From Small-Town Beginnings to Pickleball Prodigy: The Early Life of Anna Leigh Waters
Exploring the formative years and athletic journey of the world's youngest professional pickleball player
Introduction:
In episode 144 of "In Search of Excellence," host Randall Kaplan delves into the inspiring journey of Anna Leigh Waters, who ascended to the pinnacle of professional pickleball at a remarkably young age. Anna Leigh reflects on her upbringing in Clinton, North Carolina, where she spent her early years engaging in neighborhood games and gradually discovering her athletic talents. Despite initial disinterest in sports like soccer, her passion ignited over time, leading her to pursue tennis and, eventually, pickleball. She candidly shares how her family's relocation to Florida was pivotal in nurturing her athletic ambitions, setting the stage for her historic achievements in the sport.
This conversation offers a glimpse into the early experiences that shaped Anna Leigh's path to excellence, highlighting the importance of perseverance, family support, and the transformative power of embracing one's passions.
To listen to the full interview, visit the "In Search of Excellence" podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Transcript:
Please be advised this transcript is AI-generated and may not be word for word. Time codes refer to the approximate times
[1:59] Randall Kaplan: You were born in Allentown, Pennsylvania and grew up an hour outside of Raleigh (in Clinton, North Carolina). Your mom's grandfather was in the hog business and your dad was a manager of that hog business. How did that influence your life growing up?
Anna Leigh: It's kind of crazy because the first eight years of my life, the closest Target was an hour from where I lived. So it was honestly just a great place for me to grow up because it was just all the neighborhood kids and every day after school we'd get together and play like hide and go seek or Nerf guns around the entire neighborhood. That was really cool because where I live in Florida now, that really wouldn't be possible. Interesting enough, when I was about eight years old and I was playing tennis and soccer, I hadn't found pickleball yet, but my parents were like "maybe she's got some athletic ability." That's when they decided to move to Florida for me to pursue athletics. But before then, my coaches used to go up to my parents and they'd be like "is this your daughter? She's so unathletic" when I was like five and six. I was extremely unathletic.
Randall: Well that's interesting because you were born with the athletic gene - your mom played tennis in college, your dad played golf in college, your grandfather was a draft pick for the Chicago Cubs.
Randall: At one point you said you weren't very good. At what point did you realize "I actually had some real talent"?
Anna Leigh: I don't know, I just remember when I was like 5 years old and I used to play soccer, I'd just like run around the ball and I'd sit and pick flowers on the field. I used to cry to go to soccer practice - I really didn't like playing sports. I was into dance and going to school and friends. Then all of a sudden one year, my mom kept making me go to practice and then one year I was just like "wait, I actually really love this" and I kind of became addicted with sports and everything athletic. So I think it's not really that I was necessarily bad at it, I just really wasn't interested in it, so that made me bad at sports. But then all of a sudden I got really interested in it.
Anna Leigh: I think that point kind of happened when I decided to play tennis, because my mom my whole childhood was like "I don't want you to play tennis" because she played tennis and she didn't want to force me into something and force me into tennis. But when I said I wanted to play, she said okay and we'd drive like an hour to Raleigh where I used to play tennis. We'd go for like an hour lesson, sometimes maybe stay the night and do another lesson the next day. So that's when I started kind of really enjoying sports, and then I started liking soccer as well. It kind of just transformed that way.
Anna Leigh Waters: The Teenage Phenom Dominating Professional Pickleball
At just 17, Waters has become the sport's most prominent figure, earning over $3 million in 2024 and surpassing the earnings of many top female athletes in more established sports.
Anna Leigh Waters, a 17-year-old pickleball sensation, has rapidly ascended to the pinnacle of her sport, both in terms of performance and earnings. In 2024 alone, she amassed over $3 million through tournament victories and a series of lucrative endorsement deals with brands such as FILA, Paddletek, Lock Laces, Cetaphil, Biofreeze, Collectbobbles, and Shiseido. (Source: TalkSport)
Waters' earnings notably eclipse those of her peers in other women's sports. For instance, WNBA rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese earned $76,535 and $73,439 respectively in their inaugural seasons, highlighting the financial opportunities emerging within professional pickleball. (Source: TalkSport)
Turning professional at the age of 12, Waters became the youngest pro in pickleball history. Her journey began serendipitously when she filled in for her mother's doubles partner at the 2018 Texas Open, leading to a silver medal and the realization that she was ready for professional play. (Source: Wikipedia)
Currently, Waters holds the No. 1 global ranking in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. Her aggressive playing style, characterized by strength and speed, has set her apart on the court. Off the court, her marketability has soared, with her agent, Kelly Wolf, describing her as a "cottage industry" due to the unprecedented level of sponsorships she commands within the sport. (Source: TalkSport)
Balancing her athletic career with personal interests, Waters was homeschooled by her grandmother and enjoys cooking, baking, and spending time with friends. Her mother, Leigh Waters, a former Division I tennis player at the University of South Carolina, serves as her coach and occasional doubles partner, contributing significantly to her development and success in the sport. (Source: Wikipedia)
Together, the mother-daughter duo has played a pivotal role in elevating pickleball's profile, with Anna Leigh Waters emerging as the sport's most recognizable face and a testament to its growing popularity and professional opportunities.
