Godfather Pickleball Agency

Unparalleled Support & Professional Attention

When you join us, you become family.

Godfather Pickleball Agency

Unparalleled Support & Professional Attention

When you join us, you become family.

our mission

Our Mission & Commitment to You

At our core, we hold a deep commitment to treating every client as an extension of our family.

Our unwavering passion, relentless perseverance, determination, profound knowledge, and professionalism are the tools we use to create exceptional value for each and every one of our clients. Join us on this journey and experience the difference for yourself.

 
Meet the Team

Unparalleled Passion for Maximizing Player Value

Endorsements
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Brand Enhancement

It’s time to elevate your brand through strategic endorsements.

Your outstanding play has already garnered attention, and now it’s time to transform that recognition into lucrative opportunities. We can forge partnerships with brands that align seamlessly with your image and values, enhancing your personal brand while boosting your income. Our work ethic, passion for pickleball and unique industry knowledge will be working with and for you day and night.

Social Media
social media

Leverage & BOOST

Leveraging a skilled digital marketing team, we will enhance your social media profile.

By crafting engaging content, optimizing posting schedules, and leveraging data-driven insights, we will increase reach, engagement, and follower growth. This strategic approach will not only build a stronger online presence but also foster brand loyalty and increase your endorsement value tremendously.

Player Development
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Professional Coaching

Yohann will work closely with each client after a full analysis of your game to determine the best path forward to advance your career.

He will provide a comprehensive plan to make sure you compete at your best – whether that be specific training, fitness, health, or assisting live at large tournaments.

At every level, we will ensure you are constantly improving and evolving your game along with the best in the world.

Contract Negotiations
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Legal Expertise

Our Agency has experienced in-house legal counsel who will facilitate and navigate all facets of sophisticated contract negotiations on your behalf so you can focus on competing in the sport.

With over 20 years of legal expertise, we are able to identify, negotiate and finalize favorable agreements for you to maximize your professional value in the industry and set you apart from others with sponsorships, opportunities and higher compensation.

Financial Guidance
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Investment Expertise

With over 20 years of Wall Street experience, GPA is able to provide unprecedented expertise in offering financial guidance to our clients as they grow their careers and subsequent wealth.

We possess a profound understanding of investment strategies, risk management, family planning and retirement preparation. As we help create wealth for our clients, we are also able to guide them on strategies to maximize that wealth to reach their longer term goals.

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What to Expect

Boost

GPA will front a 90 Day Social media boost campaign to increase your influence, reach and engagement. We will work with you to craft your brand and help build and spread that image via social media platforms.

Evaluate

Yohann will provide a comprehensive review and analysis of your game. He will then develop a health, fitness and training program to provide you the building blocks to reach your maximum potential.

Monitor

GPA will analyze and evaluate all existing agreements to ensure you have a complete understanding of your deals and that ultimate value is being reached in each and every existing arrangement - and, of course - all future arrangements

Growth

You understand the potential of pickleball. We are still in the very early stages of the sport's evolution and we will work together, as a family, to capitalize on the explosive growth and seek each and every opportunity to maximize your brand.

Launch

We will work with you to begin narrowing down a target list of potential endorsements, appearances, influencer deals, camps, clinics, and other opportunities to maximize your true value.

Player-friendly Contract Terms With GPA

Most Agencies
Our Approach

Most agencies charging 20%

Fee limited to 15% of revenue

Often agencies require long-term commitments

Shorter commitment term & more client flexibility

Many agencies impose contract obligations on the player for five+ years after the contract term has expired

Limited player obligations to GPA after the term expires

Business Development

David Hathway

Drawing on over two decades of expertise in algorithmic systems on Wall Street, David pioneered Systematic Interest Rate trading at Wells Fargo between 2007 and 2012. Subsequently, he established Sandpiper Asset Management, a successful hedge fund he helmed for a decade. An alumnus of the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, David earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a specialization in Finance.

In 2018, with a deep passion for pickleball, David realized the potential of professional Pickleball, leading him to found PickleballByPros.com. Not stopping there, he ventured into the e-commerce realm, founding and building SunSailShades.com, now a market leader in the beach recreational business.

Beyond his corporate achievements, David cherishes his personal life, having married his high school sweetheart and being a committed father to two boys. With a profound business acumen, a vast professional network, and a deep comprehension of the intricacies faced by professional pickleball players, David is unwavering in his dedication to propelling each client towards their ultimate ambitions.

