AMBASSADOR HIGHLIGHT
Ambassador on a mission
Carmen Mure is building a multi-generational community by JOANNE C . GERSTNER
When Carmen Mure decided to retire after a 41-year career in retail , she questioned what was next . Her heart was open , and she hoped she would find the right path .
Mure and her husband , Richard , loved playing racquetball over the years . So when they were invited to try pickleball in 2017 , they were intrigued . She knew nothing about the sport when they walked onto the court as guests at The Villages community in Florida .
An hour lesson later , the trajectory of Mure ’ s life was changed : she had found her next passion .
Mure is now a USA Pickleball Ambassador , well-known in her South Florida hometown of Cooper City as “ the pickleball lady ,” and lives as an unabashed evangelist for the sport ’ s power to build multigenerational community .
“ There is nothing like pickleball — nothing — in terms of being a sport , an activity that anybody anywhere can do . That means so much to me ,” Mure , 68 , said . “ It ’ s a way of getting fitness , it ’ s a way to make friends and build bonds with people , it ’ s a way to give back . We need more of those connections .”
Mure plays several times per week but says her influence is mostly felt in transforming spaces and creating opportunities for new players . She attends government meetings , creates and curates Facebook groups , and reaches out to city leaders . She is well-versed in the power of presence , realizing that change happens through consistency .
The Cooper City pickleball group , which has grown from 62 to more than 300 in just a few years , frequently mobilizes for positive activism , including more pickleball courts in the community .
Her portfolio of pickleball missions includes helping Cooper City High School grow its new pickleball club , expanding youth clinics and seeking ways to connect local businesses through sponsorship .
At a recent youth clinic , Mure joined pickleball pros , educators and volunteers from Transworld — a partner of USA Pickleball — and the community to teach kids the sport .
“ It ’ s incredible to see the joy , and how quickly the kids take to it . Children need pathways to keep active and develop in healthy ways ,” she said . “ It ’ s a natural connection ; we just need to introduce them to the opportunity and give them spaces to keep playing .”
Mure wants pickleball to become a core sport , starting with exposure in childhood and extending through all stages of life . That formula is working in South Florida , where the pickleball community is growing and flourishing .
Her commitment , combined with passion for the sport , pays dividends .
“ You need to be persistent — it ’ s not happening overnight ,” Mure advised . “ Introduce yourself to people , go to the meetings , reach out with ideas and questions . Show them you are coming back again and again , and this is not a short-term thing . Be a partner to build community .”
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