Who We Are
- Piklbolas Lietuva is the governing body for pickleball in Lithuania.
- Lithuanian Pickleball Federation is a member of the Global Pickleball Federation (GPF) and European Pickleball Federation (EPF).
- Founded in 2021, “Pickleball Lithuania” is a non-profit organization whose volunteers and professionals support the mission.
Board of Directors
President – Svajūnas Masilionis
- Born, raised, and started a family in Panevėžys. Moved to Chicago in 1996.
- Owner of the logistics company “Unlimited Group” based in Chicago.
- Actively involved in the Lithuanian expatriate sports scene since arriving in the USA. Founder of the Chicago Lithuanian Basketball and Soccer Leagues. Leads the non-profit organization “Žalgiris,” supporting Lithuanian sports projects abroad.
- Married. Wife Arenida, two adult sons – Modestas and Edvinas.
- In November 2020, the World Lithuanian Center in Lemont, Chicago, started inviting compatriots to play pickleball.
- Founded the Lithuanian Pickleball Federation in the summer of 2021.
Mantas Paulauskas
- Born, raised, and started a family in Vilnius.
- Managed the “Healthy City” institution from 2011 to 2021;
- Founder of one of the first extreme sports clubs in Lithuania, “Iksas”;
- Founder of the Ulf Even Aikido Center;
- Founder of the tennis club for people with disabilities and the Lithuanian Disabled Sports Association;
- Member of the “LNSA” snowboarding and freestyle skiing committee since 2010 and the association’s general secretary;
- Received a commemorative medal for services to the Vilnius municipality in 2013;
- Named the best sports manager of 2013 for Vilnius city events;
- Received recognition from the Vilnius City Municipality Administration director for excellent work and active participation in organizing the Vilnius Sports Festival 2013
Founders
• Svajūnas Masilionis • Matas Niparas • Evaldas Ambrazaitis • Arnoldas Blinstrubas • Edvinas Balčiūnas • Deividas Kačinauskas •
Mission
To introduce, support, and popularize the sport of pickleball to people across Lithuania and worldwide.
Main activities:
- Advertising pickleball
- Providing instruction and conducting seminars for players, coaches, and officials
- Informing the Lithuanian pickleball community about the sport’s development
- Organizing tournaments and other competitions
- Developing pickleball infrastructure in Lithuania
According to the brief history guidelines in the official Pickleball rulebook, Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, near Seattle, Washington. Three men, Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum, are recognized as the game’s founders. Pickleball evolved from homemade equipment and simple rules to become a popular sport worldwide. The Lithuanian Pickleball Federation joined the International Pickleball Federation in 2021.
Pickleball is a rapidly growing branch of paddle sports, combining elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. It’s fast-paced, easy to learn, and incredibly fun to play due to extended rallies that occur during the game. Pickleball is typically played as a doubles match, although singles matches are also very popular and challenging for players seeking more intensity.