99% Pickleball Podcast: Leigh Waters, Mother and Coach, Built a Champion Without Breaking the Bond

 

From a law career and college tennis to the sidelines of professional pickleball, she has guided her daughter, Anna Leigh Waters, while preserving the joy that first drew them to the sport.

Introduction In the fast-expanding world of professional pickleball, few figures occupy as unusual a position as Leigh Waters. She is the mother of Anna Leigh Waters, the teenage phenom who has dominated the women’s game with a blend of power, precision and precocious composure. She is also her daughter’s primary coach, drilling partner, strategist and business advocate. And she is a former college tennis player and longtime attorney who walked away from a steady legal career to chase an emerging sport with her child.

In a recent appearance on the “99% Pickleball” podcast, Waters spoke with unusual candor about the choices that shaped their path, the delicate balance of parenting and coaching, and the forces still required to turn pickleball’s recreational boom into lasting professional stature. Her comments reveal both the intimacy of their partnership and a clear-eyed view of a sport that has outgrown its backyard origins almost overnight.

The Origin Story: Tennis, Law and a Quiet Pivot

Waters grew up competing in tennis and softball before focusing solely on tennis in high school. She played four years of singles and doubles at the University of South Carolina on scholarship, then earned a law degree from Villanova and practiced for roughly 14 years. Her husband, Stephen, had also competed at South Carolina, in golf.

Pickleball entered their lives almost casually. “It honestly seems like another life,” Waters said of the years before the sport. Toward the end of her legal career, she and Anna Leigh began playing for fun. By the 14th year of practicing law, the family was traveling so frequently for tournaments that Waters found herself rising at 3 a.m. to finish legal work so they could compete.

“Eventually pickleball got to the point where you could actually kind of make a living and I was like, ‘Well, this is way more fun than practicing law. So, see you later,’” she recalled. The decision was driven less by financial calculation than by the rarity of the moment: the chance to compete successfully alongside her daughter in a growing sport while her parents helped with travel costs. “I wasn’t going to get that time back,” she said.

Recognizing Superior Talent and Keeping the Game Fun

Waters sensed the shift in their partnership early. In 2019, when Anna Leigh was 12, she noticed her daughter consistently retrieving balls and forcing opponents into difficult positions while she herself scrambled and erred more often. “I just remember thinking like, when are these people gonna figure out that they should just hit me the ball? Like I’m going to make a lot more mistakes than she is,” Waters said.

What preserved their relationship, she believes, was the absence of crushing external pressure in those formative years. “Even though we were competing and like winning money or getting sponsorships, it was still for fun,” she explained. On the court they functioned as equals; off it, she returned fully to the role of mother. Anna Leigh continued other sports, avoiding the single-minded specialization that defines many junior programs today.

From Playing Partner to Full-Time Coach

The transition to full-time coaching arrived after Waters tore her ACL at nationals in 2022 and chose not to return to competition. “It kind of just happened,” she said. “I kind of just morphed into the ‘well, I’m not playing now, so now I can devote all my time to you.’” By then Anna Leigh was clearly the superior player, and Waters was already attending every event.

Her coaching approach remains deliberately restrained. During warm-ups she often circles the court in silence, accumulating steps while letting athletes prepare on their own terms. “I really don’t say anything,” she said of pre-match routines. “I kind of feel like everybody has like the way they like to warm up… and I just stay out of that.” With her daughter she still handles technical drilling and pattern work when schedules allow; with the Major League Pickleball team the Fives, her role tilts more toward in-match strategy and reading different personalities. “Annalie likes to be screamed at. Other players like confidence building type things,” she noted.

The Rarity of a Healthy Parent-Coach Dynamic

Hosts on the podcast described the Waters partnership as the healthiest parent-child coaching relationship they had observed, a sharp contrast to the often toxic dynamics that once drove Anna Leigh away from junior tennis after a single tournament. Waters attributes the success to lessons absorbed from her own parents, who allowed her to chart her athletic path without interference.

She applied the same principle with her daughter: never forcing specialization, repeatedly affirming that pickleball was optional. “I always tell her like, you don’t have to play pickleball. Like, you have a whole life outside of pickleball. If tomorrow you want to quit pickleball, I’m not going to stand in your way,” Waters said. The fact that they first succeeded as teammates, she added, created mutual respect that has endured as the stakes rose.

