Anna Bright: From Tennis Star to Pickleball Phenom
The Journey of a Trailblazer Who's Changing the Game One Paddle at a Time
In the rapidly evolving world of pickleball, few names resonate as powerfully as Anna Bright's. Known for her sharp mind, relentless drive, and an infectious sense of humor, Bright has transitioned from a standout tennis player at Cal Berkeley to one of the top competitors in the pickleball arena. In this engaging episode of "Talk Pickle To Me," hosted by Kaitlyn Kerr, we dive into Bright's fascinating life journey, from her academic achievements and solo hike of the Pacific Crest Trail to her meteoric rise in professional pickleball. Here, we unpack the stories and insights that make Anna Bright not just a player to watch, but a personality to celebrate.
1. 0:00, Intro
Kaitlyn introduces Anna Bright, highlighting her as the seventh guest in the series of the most influential women in pickleball.
2. 1:10, Anna Cuts Her Own Hair?
Anna shares her unique haircare routine, revealing she cut her own hair from age 17 until recently, showcasing her unconventional side.
3. 4:40, Growing Up // Oldest of 3 Daughters, Chinese Immigrant Mother
Discussion on Anna's upbringing, including her mother's influence and the dynamics of being the oldest of three sisters.
4. 6:30, Li Ping is Queen.
A tribute to Anna's mother, Li Ping, whose vibrant personality and humor have made her a beloved figure in the pickleball community.
5. 9:00, High School Valedictorian to Cal Berkeley Tennis
Anna discusses her academic and athletic journey, including her valedictorian status and her time playing tennis at Cal Berkeley.
6. 14:30, Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail- 2600 Miles Solo?
Insights into Anna's solo trek on the Pacific Crest Trail, a 2600-mile journey that shaped her resilience and self-discovery.
Kaitlyn: Okay, so in our previous interview (See above: Instagram September 2022), you said that life was pretty easy growing up, you wanted to challenge yourself and you wanted to do hard things. So, after college graduation, you went on to complete the Pacific Crest Trail, hiking over 2600 miles solo. What was the motivation behind completing such an adventure, and just talk about the experience?
Anna: Yeah, so, kind of like I said in the previous interview, the large motivation, I think, during the COVID time, like everyone's home, and I think a lot of people had a lot of time to reflect. And I kind of decided that I wanted to do something kind of beyond the typical mold. I felt like, like my whole life, the next step had been pretty, pretty obvious, like it is for, you know, a lot of people when they're younger. You know, like you finish high school, you go to college, then you get a job or whatever. But for me, I just felt like it had kind of been a little bit on easy mode to an extent because of tennis. Like, I was going to go D1 to a good school; it was just kind of like which school I was going to have, like a full ride scholarship. It's just like where am I going to go, like what am I going to major in? And then kind of, I had everything; I had done the internships, so I was ready to get, you know, a decent job after college. But I just kind of felt like everything had been a little easy, and I wanted to do something to break the mold, to really challenge myself and just to kind of, I don't know about proving to myself I could do like something hard, but kind of that was kind of the sentiment.
Also, in that time during COVID, like, I did a few things that I was really proud of, and kind of, and also like my parents weren't very into outdoorsy things, so I didn't have much experience. Like a lot of people ask, like, have you done this, have you done that? And I'll be like, no, like, I've never gone skiing; I've never done, like, water sports; there's a lot of things I have not done. And like hiking and dabbling in that was one of them. So my best friend Sophia and I, I'm actually at her house right now, like, we went backpacking in the Smokies, and we did like a 4-day, like 22 or 23-mile trip in the Smoky Mountains. So it is tough hiking, but we thought we were so sick, like going like six or seven miles a day, like we thought we were like hardcore, you know?
And for a first-time experience like that, that is that is sick, you know, but it's just, just it's just kind of cute to think back on everything.
So we did that, and then I did a 50k trail run in Zion, actually, the same place, like the same city as where the Red Rock tournament is. So it's kind of, kind of funny now whenever I go back. And it's funny, actually, I'm not playing Red Rock this year, but that race coincides with the tournament this year, so I was thinking about going and just not playing women's doubles and doing like the 60k or something, but then I was like, ah, but then like what if I like do well in mix? I was like, that's bad. But then Joola has a trip to Asia planned that week, so I didn't have to make that decision.
