Student Of The Game - Pickleball Drilling Journal: November 2025

Monday, November 24, 2025

Anna Leigh Waters Historical Pickleball Journey

Anna Leigh YouTube Playlist (250+ Videos from 2018-2024)

Anna Leigh Waters: From Hurricane Evacuee to Pickleball’s Unstoppable Force

When Anna Leigh Waters first gripped a pickleball paddle, she wasn’t dreaming of pro titles, Triple Crowns, or six-figure sponsorships. She was 10, her family had just evacuated their Florida home because of Hurricane Irma, and in her grandfather’s backyard in Pennsylvania, amid unfamiliar surroundings, she picked up a game she barely understood. But by the time she turned 12, she was already rewriting the record books — the youngest professional pickleball player in history. Now, barely out of her teens, she stands as the face of a sport exploding in popularity.

1. A Storm, a Discovery, and a Grandfather’s Invitation

The story begins in 2017, when Hurricane Irma forced Anna Leigh and her mother from their Delray Beach, Florida home to stay with grandparents in Pennsylvania. It was there — in a makeshift refuge — that Anna Leigh’s grandfather introduced the mother daughter duo to pickleball, a game many still consider a recreational pastime for older adults. According to multiple sources, it was almost a dare.

“He asked us, ‘Do you want to go play pickleball?’ and my mom and I looked at each other and said, ‘No, not really… but, of course, we tried it and fell in love with it right away,’” Waters later recalled. American Gold Sports Alliance+2 Boardroom+2

On that concrete court, in that moment of storm-displaced calm, something clicked. As RipItPickleball Journal later put it, Anna Leigh’s journey began not with a splashy onboarding, but with two weeks of non-stop play. ripitpickleballpress.blogspot.com Her grandfather’s casual challenge would prove to be a pivot point in an emerging sport — and for a once-reluctant child.

2. Back in Florida, the Game Takes Root

When the Waters family returned to Florida, they didn’t leave pickleball behind. According to her PPA profile, Anna Leigh and her mother, Leigh Waters, began competing in local tournaments. PPA Tour Leigh, a former Division I tennis player (University of South Carolina), brought serious athletic horsepower and strategic insight to the duo — not to mention a fierce competitive spirit. Boardroom

Their early style was anything but soft: according to a DUPR profile of Leigh Waters, both she and Anna Leigh played with power from the very beginning, “ripping balls, driving, crashing the next ball — we took a lot of people off guard.” dupr.com That aggressive, tennis-inspired approach would come to define Anna Leigh’s game.

By late 2018, just months after she first picked up a paddle, Anna Leigh won her first tournament gold — partnering with her mother in a women’s doubles event. Pickleballs Play+1 The win was a sign that this was not just child’s play; something serious was emerging.

3. From Prodigy to Professional: Turning Pro at 12

Remarkably, Anna Leigh’s meteoric rise accelerated further. In 2019, at just 12 years old, she officially turned pro. Multiple sources confirm this — including her PPA Tour profile. PPA Tour Her age made her not only the youngest pro on the tour but one of the most attention-grabbing.

The Picklepedia guide (and others) note that her partnership with her mother — the only mother-daughter team in professional pickleball — became central early on. picklepedia.org Their dynamic was more than sentimental; it was highly effective. Leigh’s tennis background provided a tactical edge, and Anna Leigh’s youth brought energy, fearlessness, and an evolving physicality.

4. Crafting a New Style: Power, Spin, and Relentless Growth

Beyond early victories, what set Anna Leigh apart was her playing style. She didn’t adopt the traditional, finesse-heavy “soft” pickleball that many of her older opponents relied on. Instead, she and her mother leaned into a modern, aggressive game — playing with aggression, with drives, with spin.

That style evolved in collaboration with Paddletek, her longtime sponsor. Their relationship stretches back to her earliest competitive days — she began working with Paddletek as a youngster, and over time they co-developed signature paddles tailored to her approach. PICKLEBALL DROP SHOP By 2024, she introduced the Bantam ALW-C line, a carbon-fiber model built for both power and control. PICKLEBALL DROP SHOP

It’s not just hardware — her mental game matured fast. Interviews later in her career (for instance, on RipItPickleball Journal) reveal a mindset that blends competitiveness with reflection: she thinks deeply about each point, communicates strategically with partners, and channels her youth as both strength and responsibility. ripitpickleballpress.blogspot.com

5. Climbing the Ranks: Triple Crowns, Titles, and Stardom

Once she turned pro, Anna Leigh didn’t just participate — she dominated. Over the years, she amassed an astounding number of titles, including Triple Crowns (winning singles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles in the same tournament) with alarming frequency.

Her PPA profile shows her as No. 1 in all three disciplines (singles, doubles, mixed), a rarity in any sport. PPA Tour Meanwhile, media coverage and interviews paint her as more than just an athlete — she’s the public face of pickleball’s evolution.