The Relentless Schedule and a Temporary Window

Life now revolves around an unrelenting calendar of tournaments, appearances, sponsor obligations and travel. Waters handles much of the logistical and contractual review, drawing on her legal background while agents manage negotiations. Anna Leigh remains involved in major decisions but is protected from the full administrative load so she can focus on competing.

The pace exacts a toll. “It kills me all this travel,” Waters admitted. “When I get home, I just need to not leave my house for like two days straight.” Yet both mother and daughter treat the moment as finite. “It’s not going to last forever… the winning won’t last forever. The sponsorships won’t last forever,” Waters said. “So I think putting things in perspective helps.”

Growth, Blind Spots and the Path Forward

Waters still marvels at the sport’s trajectory. Their first paddle sponsorship in 2017 paid $3,000 a year and felt transformative. Temporary nets and taped courts were common. COVID-19, she believes, accelerated recreational adoption more than any other single factor, even as the family sat out competition that year.

Looking ahead, she sees the most dramatic growth coming from Asia, citing the density of high-quality courts and fervent fan culture she observed in Vietnam. College club programs and potential NCAA recognition could create clearer pathways for young American players. Yet she remains critical of the thin junior infrastructure in many communities. “I still don’t feel like there’s a great pathway or programming or anything for juniors,” she said.

On the professional side, she argues the sport needs more recognizable stars and larger, more deliberate events to convert recreational participants into sustained viewers. A major television deal may arrive eventually, but she doubts it is imminent. Streaming platforms, she suggested, may prove more realistic in the near term.

Advice for the Recreational Majority

Asked what 3.0 and 3.5 players should prioritize instead of chasing highlight-reel shots, Waters returned to fundamentals and enjoyment. “There’s no one right way to play pickleball,” she said. Master the simple skills first—consistent dinking, aggressive hands out of the air and off the bounce. Play against both stronger and weaker opponents to build confidence. “Stop trying to like be great at the hardest things. Start with the easy stuff.”

She still misses the early years of open play, when she and Anna Leigh mixed with players of every age and ability. “My favorite times in my pickleball life were literally those first like three years where we just showed up to open play and you just played with whoever,” she said.

Legacy and Rapid-Fire Clarity

When asked how she hopes to be remembered in 10 or 20 years, Waters kept the focus modest and outward. “I hope people would look back and say that I was a great coach… and that hopefully I portrayed the sport in a positive way,” she said. She wants to contribute more deliberately to youth development, particularly for girls, once the travel schedule eases.

In rapid-fire answers she preferred doubles to singles, firefights to prolonged dink battles, coaching to competing, and the lob as the most underrated shot. Her succinct philosophy: learn offense first, then finesse. Outside pickleball, her favorite athlete remains Roger Federer—“a tremendous player… a great champion… a gentleman… a great sportsman, a great family man.”

In-Depth Article Summary Leigh Waters’ account on the “99% Pickleball” podcast offers more than a parental success story. It is a detailed examination of how one family navigated the transition from recreational discovery to professional dominance while deliberately protecting the emotional core of the experience. Waters left a 14-year legal career not because pickleball guaranteed security, but because the opportunity to compete and travel with her daughter felt irreplaceable. She recognized Anna Leigh’s superior talent early, stepped fully into coaching only after her own playing career ended, and maintained a boundary between on-court partnership and off-court parenting that many youth-sport relationships never achieve.

Her coaching is notable for its restraint—quiet observation during warm-ups, individualized feedback, technical work when schedules permit, and strategic guidance under match pressure. The same restraint appears in her philosophy toward pressure itself: she repeatedly affirms her daughter’s freedom to walk away, a stance rooted in her own upbringing and in the damage she witnessed among tennis parents.

Beyond the personal narrative, Waters provides a clear-eyed assessment of pickleball’s unfinished business. International expansion, particularly in Asia, and the maturation of college pathways excite her. Persistent gaps in junior programming, the slow arrival of major media deals, and the tension between accessibility and spectacle concern her. Her advice to recreational players—master the fundamentals, mix skill levels, preserve joy—echoes the values that first sustained her family’s involvement.

Taken together, the interview portrays a coach and parent who understands both the extraordinary privilege of the current moment and its temporary nature. Waters is not merely chronicling her daughter’s ascent; she is articulating a model of engagement that prioritizes longevity of relationship and love of the game over any single title or ranking. In a sport still defining its professional identity, that perspective may prove as influential as any trophy.

