It’s been described as the fastest-growing sport in America. People are playing pickleball everywhere, with courts springing up in towns and cities across the country.
But where did pickleball originate? How did it start, and where? And why are so many people playing it?
Those are some of the questions answered in a new SportsCenter “SC Featured” segment debuting Sunday. Producer Jon Fish and reporter Gene Wojciechowski traveled America to get pickleball perspective.
“So, how do you tell a story of a sport?” Fish said. “Multiple other entities have gotten into what’s going on with pickleball now, but the most important thing to me is how did this happen? What’s the origin story?”
He learned that pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Wash., near Seattle. And then he remembered that Jason Jobes, a camera operator he’s friends with and has worked with often, lives on Bainbridge. When he called Jobes, he was amazed to learn that Jobes had played the sport his entire life. He quickly agreed to help Fish with the story.
Fish and Wojciechowski went to Bainbridge Island and to the spot where pickleball was born.
The original pickleball court on Bainbridge Island, Wash., is marked with this plaque. (Jon Fish/ESPN)
“You can’t shoot hoops on the peach basket that Naismith hung up,” he said. “But when you go to Bainbridge Island, you come off this unpaved road in the middle of the woods, and there it is – Court 1.
“And I had that moment like I’m at the origin of the sport. And they haven’t touched it. It looks like it looked when they invented the game in 1965. For me, as a producer, to find something as it was is just mind-blowing. To go to a place that’s the essence of a sport is incredible.”
Viewers also will hear from 15-year-old Anna Leigh Waters, the No. 1 ranked female pickleball player; Tom Dundon, owner of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, who also owns the PPA – Pro Pickleball Association; and Steve Kuhn, owner of Major League Pickleball.
“We found out that pickleball has a cool backstory of why it was invented,” Fish said. “And the game means a lot to the people that invented it and the people who play it now.”
And that includes Fish.
“My wife bought me pickleball paddles and balls for my birthday,” he said.
“One Nation Under Pickleball” will premier in the 8 a.m. ET edition of SportsCenter on Sunday, Aug. 21, will re-air in other editions on Sunday and in the ensuing days. (Source)
11:20 Catherine Parenteau/Anna Leigh Waters vs Simone Jardim/Lucy Kovalova (Commentary: Jessie Irvine)2:00:24 Anna Leigh Waters joins Scott Golden in the booth2:09:54 Rob Nunnery/Jessie Irvine vs Ryan Sherry/Leigh Waters (Commentary: Anna Leigh Waters)3:07:35 Simone Jardim/Jessie Irvine vs Anna Leigh Waters/Leigh Waters (Commentary: Lucy Kovalova)
On his podcast, The McGuffin Show, Tyson McGuffin, the number two ranked professional pickleball men's singles player in the world, talked about playing Pro Mixed Doubles with Anna Leigh at the 2021 PPA Atlanta Open.
Anna Leigh and Tyson won a Bronze Medal in Pro Mixed Doubles at the 2021 PPA Atlanta Open.
2:16 How did pickleball find you? 3:46 Tell us about playing tennis. Did your mother encourage you to play? 5:16 How about your education?5:50 Do you do the things that other teenagers do?6:20 What is it like playing with your daughter?7:33 What is it like playing with your mom?8:06 Favorite memory? (2019 Nationals)9:41 Tell us about your relationship with your mom on the court11:06 Do you anticipate where each other will be?12:15 Can you imagine not being a professional pickleball player?12:48 Where do you think the sport is headed? 14:12 Do you see the PPA/APP putting on an international tournament?14:42 If there was any place you could travel and play, where would you go?16:17 What is your pre-game routine? 18:03 If you have a break for a couple of hours, how do you deal with that?18:25 Do you see yourself playing with a female junior partner in your age group?
20:13 Anna Leigh was 12 when TeamWaters won nationals21:02 I've heard that you have amazing support from your husband/dad. grandparents. How important is that? 23:03 How do you keep pickleball on the court and not bring the "fire" home?25:18 How long did it take you to get over the Atlanta Open loss?27:31 Where can you see your daughter going in the next 10 years in this sport?29:40 Closing comments32:43 Heckling?
On his podcast, The McGuffin Show, Tyson McGuffin, the number two ranked professional pickleball men's singles player in the world, talked about playing Pro Mixed Doubles with Anna Leigh for the first time.
Women's Doubles
17:35 Anna Leigh Waters/Leigh Waters vs Sarah Ansboury/Michelle Esquivel (Highlights)
Gold Medal MatchLucy Kovalova/Simone Jardim vs Leigh Waters/Anna Leigh Waters
In this episode of APP Pickleball Academy, Anna Leigh Waters joins Coach Dominic Catalano to break down the two-handed backhand topspin dink. Anna Leigh explains how, why, and when to hit this devastating shot that will keep your opponents on their toes.
Anna Leigh: One of my favorite shots beside the drive, of course, is my backhand roll from the kitchen.