But yeah, and then I also did, like, to kind of prove to myself I could do the PCT, I knew I needed to be able to endure a little misery and kind of prove to myself that I could. So Florida has, like, pretty close to my house, like a 62-mile trail, and it's flat, so it's not too hard, but at the time of year I did it, like in December, it was watery; like, I walked through like 42 miles of water. And I, it was so, and I did it; it was tough. I actually finished on Christmas Day, and I was so emotionally drained that I think I, I was vegan at the time, and my little sister had finished all my vegan butter when I got home, and I cried about it. Like, I was so emotionally drained, but I got through it. So then I was like, okay, I can do the PCT because with my start date being late because of NCAA, I had to be able to move pretty fast, like 20 miles a day from the jump, with how water sources work out there; there's a lot of nitty-gritty to it. But yeah, I just wanted to do something hard; I wanted to challenge myself.
I definitely did not love hiking as much as most people on the trail, and that came with some extra challenges. Like, I think I faced burnout earlier to an extent. Everyone deals with a sense of burnout, and like, a lot of people were really sad about finishing, and that's great; I'm happy for them, like that's awesome that they loved it so much and they were sad. I did have a great time, but I was like, get me off this trail. I was like, I was actually in a terrible mood on the last day for, like, the first half of the day because I was so annoyed because how it works with it being kind of still COVID restrictions, to an extent, it's like you couldn't normally finish the trail at the Canadian border; you can go five more miles into Canada and then you can get out from there, you can kind of find civilization. But the way it worked, because of COVID, Canada would not let you cross into the border, so you got to the Canadian border, and you have to hike 30 miles back to the Canadian border. You have to come back out 30 miles, so I was in a rotten mood that I was going to finish and not be done.
I was in a terrible mood; I was such a Debbie Downer that day, but once I got close to the finish, like, I was happy, and then, you know, you have to turn around and do 30 more miles. But it was funny, I was actually in such a rotten mood the last day because I was like, I have to do 30 more miles; I'm not even done; this is so BS. So it was fun; it was a good time; it feels like a different life, like a different person kind of who did that. That's what my tattoo is about; I get asked a lot about my tattoo. It's the symbol of the trail.
Kaitlyn: Yeah, your tattoo for anyone that doesn't know, I think it's on your thigh?
Anna: Yeah, I'll show it; I'll just, it's a little, it's a little baby tree.
Kaitlyn: I love it. Such a good reminder of it because that is, I don't know, that's just such an amazing life experience, and when you get older like me, time starts to dwindle. Like, you don't have those that ability to have three-month blocks to just do it.
Anna: Yeah, it was a convenient time in life, and everything. I think I've generally been a very, very lucky person, not that hard work doesn't lend itself to luck, but I definitely acknowledge that I'm a very lucky person, so everything worked out really well for me.
7. 20:15, Becoming Pickleball Obsessed
Anna explains her rapid transition from hiking back to sports, finding her new passion in pickleball.
8. 23:45, One-of-a-kind Competitor
Highlighting what makes Anna a unique competitor in pickleball, emphasizing her strategic play over raw athleticism.
9. 26:00, Changes in Pro Pickleball from 2022 to Now
Reflections on how the professional landscape of pickleball has evolved, offering an insider's view on the sport's professionalization.
Anna talks about her commitment to fitness, particularly her pride in mastering pull-ups, an area not traditionally focused on by women in pickleball.
11. 32:20, The Girlies Inception
The story behind the creation of "The Girlies Pickleball Club," Anna's venture into community building within the sport.
12. 37:45, Mixed Partners?
Discussion on Anna's mixed doubles partnerships, exploring chemistry and strategy in choosing her male partners.
13. 41:11, Would Anna Leave Rachel for ALW?
A playful yet insightful conversation about loyalty, performance, and the dynamics of playing with top players like Anna Leigh Waters.
14. 44:10, What Makes Anna Leigh Waters So Good at Pickleball?
Anna breaks down the skills that make Anna Leigh Waters exceptional, providing an analysis from a competitor's perspective.
15. 49:50, What Rules Would You Change?
Critique on current pickleball rules and suggestions for changes from someone who lives the game daily.
16. 55:30, Up and Coming Pros
Anna's eye for talent, discussing players she believes will soon make waves in pickleball.
17. 58:50, Big Girl Purchase - Homeowner
A personal milestone as Anna discusses her recent home purchase, blending her professional success with personal growth.
18. 1:02:30, Goals
Looking forward, Anna shares her aspirations in pickleball and beyond, including personal and community-oriented goals.
19. 1:04:45, Proudest Moment
Anna reflects on what she's most proud of, offering a glimpse into her values and what success means to her.
20. 1:06:00, Should Anna Be the Next Bachelorette? 🌹// What She Looks For in a Guy👀
A light-hearted yet revealing segment where Anna discusses her recent single status, her approach to dating, and what she looks for in a partner.