In its retrospective piece, RipItPickleball Journal calls her the “biggest star” in the sport’s history. ripitpickleballpress.blogspot.com Across her teenage years, she has become less of a novelty and more of an institution.

6. Beyond the Court: Personality, Influence & Growth

What makes Anna Leigh Waters compelling isn’t just her trophies — it’s who she is off the court.

Charisma & Marketability: She’s young, articulate, and genuinely magnetic. According to a Sports Business Journal profile, she has the “trifecta of age, dominance and marketability” that brands crave. Sports Business Journal
Agency & Representation: In 2025, she switched to VaynerSports, where her brand partnerships, platform, and public persona are being managed by some of the most connected people in sports. Sports Business Journal
Content Creation: Her new YouTube channel launched in late 2025, titled “In the Kitchen”, blends her love of cooking with pickleball insight. The Dink Pickleball+1
Legacy & Growth: She’s not just playing; she’s building. According to Sports Business Journal, she’s already talking about long-term investments in pickleball-focused businesses and content platforms. Sports Business Journal

7. The Road Ahead — Challenges & Opportunities

Even at the top, Anna Leigh Waters faces critical decisions. A recent Bad Calls podcast rumor (Nov 24, 2025) suggests she may be leaving Paddletek, her longtime sponsor, for a global brand — possibly Nike, which some say is entering the pickleball equipment market in a serious way. (Note: as of now, it's unconfirmed.)

If true, such a move could be transformative — not just for her, but for pickleball. It would mark a shift from niche, sport-specific gear companies toward mainstream athletic brands, and further validate pickleball’s explosion into the commercial big leagues.

Yet, that transition comes with risk. Paddletek isn’t just a sponsor to her — it’s been a partner in her development, a collaborator in paddle design, and a part of her identity in the sport. Leaving could mean more money, but it could also mean less creative control, less continuity, and a departure from her roots.

8. Why Her Story Matters

Anna Leigh Waters’s journey resonates on multiple levels:

A New Era of Pickleball: She represents the generational shift in pickleball — from a pastime for seniors to a serious, professional sport with young stars and global potential.
Family & Coaching: Her mother, Leigh, is not just a parent but a coach, a doubles partner, and a strategic force. Their relationship challenges conventional coaching dynamics.
Youth & Entrepreneurship: She’s more than an athlete; she’s a brand. Her interest in content creation, equity investment, and long-term influence shows she sees pickleball not just as her stage, but as her platform.
Legacy in Motion: Even her rumored moves hint at a broader ambition: to help reshape the business of pickleball, not just win titles.

9. Conclusion

Anna Leigh Waters is already a legend in pickleball, and she’s just getting started. Her introduction to the sport was accidental, born from a hurricane evacuation — but her ascent to the top has been deliberate, strategic, and ferocious. In less than a decade, she has defined what modern pickleball looks like: aggressive, bold, fast, and deeply personal.

As she contemplates what’s next — new hardware, bigger sponsors, and maybe even a business empire — one thing is clear: she’s not just a star of pickleball’s past or present. She is its future.

And in that way, her story is more than the rise of a prodigy. It’s the rise of a movement.

Anna Leigh Waters at a Crossroads

Pickleball’s Youngest Star May Be Leaving Her First Big Sponsor

November 24, 2025 — In a development that has sent ripples through the professional pickleball world, whispers are growing louder that Anna Leigh Waters — the 18-year-old phenom who has dominated women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles — may be departing her longtime sponsor, Paddletek. The speculation, aired on the Bad Calls pickleball podcast, suggests she is headed to a “behemoth” company, with Nike’s name surfacing in some corners.

It would mark a seismic shift in Waters’s career. She has been with Paddletek since 2018, when she was just 11. Paddletek Pickleball, LLC+2pickleballunion.com+2 Over those years, she and Paddletek have collaborated closely: from her signature Bantam TS-5 model in her early teens to her more recent ALW-C carbon-fiber line. PICKLEBALL DROP SHOP+2Paddletek Pickleball, LLC+2

The suggestion of a move — though not confirmed — comes at a moment when Waters is more than just an athlete: she’s become the face of professional pickleball. According to her agent, she is expected to earn upwards of $3 million in 2024, making her one of the sport’s highest-paid figures. Pickleball.com+1 Her marketability is undeniable: she wins, speaks well, and plays with an intensity that electrifies both fans and sponsors.

If Nike is indeed stepping into the pickleball space — as the podcast alleges — signing Waters would be a major statement. The brand’s global reach and cross-sport influence could elevate not just Waters’s profile, but pickleball’s visibility on the world stage.

