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My Story
Hi, I’m Danny—Founder and Creator of Turtleball®, the world’s first beach game made from real coconut shells.
Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of living by the ocean and inventing my own beach game. Summers were sacred: long days on the beach, arcade nights on the boardwalk, and endless rounds of skee-ball. I was hooked on the thrill of aiming for those high-risk corner shots—the ones worth 100 points. That feeling stuck with me.
At age 12, I brought that excitement to the beach. I dug two holes in the sand and started tossing balls into them. The front hole was worth 1 point, the back was worth 3. First to 11 points wins. It was simple, fast-paced, and fun. People walking by stopped to ask what we were playing—but I didn’t have a name for it yet. And you can’t exactly patent a hole in the sand...
Still, something clicked. I knew this could be more than a game—it could be something special.
I started asking myself the big questions:
Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of living by the ocean and inventing my own beach game. Summers were sacred: long days on the beach, arcade nights on the boardwalk, and endless rounds of skee-ball. I was hooked on the thrill of aiming for those high-risk corner shots—the ones worth 100 points. That feeling stuck with me.
At age 12, I brought that excitement to the beach. I dug two holes in the sand and started tossing balls into them. The front hole was worth 1 point, the back was worth 3. First to 11 points wins. It was simple, fast-paced, and fun. People walking by stopped to ask what we were playing—but I didn’t have a name for it yet. And you can’t exactly patent a hole in the sand...
Still, something clicked. I knew this could be more than a game—it could be something special.
I started asking myself the big questions:
- How do I turn this into a real product?
- How do I make it portable and lightweight?
- How do I build a business around it?
- And most importantly—how do I make it sustainable?
plastic was never an option.
Years later, while studying architecture at Catholic University, I revisited the idea. Sketching, modeling, prototyping. One night, while examining the cross-section of the playing surface, I noticed something familiar: the shape resembled a sea turtle nest—a clutch that holds 80–120 ping-pong-sized eggs. That visual connection sparked everything.
I didn’t want to dig holes anymore—I needed a physical product. Something natural. Something meaningful.
While pursuing my master’s degree, I spent countless late nights in the lab, refining 3D models and testing materials. Eventually, I found the perfect solution: a coconut shell. Not a real turtle shell—but a beautiful, sustainable alternative that honored the spirit of the game and the creatures it aimed to protect.
I didn’t want to dig holes anymore—I needed a physical product. Something natural. Something meaningful.
While pursuing my master’s degree, I spent countless late nights in the lab, refining 3D models and testing materials. Eventually, I found the perfect solution: a coconut shell. Not a real turtle shell—but a beautiful, sustainable alternative that honored the spirit of the game and the creatures it aimed to protect.
My Concept
5 Key Features
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The turtle shell conceptual design isn’t just functional—it’s a tribute to the sea turtles we aim to protect. Each shell embodies five key elements, drawn directly from the nesting rituals of these incredible creatures:
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Turtle
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The flipped shell resembles a female sea turtle nesting on the beach, a visual nod to the species we’re working to save. It’s more than a game piece—it’s a symbol of life, resilience, and ocean stewardship.
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Shovel
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Just as a turtle uses her back flippers to scoop sand and create a nest, players dig shallow craters to place each shell. This act connects players to the natural rhythm of the beach and the nesting process.
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Nest (Clutch)
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Each shell acts as a catcher for the game balls, mimicking a turtle’s clutch that can hold 80–120 eggs. It’s a playful parallel that turns every toss into a metaphor for nurturing and protection.
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Barrier
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Once flipped, the shell becomes a physical obstacle, making future tosses more challenging. Like driftwood or dunes on a beach, these barriers add strategy, excitement, and unpredictability to the game.
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Scorecard
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No math. No points. Just flip the shell. This intuitive scoring system keeps the game flowing and visually engaging—each flipped shell marks progress, just like a turtle’s tracks in the sand.
Together, these elements create a game that’s simple, symbolic, and deeply connected to nature. Our beach game isn’t just inspired by sea turtles-- |
it's designed to honor them. |
My Vision
Single-use plastic is one of the greatest threats to sea turtles and marine life—and I knew from the start I didn’t want to be part of that problem. I wanted to create a beach game that didn’t just entertain, but inspired. One that didn’t add to ocean waste, but helped reduce it.
Through research, I discovered that billions of coconut shells are discarded every year—burned or buried as waste from the booming coconut industry. But these shells are lightweight, durable, and naturally bowl-shaped. Each one is unique, with its own markings and imperfections. I saw potential in what others overlooked.
In 2019, I purchased my first batch of coconuts and started sanding them down in my parents’ garage. It was messy, slow, and humbling—but it was the beginning. I wanted every shell to feel personal, not mass-produced. Laser engraving felt too polished. So I hand-etched turtle shell patterns onto each one, giving them a natural, one-of-a-kind aesthetic. When turned over in the sand, they looked like sea turtles nesting on the beach —and that visual became the soul of the game.
Through research, I discovered that billions of coconut shells are discarded every year—burned or buried as waste from the booming coconut industry. But these shells are lightweight, durable, and naturally bowl-shaped. Each one is unique, with its own markings and imperfections. I saw potential in what others overlooked.
In 2019, I purchased my first batch of coconuts and started sanding them down in my parents’ garage. It was messy, slow, and humbling—but it was the beginning. I wanted every shell to feel personal, not mass-produced. Laser engraving felt too polished. So I hand-etched turtle shell patterns onto each one, giving them a natural, one-of-a-kind aesthetic. When turned over in the sand, they looked like sea turtles nesting on the beach —and that visual became the soul of the game.
this moment shaped everything.
I realized the flipped shell could be more than a symbol—it could be part of the gameplay. Just like sinking a putt or hitting the 100-point corner in skee-ball, flipping a shell after a perfect toss would be the reward. No scoreboards. No math. Just visual progress and satisfying feedback. The flipped shell becomes both a barrier and a badge of success.
From that idea came the final piece: the name. It had to be simple, memorable, and true to the game’s spirit. A ball. A shell. A turtle. And just like that, Turtleball® was born.
From that idea came the final piece: the name. It had to be simple, memorable, and true to the game’s spirit. A ball. A shell. A turtle. And just like that, Turtleball® was born.
With Gratitude,
Founder/Owner of Turtleball®
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10% of proceeds are donated to the Sea Turtle Conservancy with every Turtleball® purchase! Your support benefits sea turtle conservation by contributing to the activities of the STC, the world’s oldest and most accomplished sea turtle research and conservation organization!
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