This episode not only captures the essence of Anna Bright's journey but also encapsulates the spirit of a sport that's as much about community and personality as it is about athletic prowess. As pickleball continues to grow, figures like Anna are not just players; they're the heartbeats of a burgeoning sports culture.
Want to know the secret to Anna Leigh Waters' incredible pickleball success? This video breaks down the formula behind her amazing athleticism and winning streak! Forget the "kitchen ritual" - Anna Leigh Waters has revolutionized pro pickleball by focusing on first principles: attack with power and precision or make your shots unattackable to gain the advantage.
Anna Leigh Waters' core philosophy on the pickleball court.
The power and placement strategy that overwhelms opponents.
How to hit unattackable balls to regain control and set up your attack.
Why Anna Leigh Waters is redefining pickleball and how you can learn from her.
Key takeaways to implement in your own pickleball game!
A Candid Conversation on Burnout, Career Shifts, and the Power of a Persistent "Pickle Godmother"
On Episode 17 of The James Ignatowich Show, host James Ignatowich sits down with rising pickleball star 23-year-oldVivian Glozman. A former University of Virginia tennis player who only picked up a pickleball paddle in November 2022, Glozman has already reached the semifinals of a major professional tournament and earned a coveted spot with the Bay Area Breakers in the Major League Pickleball draft. Her meteoric rise represents both the sport's explosive growth and its ability to attract elite athletic talent.
An Unexpected Journey
What began as a persistent neighbor's suggestion has transformed into a professional career. "I was constantly rejecting her to the point I felt so bad," Glozman recalls of her initial resistance to trying pickleball. The turning point came during a period of burnout from her healthcare job. "I was 22. I was like, I'm still young. I need to fix my priorities."
That neighbor, whom Glozman now affectionately calls her "pickle godmother," Shufen Huang, wouldn't take no for an answer. The persistence paid off, unleashing what many consider to be one of pickleball's most promising new talents.
From Wisconsin to Washington: A Path to Athletic Excellence
Born in Wisconsin but raised in Bellevue, Washington, Glozman's athletic journey took her through the collegiate tennis ranks at Cal Berkeley, where she formed a memorable partnership with current pickleball pro Anna Bright. Their shared experience as 17-year-old early enrollees created a bond that would later translate to the pickleball court.
Making the Leap to Professional Pickleball
The transition to professional pickleball hasn't been without its challenges. Glozman recently announced her departure from her healthcare job after running out of paid time off. "HR said... 'Unfortunately there's nothing we can do about you becoming a professional athlete,'" she recounts with characteristic humor.
A Natural on the Big Stage
Despite her newcomer status, Glozman has shown remarkable composure in high-pressure situations. During her semifinal appearance at the PPA North Carolina tournament, playing alongside Anna Bright against top-ranked players Anna Leigh Waters and Catherine Parenteau, Glozman displayed veteran-like poise.
"I wasn't nervous at all," she says, attributing her composure to her tennis background. "The stages I've played on for tennis have been a lot bigger... it's not really the same as if you step out on Arthur Ashe Stadium against Serena."
The Future Looks Bright
Selected by the Bay Area Breakers in the MLP shuffle draft, Glozman has already lined up partnerships with established pros like Callan Dawson, Dominique Schaefer, Wes Gabrielsen, and Bobbi Oshiro for upcoming tournaments. Her perspective on partnerships differs from some in the sport, emphasizing the importance of personal connections: "Friendships make partnerships better."
Training and Commitment
Despite her rapid success, Glozman maintains a structured approach to improvement. She works with a trainer weekly and maintains consistent morning practice sessions from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM. While leaving her full-time job, she's considering part-time healthcare work, demonstrating a pragmatic approach to her professional transition.
Summary
Vivian Glozman's emergence in professional pickleball represents a new wave of athletes transitioning from traditional sports to this rapidly growing game. Her journey from reluctant beginner to professional competitor in just six months showcases both her natural athletic ability and the sport's accessibility to elite athletes.
Key aspects of her story include:
Transition from collegiate tennis to professional pickleball in just six months
Rapid tournament success, including a major semifinal appearance
Selection by the Bay Area Breakers in the MLP draft
Emphasis on maintaining friendships within competitive partnerships
Strategic career transition from healthcare to professional athletics
Balanced approach to training and competition
As pickleball continues its explosive growth, Glozman's story may become increasingly common: high-level athletes finding new competitive opportunities in this emerging sport. Her success suggests that the future of professional pickleball will be shaped by athletes who bring both elite competitive experience and fresh perspectives to the game.
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Please be advised this transcript is AI-generated and may not be word for word. Time codes refer to the approximate times.