For Paddletek, losing Waters would be big in more ways than one. She has been an integral part of their brand story, refining paddle design and championing the company’s technology for nearly a decade. Their 15-year anniversary this year highlighted Waters among their marquee athletes. PR Newswire+1

But Waters’s potential move also reflects a larger truth: the professional pickleball landscape is evolving fast. As the sport matures, its top talents are increasingly courted not just by niche paddle-makers, but by global brands with broader ambitions.

Still, the claims remain exactly that: rumors. No public confirmation has come from Waters, Nike, or Paddletek. On the Bad Calls podcast, the hosts were careful to label their report speculative. Yet in a world where endorsement deals are key to an athlete’s earnings — and paddle sponsors play a central role in the sport’s ecosystem — even a whisper of a change carries weight.

Why This Matters

Brand Alignment: Waters’s partnership has always felt deeply personal. She has worked hands-on with Paddletek on paddle development, and her signature lines reflect her aggressive, spin-heavy playing style. PICKLEBALL DROP SHOP+1
Commercial Stakes: If Nike or another major company steps in, it could redefine what “big money” looks like in pickleball endorsements — and accelerate the sport’s march into the mainstream.
Legacy vs. Growth: For Waters, the decision may not just be about money. Staying with the company that helped elevate her brings continuity. But a move might signal she’s ready to leverage her star power on a bigger stage.

What’s Next

All eyes now are on Waters and her camp. Will she publicly refute or confirm the rumors? Will Paddletek counter with an extended or expanded deal? A shift could reshape the pickleball sponsorship landscape.

For now, the story speaks to how far the sport has come — and to how Waters, still just 18, is not just playing the game. She’s helping define it.

Sunday, November 23, 2025

2025 PPA Veolia Lakeland Open: MxD Gold - Waters/Johns v Johnson/Johnson

Time Codes

19:18 Game 2 33:55 Game 3 43:29 Game 4 1:06:10 Game 5

Players

Anna Bright Vlog #3: PPA Worlds

Worlds Week 0:00 Wednesday 5:56 Thursday 14:02 Friday 18:28 Saturday 28:01 Sunday 31:56 Wrap-up

Sunday, November 16, 2025

The Barefoot Phenomenon: Raven Peer’s Unusual Path on the Pickleball Court

How a Tucson player’s unconventional style is turning heads — and winning games

In a sport filled with paddles, plastic balls, and careful footwork, one Tucson player is drawing attention not for what he brings to the court — but for what he leaves behind. Shoes.

A Player With a Story Underfoot

Just three games into the new pickleball season at Tucson’s Udall Park, 31-year-old Raven Peer is already a local legend. Every player has a story about how they started the sport. Raven’s story begins with an absence — the absence of footwear.

Peer grew up in Kansas City, where his father suffered joint injuries in an accident. That injury led the family toward a surprisingly simple adaptation: going barefoot. Soccer, martial arts, tennis — all without shoes. Raven followed his father’s lead, eventually applying the same approach to pickleball.

After relocating to Tucson to return to school, Peer found the Udall courts to be the perfect fit. As he likes to point out, “There’s no sign that says no shoes, no service.”

Turning Curiosity Into Respect

Players at the park still remember the first time the “barefoot wonder” stepped onto the court. Bill Weld, a regular at Udall, recalls the surprise.

“Last week, we were shocked when this barefoot guy came on fresh,” Weld said. “And then we forgot about it — because he’s so good at pickleball.”

Raven doesn’t simply endure the court surface; he thrives on it. He says the lack of shoes gives him better balance and sharper reaction time.

“Every once in a while, I can feel my reaction speed being a little quicker,” he explained. “That squished time of the shoes isn’t there.”

Heat, Calluses, and Practical Barefoot Science

Playing barefoot in Tucson might sound painful, but Peer says timing is everything. Midday heat — typically from noon to 4 p.m. — is the danger zone. Outside of those hours, he says, the ground stays cool enough to comfortably play on.

As for durability? Peer’s feet have developed a thick layer of callus — a natural adaptation that many barefoot athletes describe.

“I feel like the blood circulation is bigger,” he said. “My ankles are a little thicker.”

A Tradition of Barefoot Outliers

Barefoot athletes are rare, but not unheard of. NFL kicker Rich Karlis famously booted field goals without shoes, including during the Super Bowl. The trend has always carried a touch of novelty — something Peer acknowledges with a smile.

“I’m sure someone else will do the same thing,” he said.

Until then, the Udall Park community has their own homegrown barefoot icon — a reminder that in pickleball, as in life, sometimes the unconventional path is the one that keeps you firmly grounded.

Saturday, November 15, 2025

The REAL Difference Between 1 & 2-Hand Counters

Highlights • When a one-hand counter is the better option • When a two-hand counter gives you the perfect put away from transition zone • How ball height and pace change your decision • Real scenarios of when we personally choose each one