Calabasas, CA – Justin Slaten is a technology executive in the insurance industry. He grew up playing tennis with his brother, who played in college, and worked as a teaching pro. At 12, Slaten shifted his focus to golf and went on to tour nationally; competition has always been a part of his DNA.
Late last month, he was invited to participate in a TYPTI event at Calabasas Pickleball Club (CPC), spearheaded by TYPTI founder Steve Bellamy, and CPC co-owner Brad Gold. The event brought together a number of players and onlookers as the sport continues to gain traction in the racquet sports community.
Slaten took the time to chat with 1-UP Magazine about TYPTI, pickleball, and how it all came together on the court for him at last month’s event.
Discovering Pickleball
“I found pickleball in 2019 and started out playing mostly singles,” recalled Slaten. “At first, I thought I was pretty good… until a friend and I challenged some strong doubles players at the park. That was a humbling experience.”
In 2023, he decided to focus seriously on pickleball doubles, drilling consistently, playing as often as possible, and studying the game. Now, he’s fully invested. He still plays singles occasionally as a “reality check,” and to keep himself honest.
Enter TYPTI
Slaten had been hearing whispers about TYPTI for a while. He plays at CPC, where the Bellamys are well known, so the topic kept coming up in conversation. It sounded interesting, Slaten noted, but he wasn’t in a rush to try it and risk pulling his focus away from pickleball. That changed when Gold asked if he wanted to come out and give the new sport a shot.
“It’s hard to say no to that,” stated Slaten. “Next thing I knew, I was playing alongside Brad, Steve and Lincoln Bellamy, Taylor Kyllonen, and Kaanu Patel. When you get invited into a group like that, you show up. That’s really how it started for me.”
TYPTI Continued
Almost from the get-go, Slaten was all in on the new sport, embracing the scoring format, and never-say-die gameplay that allows players to salvage points in the most dire of circumstances.
“I was absolutely hooked. I didn’t want to stop playing,” said Slaten. “It’s fast, dynamic, and the scoring keeps you fully engaged. Even if you’re down, you never really feel out of it. There’s always a way back.”
Credit: TYPTI.com
Slaten had pickleball scheduled later in the night and expected he might struggle because of TYPTI’s smaller racquet, and being right up on the net the entire time. However, what he found “was the complete opposite,” noting that it actually felt like pickleball slowed down for him, due to TYPTI’s quick and reaction-based on-court pace.
“My hands felt softer, and more controlled,” explained Slaten. “Everything felt more deliberate.”
By the end of the night, he was already craving to get back into a TYPTI match. Luckily for him, the Calabasas club was hosting another event in the near future.
February Event at CPC
February’s TYPTI event at CPC was geared towards further introducing TYPTI to the local community.
“The turnout was great and the energy was even better,” noted Slaten “What stood out most were the rallies, they just kept getting better as the night went on. Every time you thought you had just played the rally of the night, the very next one somehow topped it. It was that kind of event.”
According to Slaten, TYPTI will continue to be on his playing schedule moving forward.
“I just want to thank Steve Bellamy and everyone behind the sport for having the vision to create this and the passion to bring it to the world,” said Slaten. “You can feel that energy when you play. One thing I’ve noticed in my time playing TYPTI is that the smile never really leaves my face. I want to win, I’m competitive, but I’ve laughed the entire time. That’s rare.
“I know that for myself, I will be putting TYPTI regularly into the rotation.”
Thanks to Justin for taking the time to discuss TYPTI, and to Steve Bellamy and the TYPTI team for the images. For more information on TYPTI, please visit 1upmagazine.com and typti.com.
Follow Justin on Instagram! @jslaten.pb and justinslaten.com.