1. 0:26 – James Introduces Vivian
James: Okay, welcome to another episode of the James Ignatowich Show. We have Vivian Glozman on the podcast. Um, I've already spoken to Vivian a little bit before this podcast, and that's about it. So she's friends with Anna, she got to the semifinals of the North Carolina doubles Pro, and she's only been playing for like six months. So that's crazy. And I had like 10 people reach out to me on Instagram, Twitter, all 10 of my fans. They were like, 'You gotta get Vivian Glozman on the podcast. We need to know more about her.' I was like, 'Okay, I’ll do it.' So thank you for coming on.
Vivian: Thank you. Thank you to your fans.
2. 1:13 – Transition from Tennis to Pickleball
James: Yeah, well, you're on. So let me start by asking you. So you came from tennis, and I was told that you started playing pickleball when you were like, what was it, November of 2022, like six months ago?
Vivian: Yeah, November. Do you want me to share the story?
James: Yes, okay.
Vivian: "So me and my mom, last summer, we, like, go on walks together, and we ran into a tennis friend who lives in our neighborhood. And she was like, 'Oh, what's your plan? Like, are you done with school?' You know, the ketchup when you're not that close with somebody. Um, and I was like, 'Yeah, I’m done. I’m just working, uh, earning hours now for PA school.'
And she’s like, 'Okay, that’s great.' She basically ignored everything I was saying. And she was like, 'You need to do pickleball.' And, intern, I ignored what she said, and I said, 'Hey, that’s great,' and moved on. We just continued our walk.
Um, but she was so persistent. She would not stop texting me. 'Listen, you are gonna be so good. I think you have this skill set, this whatever.' And I was constantly rejecting her to the point I felt so bad.
But then what happened is I got so burnt out from work because I had just, like, joined the job thing from being a student. I just, like, wanted to do so much.
Okay, okay, let me rephrase that. When you're new to a job, you want to do so much because it's, like, new and it's exciting and it's fresh. And I just, like, overworked myself to the point of burnout. So that's when November hit. That was, like, literally four months into me working, and I was burnt out already.
And I was like, you know what? What am I doing? I’m—I was 22. I was like, I’m—I’m still young. I need to fix my priorities. So I reached back out to her. I was like, you know what? I’ll give it a shot.
And she was so ecstatic. I was like—I was actually shocked because sometimes when you get rejected so many times, you lose, like, you’re, like, I don’t care about you anymore. But she was so great. So I call her my pickle godmother because she is who I owe my entire life and career to. Um, love her. She still takes care of me to this day. Um, that’s how I started because of her, this one lady. Um, love her. Okay, that’s it.
3. 3:37 – Shoutout to Vivian’s “Pickle Godmother”
James: Thanks to that lady, unleashed Vivian Glozman on the pickleball world.
Vivian: Yes.
James: You want to give her a shout out or no?
Vivian: Yeah, her name is Shufen Huang. She has two kids. One of them plays tennis. Um, I want to say Whitman. Oh my God, that’s gonna sound so bad if I get it wrong. Somewhere in Washington, but far away enough. And the daughter doesn’t play, but she’s at UW right now. Um, great kids, great family, love them, love this lady.
4. 4:07 – Where Are You From?
James: So, where are you from?
Vivian: I’m from Washington. That’s where I currently live. Okay. I was born in Wisconsin. Randomly.
James: Okay. How do you just randomly get born somewhere? You just spawn?
Vivian: I say randomly because it’s like, I—I seriously don’t know anybody from Wisconsin. I don’t. I was gonna say, but—but I don’t, honestly. And so the only thing I know about that state is every time I say I was born in Wisconsin, everybody starts asking me about cheese, as if three-month-old Vivian is gonna know every type of cheese out there, right? No. So yeah, we moved here when I was about, like, five, six months old. So I don’t affiliate myself with them Wisconsinites. I mean, it’s unique. Yeah, I’m gonna say I was born somewhere else. Um, but yeah, I grew up here in, Bellevue, Washington.
5. 5:27 – Cal Berkeley Tennis with Anna Bright 🎾 🐻
James: So you've been in Washington for most of your life. You played tennis growing up and then you went to Cal first. You became friends and women's tennis doubles partners with Anna Bright. Tell me about that.
Vivian: Yeah, so me and Anna were in very similar situations. We both graduated high school a year early, so when we got there, we were both 17. But 17-year-old Vivian was extremely different from 17-year-old Anna. For anybody who's watched Anna's Instagram reels and such... We mentioned my 'limited questions.' Uh, that was a big thing freshman year. The people need to know about the limited questions.
James: Limited questions?
