me out.” If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. We broke down why so many injuries in pickleball come from wearing the wrong shoes—read the full blog here.
So for a while, she kept rotating through her trusted tennis models—even though she was starting to feel the drawbacks.
“I Knew I Needed a Shoe Designed Specifically for Pickleball”
Pickleball isn’t tennis. The movement is tighter. Faster. More lateral.
“You’re always on your toes. Super short steps. Constant movement, especially side to side. I drag my feet a lot, and the sides of my shoes would wear out so fast,” Shelby said.
Then she decided to give SQAIRZ XRZ™ a try.
“It was the first shoe I’d worn since ASICS that actually felt right. The roomy toe box was huge—my toes weren’t getting jammed on every quick stop. That makes a huge difference when you’re constantly hitting the front of your shoe in short movements.”
“I Play 4 Hours a Day—These Shoes Keep Up”
Shelby trains like a machine: two hours in the morning, two hours in the afternoon, five to six days a week. And her shoes need to match that pace.
“The tread holds up. The rubber on the side doesn’t rip when I slide. They’re super comfortable, and I’m really picky—orthodox about my shoes, honestly,” she said.
Now, after grinding through countless 5.0 tournaments, climbing the pro ladder, and meeting new friends (and fans) around the globe, Shelby’s proud to rep a shoe that actually lives up to the label.
“Once I felt the difference with SQAIRZ, I was like… where has this been? It’s the first time I’ve actually trusted a shoe since my ASICS.”
For Shelby, the difference is clear.
“Everyone's slapping a pickleball name on their old tennis sneakers. SQAIRZ actually started from scratch and I feel the difference in my game.”
From Myrtle Beach to Melbourne, and soon to Vietnam and India, she’s proving that performance starts from the ground up.
Shop the SQAIRZ XRZ™ Pickleball Shoe →