DALLAS, TX – Chris Carson - a.k.a. "DJ Selkirk" - is a household name in the picklesphere.

Carson, 43, made his mark as the former musical guru at PPA Tour events across the country, hyping up crowds again and again with the best playlist in the business.

Like so many people around the globe, pickleball truly changed Carson's life for the better and he's forever grateful to America's fastest-growing sport.

"Back in June 2000, I was pretty overweight, and I was lamenting to my little brother, Eric, about how I couldn’t walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded. I had asthma, high blood pressure, high cholesterol," he explained. "I tried everything. I tried CrossFit, running, going to the gym, and I even tried Zumba with my wife, but I couldn’t stick to anything, I didn’t know what to do."

That's when Eric invited Chris to play pickleball with him and his son a few times a week.

"I remember it clearly. It was Jun. 21, 2001, and we went to local courts and played for two hours. I had a lot of fun. I looked at my Apple Watch and couldn’t believe that I burned almost 1,000 calories," shared Carson. "Then, we started playing every single morning. The weight started to melt off of me. I lost over 50 pounds just playing pickleball. My blood pressure went down, my cholesterol went down, I don’t have asthma anymore, and now I can go forever without getting winded. Pickleball literally saved my life."

Talk about a remarkable story.

In addition to doing wonders for his physical well-being, pickleball made a real difference both mentally and socially for Carson as well.

"I used to not have a real hobby. People would ask me what I liked to do and I would say, ‘I like to eat and watch movies.’ But now with pickleball, it’s given me such a massive array of friends," he explained. "I probably never would have met these people if it weren’t for pickleball.” 

Soon after catching the pickleball bug, Carson volunteered at his first PPA tournament. He was taping courts and mopping, among other tasks. Then, an opportunity arrived. 

The person charged with handling the music on center court wasn't available on Championship Sunday because he was playing in the event, so Carson stepped up to the plate in his absence by plugging his iPhone into the speakers and going to work.

He volunteered again and quickly became the unofficial DJ for tournaments, before eventually striking a deal with PPA Tour Founder and CEO, Connor Pardoe, to become an official employee. Over time, Carson transformed into "DJ Selkirk" and played an integral part in the on-site experience at some of the top venues in the nation.

But, life on the road can be tough with a wife and four kids at home, so he accepted a new role late last year that kept him closer to his family.

"I have a long background in marketing. I was DJ Selkirk at tournaments and the brand manager for the PPA Tour in the office, but Pickleball Central was going through some changes at the end of 2023 and I was brought on board as VP of Marketing for it," shared Carson. "I love pickleball so much and it’s become such a big part of my life. I pinch myself that I get to wake up every day and work for a pickleball company.”

What started out as a way to get healthy and enjoy quality time with his family soon turned into an incredible career. 

"It’s so deeply embedded in my identity now," concluded Carson. "I’m eternally blessed."