Dave “ Badger ” Weinbach , one of the sport ’ s all-time greats , with an off-thecourt defensive lob .
Indianapolis native , and two-time All-American and former # 1 ranked doubles player for the Crimson Tide of Alabama , Rick Witsken displays his talents on the court .
A former U . S . Navy fighter pilot , Paul Olin is no doubt well-equipped to handle any and all highstress situations on the pickleball court .
With 30 + years as a pickleball instructor , John Sperling shows his students how it ’ s done . duo recently won gold at the Delray Beach APP Senior Mixed Doubles event . “ The ICON Scott has helped me with mental toughness , strategy and overall performance . He gave me the confidence to excel . He just gets me , my intensity , my reactions and just lets me be me , which allows me to play freely . Scott works so hard to continuously improve as I do and is open to change and strategizing so we are both on the same page ,” said Welsher .
That same page is a lofty one and echoed by Moore : “ Our goal for 2022 is to be the No . 1 senior mixed doubles team in the world .” The 60-year-old resident of Colorado Springs added , “ Since we began playing together , Eva has gained an incredible amount of confidence , has learned to be very strategic , and now has a full arsenal of shots and makes better choices with her shots . But more than anything , she now knows she belongs .”
Another young tennis prodigy was Cammy MacGregor , 53 , who also made the move to pickleball and currently teaches both sports at the world-renowned La Costa Resort in Carlsbad , California .
“ I grew up in Palos Verdes , California , and started playing tennis at the age of 7 at the Jack Kramer Tennis Club . So many top players came out of that club it was crazy ,” she noted . “ Tracy Austin , Eliot Teltscher , Pete Sampras , Lindsay Davenport and many others . I was a top-ranked junior and then , during my senior year in high school , I decided to turn pro . I played 10 years on the tour . I had a high singles ranking of 75th , and 38th in doubles .”
At the 1989 Australian Open , MacGregor reached the fourth round in singles , and a year later at the same major event , reached the quarterfinals in doubles with her sister Cinny . But it is now the sport of pickleball that has captivated MacGregor and keeps her excited about the future .
“ What initially attracted me to pickleball was how totally different it was from tennis : all these funny rules , playing with a wiffle ball , and the scoring ,” she recalled . “ The strategy part was very intriguing to me , kind of like a chess match . Also , I was so attracted to how social pickleball is . You can get four pickleball courts on one tennis court , and have 16 people playing , laughing and having fun . All ages and abilities can play pickleball . How great is that !”
So much talk is now centered on pickleball becoming an Olympic sport and with so many nations coming on board , MacGregor feels it ’ s only a matter of time before pickleball athletes will be marching in for their respective countries during the Opening Ceremonies : “ Three or four years ago , when someone mentioned if pickleball will be in the Olympics , I thought , ‘ No way .’ Now , in 2028 pickleball will be an exhibition sport at the Summer Games in Los Angeles . On the professional side , we have two pro tours that are being heavily invested in and the prize money is increasing steadily . With these changes and the increase in popularity by 40 % since 2020 , I believe the sky is the limit .”
While pickleball continues to grow at a meteoric rate around the globe , and professional leagues and tournaments are played almost every weekend throughout the year , it is still the amateur players ( with a good majority being seniors ) who are the backbone of the sport and providing a major influx of new players . Phil Dunmeyer , 79 , of San Clemente , California , says there are a few important aspects as to why seniors love the sport of pickleball .