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Player Bio

Media Kit

My name is Matthew Mead, I have been playing pickleball for 4 years now and playing professionally for about 2 years.

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I was born in Newport Beach California but lived most of my childhood in Wilmette, Illinois. I grew up playing a variety of sports starting with swimming, soccer, baseball, tennis and volleyball all at a pretty high level.

The sports that have the most influence on my pickleball game are tennis and volleyball. Competing is something I thoroughly enjoy in all my pursuits. When I try new sports/hobbies that I like, I tend to want to play tournaments in them at some point.

Although right now I am Uber focused on pickleball because I’m set on getting to be the best I can be and seeing how far that takes me. Among my notable victories are triumphs against esteemed opponents like Hayden Patriquin, Shelby Bates, Jake Kusmider, Brandon French, Craig Johnson, and Sam Querrey. Noteworthy recent achievements include a commendable 5th place finish in singles at the Indianapolis APP in 2022, as well as securing 3rd place in the mixed pro back draw at both the PPA Tournament of Champions and Los Cab PPA in 2023.

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Director of Marketing & Sponsorships

Meghan McDufee

Email : [email protected]

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.

Business Development

David Hathway

Email : [email protected]

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.

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.

Legal Counsel

Rice Ferrelle

Email : [email protected]

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.