Coach Dominic Catalano: Everybody wants to know how you hit this shot. It is a cross court two-handed roll dink. When you are hitting this shot, what's the first thing you're thinking about?
Anna Leigh: Well, I'm thinking about where I want to hit the roll.
There are a couple places you can hit it.
You can hit it in the middle
You can hit it at their feet or you can bring them out wide.
The only trouble with bringing them out wide is you have to make sure that it's almost like a deep out wide and not so much an angle so that they can go around the post because there are some problems with that.
But, I have my partner here to block that shot if that does happen.
Coach Dominic Catalano: What you are talking about is when you roll the shot you almost want to roll it to the kitchen line sideline tee. Right?
Anna Leigh: Right! Exactly! What you're aiming for is that they are backing up and having to hit up on the ball.
Coach Dominic Catalano: Okay! When they hit up on the ball, you are trying to get it at their feet. Who are you setting up?
Anna Leigh: I'm setting up either my partner down the line to maybe hit an ernie or an aggressive shot that will set up the put away.
Coach Dominic Catalano: Are you trying to be offensive with that shot?
Anna Leigh: That's the great thing about this shot because you can hit it on the offense but you can also hit it on the defense. It's almost easier for me to hit the shot when I'm on the
defense because they're pulling me out wide so I have more angle to hit that shot back cross court.
Coach Dominic Catalano: Why do you prefer that shot on defense?
Anna Leigh: Well, I feel like as I'm almost taking the step back to hit the shot. I can accelerate more which is going to create more spin on the ball and it's going to dip even more and maybe even give me more of an angle to hit that shot which makes it harder for the opponent to get it back.
7:08 Anna Leigh you are the youngest to be national champion in a major sport. What do you think about that, Anna Leigh?8:12 What is it like to play as a mother/daughter? What impact does that have on you off the court as well as on? 2018 Texas Open TeamWaters vs Lucy Kovalova/Sarah Ansboury, 2019 Florida Grand Slam Simone Jardim / Corrine Carr vs Leigh Waters / Anna Leigh Waters12:48 I don't think you're going to go through the terrible teens. You start playing with somebody in they are 10, 11, 12 and then maybe you're thinking what if they go through that terrible teens part. You just seem to have skipped that. Why do you think that is? 15:53 What do you say to yourself? You are the rip it ladies. I'm gonna rip one right at my mom.17:30 (2021 US Open Mixed Doubles Match) Somebody in your family won. At the end of the day, that's pretty doggone good. But, still challenging personally.18:55 You two ladies are setting the stage for how people can be in pickleball and...I don't want to say, "just be a pickleball player" I don't know how else to say it, except to say it that way. Because what you're doing is you're creating a brand. You're creating a business. So, you're doing things on and off the court that are going to support you in multiple ways. So, let's talk about the clothing line. i want you share the story. How that came about? Why you're doing these special pieces. You just take it from here and tell us. 22:43 Leigh talks about the clothing line she had for about 5 years. 23:50 Tell me the story behind the pattern?25:29 Does Paddletek make that or does she (Lindsey ) make that?28:45 You also have some items that are kind of one-of-a-kind things. Tell us about that.29:15 What kind of material is that?29:27 Tell me how those custom pieces work and how you put them out there.31:15 The Waters Ripit Logo32:13 Now, there is one that is my favorite visor. 33:14 This is the technical hat.33:44 This is the trucker hat.34:02 Beth: Are you going to have your line for a little larger ladies?34:40 A longer shirt. 35:39 Is there anything else you want to share regarding your goals with the business side of pickleball?37:40 Doing pickleball camps and clinics is grueling.39:50 We did a camp in Doyle's town Pennsylvania (before COVID).41:10 You haven't collaborated and created your own shoe yet have you?42:48 Carley: I definitely have a question about the grip because I noticed you guys are doing the double-handed on the backhand and the forehand.46:05 Beth is wondering about drilling practice weekly and what is it what do you focus on time and time again? 50:00 What are you doing different now?52:35 What is your philosophy and how do you implement your strategy?54:40 You're using that dink to set up a strategy.55:57 Kathy: I've always used a two-handed backhand because it's easier for me. You said your power comes from your left is that true of all players because i'm a left-handed player.56:50 Do you have a coach?58:51 When we play Engage players he (Josh Elliott) doesn't coach us at all. 1:01:03 Karen: I was wondering how Anna Leigh is doing with her osgood schlatter? I noticed she wore a knee brace at the last tournament. So, is it still giving her some problems or pain or is she's just getting over it? (September 2021: Pickleball Forum Thread - Is Anna Leigh Waters wearing knee braces? are her knees already bad at 14yo??? ugh)
1:03:10 I know Leigh you can say you had a a calf issue....Leigh: and yeah and a back issue...1:04:23 Carol: Who are each of your favorite Mixed Doubles partners and why?
