What’s the Score?
Austin, USA – The 2025 pickleball calendar has closed with a significant roster shakeup. Dekel Bar, a staple of the professional circuit and a long-time representative of the powerhouse brand JOOLA, has officially signed with 11Six24. The move, confirmed on December 30, 2025, makes Bar the first United Pickleball Association (UPA) signed professional to represent the boutique manufacturer. The partnership was born through mutual connections and solidified after Bar tested the brand’s forthcoming technology, the Vapor Power 2. Bar is set to debut the new paddle immediately at the PPA Masters in early January, signalling a quick transition and high confidence in his new equipment.
Hit it deeper!
For the past two years, Dekel Bar has been synonymous with JOOLA, one of the sport’s largest and most visible manufacturers. His departure marks a pivotal moment for the equipment market, suggesting that smaller, agile brands are beginning to lure top-tier talent away from established heritage companies. Bar announced the split on Instagram, thanking his former team for supporting him “through the highs and the lows” before teasing that he was “very excited for what’s ahead”.
That future is 11Six24. According to founder David Groechel, the partnership wasn’t the result of a bidding war but rather an organic connection made through friends. The deal was clinched when Bar got his hands on the product. “He tried the new paddles, and it all went from there,” Groechel explained.
The centrepiece of this new alliance is the Vapor Power 2 with HexGrit, a paddle that represents a significant leap in engineering for 11Six24. This model features the brand’s first full-foam construction, a design choice often associated with expanding the sweet spot and increasing stability. While the paddle is currently awaiting final approval from the UPA-A (United Pickleball Association of America), expectations are high for immediate certification. Groechel also indicated that limited quantities of USAP-approved models—spanning the brand’s signature shapes like the Hurrache-X, Vapor, and Pegasus—will be available to the public in the coming months.
Bar’s immediate adoption of the paddle for the PPA Masters suggests the equipment is already match-ready. This is a critical test for 11Six24; having a marquee player wield their technology on the sport’s biggest stage validates their R&D efforts in a way no marketing campaign could. For Bar, the move allows him to become the primary face of a rising brand rather than one of many stars on a crowded roster.
The World Pickleball Verdict
This signing is a “coming of age” moment for the mid-market paddle industry. For years, the “Big Three” manufacturers have hoarded top talent, creating a barrier to entry for newer companies. Dekel Bar moving to 11Six24 proves that the technology gap has closed—boutique brands can now produce pro-calibre equipment that satisfies even the most demanding power players.
Furthermore, this signals a shift in the player economy. As the UPA continues to consolidate the professional game, the value of being a brand’s “number one” guy may outweigh being a “number four” guy at a giant like JOOLA. If Bar finds success with the Vapor Power 2 early in 2026, expect to see more pros testing the waters with independent manufacturers who can offer more personalised attention and signature product lines.