Legal Counsel

Rice Ferrelle

Rice Ferrelle is an AV Preeminent® rated attorney who has 20 years of experience representing individuals and corporations in a wide variety of complex commercial matters involving business and securities contracts, competition and antitrust issues, qui tam and fiduciary claims, and cases involving the protection of trademark, copyright and related intellectual property interests, including in professional sports industries. Rice owns and actively manages a prominent boutique law firm, Ferrelle Burns P.A., with multiple offices in Florida and Georgia.

Rice was born and raised in Saint Simons Island, Georgia, graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in Economics with Honors of Distinction, and is a graduate of the University of Georgia School of Law. He is admitted to The Florida Bar and the State Bar of Georgia and is actively licensed to practice law in all Georgia and Florida state and federal courts, including the United States District Court for the Northern, Southern, and Middle Districts of Florida, as well as the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Georgia. He has also been admitted pro hac as counsel in numerous jurisdictions throughout the country, including the States of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama. Prior to forming his current law firm, Rice had the opportunity to practice in several prestigious law firms throughout Florida and Georgia and has also handled numerous trials and cases involving serious personal injury, wrongful death, product liability and admiralty and maritime issues. In 2003, Rice earned the honor of nationally publishing a legal commentary on the application of trade secret law in professional sports.

In addition to receiving Martindale-Hubbell’s highest AV peer recognition, Rice has been recognized as a Florida Top 100 High Stakes Litigator, Jacksonville 904 Top Lawyer, Florida Rising Star, and he has been featured in Super Lawyers every year since 2011. In 2015, Rice was also named to the Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, a national trial lawyers organization which recognizes excellence in advocacy. In 2022, he was selected to the National Trial Lawyers TOP 100 invitation-only membership, where he is recognized as a Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyer in the State of Georgia. Rice has participated as a guest lecturer at Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville, and has served on multiple occasions as an advisory counsel for the Federal District Court Rules Committee for the Southern District of Georgia.

While not practicing law, Rice enjoys playing competitive soccer, fishing, spearfishing, watching sports, and spending time with his wife, Amanda, and two children, Connor and Kennedy. He also volunteers his time at local and national non-profit organizations, including Guardian Ad Litem, and formerly served as a board member for the Dreams Come True of North Florida Horizon Board.

Director of Marketing & Sponsorships

Meghan McDufee

Meghan McDuffee is a marketing professional who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Pennsylvania State University.  With a keen eye for creativity and a solid grasp of marketing strategies, Meghan brings a wealth of expertise in content creation, brand management, and market research.  Meghan has experience in social media management and is enthusiastic about making a positive impact in dynamic environments.  Meghan is result driven and eager to contribute her skills to exciting marketing projects and initiatives.

Meghan was born and grew up in Athens, Pennsylvania.  Having relocated from Pennsylvania to Florida, Meghan has fallen in love with the Sunshine State where she is able to embrace the vibrant lifestyle Florida offers.  When not working, Meghan enjoys exploring new culinary delights at local restaurants and being able to sit in the sun at one of Florida’s amazing beaches.  Meghan also enjoys the company of any furry friend she may meet in her local travels or volunteering to walk any dog that lives in her complex.

Player Development

Yohann Nograbat

FCRC is excited to have Yohann Nograbat as a coach and Pickleball Director. Yohann began his tennis career in France. His junior achievements led him to Play Division 1 Tennis, where he played #1 singles and doubles. Upon graduation, Yohann coached at a tennis club in Chicago, where he developed multiple junior players who achieved top rankings in the US and progressed to be some of the best players at Division 1 universities. In addition, Yohann coached and traveled with multiple pro players to many competitions, including, the French Open and the US Open. His love for pickleball started in early 2019 and it was a natural shift from the tennis world. He has since participated in multiple pro tournament events, reaching top 8. In his first year playing the sport, he walked away with a gold medal at the US Open 5.0 singles event.

His coaching style and abilities have transferred successfully into pickleball, where he continues to develop players to reach their top level of play. Yohann is actively transitioning top amateur players into the pro circuit. What makes Yohann one of the best in the sport, is his knowledge around strategy, positioning and decision making on the pickleball court. He also has a unique way of helping players learn the necessary skills to improve their play and hit the right shots.

Yohann is married to his wife Matea, who have two beautiful daughters, Elize and Mia. Yohann has also taken it upon himself to develop his daughters in the game of golf, where his oldest daughter Elize is amongst the top US juniors in her age bracket.