Numbered Time Code List of Topics

1. 23:30 – 24:49 | Introduction & Leigh’s Reputation Hosts introduce Leigh Waters as “Anna Leigh’s mom” while emphasizing her own accomplishments as a player and coach. They note her selective coaching and strong reputation on the court. Summary: Light, complimentary opening that sets up Leigh as far more than “just” a parent.
   
2. 24:49 – 26:06 | Leigh’s Pre-Pickleball Life (“The Leigh Origin Story”) Question: “Do you want to tell us… the Leigh before Anna Leigh?” Summary: Leigh grew up playing competitive tennis and softball, focused on tennis in high school, earned a scholarship to the University of South Carolina (singles and doubles), then attended Villanova Law and practiced law for ~14 years. She and her husband (Stephen, a USC golfer) later discovered pickleball for fun.
   
3. 26:06 – 27:49 | Decision to Leave Law for Pickleball Question: “What was the moment where you said there’s something here with pickleball?” Summary: Around year 12–14 of practicing law, pickleball became viable enough for sponsorships. Playing and succeeding with her daughter, plus the unique family travel experience (supported by grandparents), made the leap worthwhile. She always knew she could return to law.
   
4. 27:49 – 29:22 | Recognizing Anna Leigh’s Superior Talent Question: “At what point did you look at her and you’re like, ‘Wow, you’re better than me’?” Summary: As early as 2019 when Anna Leigh was 12. Leigh noticed her daughter’s consistency, aggression, and court coverage while she herself made more errors.
   
5. 29:22 – 31:33 | Balancing Roles as Mom, Teammate & Player + Keeping Fun Alive Question: How did she multitask and still develop her own game while playing with her daughter? Summary: Early success felt fun and low-pressure. On court they were partners who listened to each other; off court Leigh was “mom.” Anna Leigh still played other sports. Fun remains central even now.
   
6. 31:58 – 33:28 | Transition into Full-Time Coaching Question: “When did it get established that you were going to start coaching her?” Summary: Coaching began informally while they played together. It became full-time after Leigh tore her ACL at Nationals (2022) and decided not to return to competing. The shift felt natural once Anna Leigh was clearly better.
   
7. 33:28 – 35:47 | Coaching Style: Skills vs. Mindset / Warm-ups / Different Players Question: Is she more of a skills coach or mindset coach? How does she approach warm-ups and team practices? Summary: With Anna Leigh she does both (drilling partner for technique/patterns + in-match strategy). With the Fives she focuses more on strategy and in-the-moment observations, respecting players’ own coaches and individual preferences. She stays quiet during warm-ups so athletes can prepare their own way. She is learning to tailor feedback (Anna Leigh likes intensity; others prefer confidence-building).
   
8. 36:00 – 38:33 | Healthy Parent-Coach Relationship Question: How did they develop and maintain such a healthy dynamic (rarely seen in tennis)? Summary: Leigh modeled her own parents’ hands-off approach. She never forced specialization, always reminded Anna Leigh the choice is hers, and emphasized that pickleball is not mandatory. Having competed successfully together first built mutual respect. She still tells her daughter she can quit anytime.
   
9. 38:33 – 41:09 | Pressure in Youth Sports + Business Side of Anna Leigh’s Career Discussion of tennis parents, soccer parents, and Leigh’s heavy involvement in logistics, contracts, and social media. Summary: External parental pressure is damaging. Leigh’s legal background helps review contracts (agents handle most negotiation). Anna Leigh is heavily involved in decisions but is shielded so she can focus on playing. The schedule is nonstop.
   
10. 41:09 – 43:45 | Managing Energy, Travel & the “Window” of Opportunity Question: How do they keep up the relentless schedule of tournaments, appearances, Nike, Super Bowl, etc.? Summary: Anna Leigh’s youth helps. Leigh finds travel exhausting. They view the current moment as temporary—“grind it out while we can”—because winning, sponsorships, and high-profile opportunities won’t last forever.
    
11. 43:45 – 46:50 | Early Days of the Sport vs. Post-COVID Growth Question: Did they imagine the current scale of the sport back in 2019? Summary: Early sponsorships were tiny ($3k/year). COVID accelerated recreational growth dramatically. The Waters family sat out 2020; when they returned, the game (and paddle technology) had jumped forward. They adjusted and climbed back.
    
