OUR TEAM
ROGER BELAIR
In 2017 CBS’s 60 Minutes aired a segment on Sheriff Tom Dart who runs Chicago’s Cook Country Jail. 4 While watching the program, Roger observed many of the inmates were simply playing cards or watching TV. Being an avid pickleball player, he commented to his wife, “They should be playing pickleball. They’d not only get exercise but learn valuable "life skills" like learning from mistakes and how to be a good teammate."
He contacted Sheriff Dart and offered his services which were accepted. The introduction of the game at the jail proved to be a huge success. Disciplinary problems were reduced and gang members who previously wouldn’t talk to each other played pickleball together. His introduction of the game in Chicago was featured in a front-page story in USA TODAY.
The success of his program in Chicago led Roger to prisons from coast to coast, from Rikers Island in New York to San Quentin in California. His efforts have been applauded by the Washington Post, National Public Radio, and others. Even a radio station in Dubai found his story of interest. A documentary is in production.
Pickleball is currently the fastest-growing sport in the country. Others now are replicating Roger’s efforts by teaching the game at prisons in their communities. With 95 percent of all inmates eventually being released, the game helps inmates become better people, resulting in a safer society for everyone.
SARAH GERSTEN
Sarah currently serves as the Executive Director and General Counsel of the Last Prisoner Project, a national nonprofit aimed at reducing recidivism by improving conditions of confinement and providing reentry resources to formerly incarcerated individuals. Sarah has worked with correctional facilities across the country and in her home state of Connecticut.
She is also an avid pickleball player and advocate. Sarah brought the PICL program to the state of Connecticut where it is now active in every correctional facility and is working on expanding the program across the Northeast.
Sarah brings her expertise in building and scaling national nonprofits to PICL where she oversees all operations and management, as well as legal compliance.
ANGELO ROSSETTI
Angelo A. Rossetti has rapidly ascended as a distinguished figure in the world of pickleball, celebrated for his unwavering dedication, remarkable achievements, and significant contributions to the sport. Alongside his identical twin brother Ettore, both USPTA-certified teaching professionals for almost 30 years, Angelo has been instrumental in popularizing pickleball through record-setting endeavors and community initiatives.
The Rossetti Brothers hold the prestigious Guinness World Records™ title for the longest pickleball rally, a monumental feat they achieved on October 10, 2021. This record-breaking event saw them rally the ball 16,046 times without a miss over 6 hours and 11 minutes, raising over $250,000 for Save the Children and other charities close to their hearts over all of their records.
In addition to this impressive record, Angelo's certifications span multiple leading pickleball organizations, including the USPTA, IPTPA, IFP Academy, PCI, and PPR. Most recently, he was selected out of only 60 coaches in the world for the first-ever Coach Certification Course, presented by RPPk in partnership with Tyson McGuffin and DUPR.
Angelo's passion for pickleball is matched by his dedication to philanthropy and mental skills advocacy. The record-setting pickleball rally occurred on World Mental Health Day, underscoring Angelo's commitment to raising awareness and support for mental health issues. As the Head Pickleball Professional for Connecticut for the Pickleball for Incarcerated Communities League (PICL), he has coached inmates in every prison in Connecticut, including New England’s largest maximum-security correctional institute. Through this role, he uses learning pickleball as a way to help rehabilitate prisoners weekly, preparing them for life after incarceration and offering hope for good behavior.
Most recently, Angelo has been appointed the Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey League Commissioner for the NTPL (National Team Pickleball League), which encompasses over 30 states competing for a chance at Nationals in Hilton Head and Las Vegas.
CAM BOUCHER
Along with being a passionate pickleball player, Cam has a background in nonprofit operations, strategy and development. With a skill set in market automation and CRM architecture, he is always trying to find new ways to support PICL through fundraising and strategic initatives.
Cam also serves as the Director of Operations for the Last Prisoner Project, a national nonprofit aimed at reducing recidivism by improving conditions of confinement and providing reentry resources to formerly incarcerated individuals.
Cam has taught pickleball at correctional facilities across New England and currently resides in Massachusetts.