Major League Pickleball team to host minor league tryouts at Cape's Pickleball Factory

The St. Louis Shock, a Major League Pickleball (MLP) team, will host tryouts for its newly established Minor League Pickleball (MiLP) teams Sunday, Feb. 2, at the Pickleball Factory, 1507 Independence St, in Cape Girardeau, its official partner venue.

The Shock recently became the first team to establish a presence in MiLP, develop local talent and provide a clear pathway from amateur to professional pickleball.

John Kleinschmidt, a senior pro player with multiple gold medals at the Pickleball U.S. Open, will oversee the program and tryouts as the director of its Talent and MiLP Operations. A St. Louis native, Kleinschmidt brings more than six years of coaching experience and is certified as an International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association (IPTPA) Level 2 and National Pickleball Association (NPA) instructor.

“We welcome all to be part of the Shock family,” Kleinschmidt said. “The aim of the Minor League is to offer amateur events designed to mirror the MLP's professional co-ed team format.”

This will include tournaments featuring teams of four players — two women and two men — competing in four 21-point games, two gendered and two mixed.

The Minor League is open to players of all ages and levels, with teams organized into divisions based on their combined Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR) ratings, ensuring a fair and competitive environment.

Evaluations will include doubles, mixed doubles and singles formats, with assessments focused on technical skill, court awareness and performance under pressure. Team selections will follow a structured evaluation process conducted by Kleinschmidt and Shock’s staff.

Players who make the roster will join a yearlong program that includes training sessions, participation in three qualifying tournaments and entry into the MiLP National Championship. The program also provides team uniforms, tickets to MLP St. Louis matches and a focus on local tournaments to minimize travel expenses.

“We at the Shock love our special partnership with the Pickleball Factory and look forward to hosting its one of three tryouts in Cape Girardeau,” Kleinschmidt said.

The Pickleball Factory is the only premier pickleball facility between St. Louis and Memphis, Tennessee. Its indoor pickleball complex offers leagues, clinics, open play and lessons in 34,000 climate-controlled square feet across 14 courts.

Visit www.picklecape.com or call (573) 803-0073 to join as a member and learn more about the facility’s state-of-the-art technology, the only cushioned courts in the region constructed by Official USA Pickleball partner SportMaster and the sport’s coolest mascot, Pedro the parakeet.