12. 47:34 – 50:20 | Future Growth of Pickleball Question: Where do you see the sport going? International, college, youth pathways, Olympics? Summary: Biggest near-term growth is international (especially Asia—Vietnam already has dense, high-quality facilities and passionate fans). College club programs and potential NCAA status matter. Youth programming and clear pathways are still weak in the U.S. Olympics is a mixed bag (Anna Leigh wants it; some worry it could stunt growth).
    
13. 50:50 – 53:17 | Viewership, Superstars & Media Deals Question: Chicken-or-egg—youth infrastructure first or pro visibility first? Summary: The sport needs recognizable superstars to attract casual viewers. Anna Leigh deliberately seeks mainstream exposure. A major TV deal is expected someday but not soon. Streaming/YouTube may be more realistic short-term. Big brands and influential investors increase the odds of success.
    
14. 53:17 – 56:37 | Why Live Pickleball > TV + Accessibility vs. Spectacle Discussion comparing pickleball and tennis on television, the value of larger/grander events, and the unique appeal of team (MLP) vs. individual (PPA) formats. Summary: Live firefights are thrilling; TV struggles to convey the speed and skill. Growing the recreational base helps people appreciate the pros. Making some events bigger and less frequent (and slightly less accessible) could heighten demand. Team loyalty (e.g., the Fives fans) is powerful.
    
15. 56:37 – 1:01:01 | Fan Autograph Culture & Player Experience Stories of being asked for signatures mid-match or immediately after losses; need for better crowd-management by leagues. Summary: Extreme accessibility is both a gift and a challenge. Players sometimes need brief decompression time. Leagues are beginning to create safer exit routes and make announcements. Fans don’t always see the player’s side.
    
16. 1:01:01 – 1:03:33 | Surreal Moments & Cherished Memories Question: What’s one experience that still feels unreal because of pickleball? Summary: Visiting Nike headquarters with her daughter and Anna Leigh making the TIME 100 Most Influential Athletes list rank high. But the coolest personal memory remains winning the biggest titles of that earlier era with Anna Leigh as her partner.
    
17. 1:03:33 – 1:06:20 | Upcoming Experiences (TIME, World Cup Finals) Question: Of the big upcoming events, which is most exciting? Who do you want in the World Cup final? Summary: The FIFA World Cup final (thanks to DoorDash) is a once-in-a-lifetime, full-circle moment for soccer-loving Anna Leigh. Leigh would love to see the U.S.; she suspects France will be there. (Hosts joke about Argentina/Messi.)
    
18. 1:06:20 – 1:07:25 | Craziest Recognition Moment Question: Craziest place she’s been recognized? Summary: An Amazon driver in San Clemente stopped his truck, jumped out, and asked if she was Leigh Waters—while she was in normal clothes, nowhere near a pickleball court.
    
19. 1:08:15 – 1:11:57 | Advice for 3.0–3.5 Rec Players Question: What should average players focus on instead of copying Anna Leigh’s highlight-reel shots? Summary: There is no single “right” way to play. Master the easy things first (consistent dinking, aggressive hands). Play with both better and worse players to build confidence. Prioritize fun and stop over-obsessing about perfect technique at the recreational level. Leigh misses pure open-play joy.
    
20. 1:12:04 – 1:13:16 | Desired Legacy Question: In 10–20 years, what do you want people to say about Leigh Waters’ impact? Summary: That she was a great coach (even if only for Anna Leigh), that she portrayed the sport positively, and that she helped grow it—especially for young girls. She hopes to do more youth work once the travel schedule allows.
    
21. 1:13:16 – 1:14:51 | Rapid-Fire Questions Singles or doubles? → Doubles Bernie or ATP? → ATP Dink battle or firefight? → Firefight Coaching or competing? → Coaching Favorite post-match meal? → Pizza (Italian) One player she’d love to coach for a day? → Tom (likely Tom Cosatto or similar) Most underrated shot? → The lob One thing every player should practice this week? → Speed-up off the bounce Coaching philosophy snippet: Learn offense first, then finesse.
    
22. 1:15:28 – 1:17:05 | Non-Pickleball Question & Close Question: Outside of pickleball, who is your favorite athlete of all time? Summary: Roger Federer—great champion, gentleman, sportsman, and family man. Leigh would love to meet him one day. Warm thanks and closing remarks from both sides.