Vivian: So I would consider myself smart but maybe a little more school smart. In terms of knowing what's going on in the world and knowing what's going on ever - I do lack in that area and people were quick to pick up on that. So every time I'd ask a question my coach would look at me in awe thinking "did she really ask that? Did someone really think that through and think that was a good question to ask?" So I was limited to five a day which might sound like a lot - it wasn't a lot for me, it wasn't at all. And if I asked a stupid one it would not get answered and then I would go down to four and to three until zero. I basically couldn't talk.
6. 7:11 – Limited Questions
James: How many questions did you want to ask? If there was no restriction, how many are you asking?
Vivian: Every time something’s confusing me, I’m asking. Lots of things confused me. There was one time they were talking about a host team visiting for a match. They had their own place—like a dungeon behind the track with snacks. I didn’t know about it. They said, 'If the host team asks, tell them where it is.' I literally didn’t know where it was! I asked something, and it became a joke because they were shocked at my level of intellect—or lack thereof. Enough on the questions.
7. 9:05 – Anna Bright Joins the Discussion
Anna Bright (joining): There was a tunnel by the track underneath the stadium where there were snacks and everything for the visiting team. Vivian thought that all of the opposing teams for our fall tournament were literally staying in the tunnel. Like, they didn’t have a hotel. They were staying in the tunnel. That’s what she thought!
James: I feel like I lost the plot guys, I totally lost the plot. I'm sorry James Ignatowich show listeners, I don't even know what we're talking about.
Vivian: The moral of the story is I was troubled. I was a troubled teen. I'm still a troubled teen but I'm 23 so there's that. Thank you Anna for that clarification.
Anna: Your welcome.
8. 10:18 – Is Dylan Frazier as Tall as He Says? 📏
James: You say you’re 5’11. Dylan Frazier claims the same. But when we played against you two, you looked taller. Is Dylan lying?
Vivian: Um yeah, I don't see Dylan being a liar. He looks pretty honest so you know what, I'll give him his three quarters of an inch. But I don't know, I've had people tell me I'm not 5'11" very many times. So I don't know if I'm lying - I honestly, I don't want to be 6' to be honest. So I just have nothing more to say on that.
James: Interesting. Vivian and I have spoken about this on the phone - she insinuated to me that Dylan was lying. I'm paraphrasing.
Vivian: No no no, okay let me clarify since you want to bring up past receipts. I said that boys in general tend to inflate their height. But I don't think Dylan is lying. I think men, boys in general like doing that. What's the thing I said - I said there's no such thing as being 5'11" in boy world because if you were 5'11" you would say six. So it's a tricky number it definitely is but uh Dylan if you're listening, I believe you, I do.
James: That didn’t sound like it.
9. 12:17 – Vivian Making a Career Change 👀
James: I heard you’re quitting your job. True?
Vivian: It is true. It's sad but it is true. I love my co-workers a lot. I'm not going to say the job is super awesome but I love my co-workers and I think that's what makes every job enjoyable. But it is true - it wasn't really by choice and it wasn't because of this past weekend or like people reaching out to me. It was simply because I ran out of PTO and for those of you that don't know what PTO is because you don't work, PTO is "paid time off". You need to submit it and you need your manager or your supervisor to approve it.
And so I'm pretty sure you get like a set number - why are you laughing?
James: I mean I can't not, I can't not laugh at you.
Vivian: Okay anyway - he's laughing -
James: I can't not, I'm sorry. Keep going anyway.
Vivian: Okay - you get like a set number in the beginning of like when you start your job and then the more you work the more you accumulate. But I ran out already just like with all the Thursday and Fridays that I missed, it's gone.
And so I talked to my manager, I reached out to HR. HR said - I posted this on my food account which is kind of my spam account that I want to keep sacred but pickle people have found it so I have to like post less because things I post tend to get me in trouble a lot. But I'm being better at that anyway. Anyway sidebar - so I posted this on my spam account, the email I got from HR. It said something like "Vivian thanks so much for reaching out about like time off and paid leave. Unfortunately there's nothing we can do about you becoming a professional athlete.
10. 15:22 – MLP Shuffle Draft Final Pick – Bay Area Breakers 🙌
James: I only ever worked at a Chinese restaurant for a summer and that's actually a fact. I worked as a tennis coach for a while and then I had an internship lined up with like an investment bank and then I was like you know what, I'm just gonna play pickle. There was nothing sad about it. I was like let's go, I'm gonna dink all day. I'll do anything to not have to work in a whatever it is. How do you feel about now that you've been picked up by the Bay Area Breakers with the last pick of the shuffle draft even though you were the best player in the draft, which was crazy in my opinion? How does it feel? You guys are gonna win again, you're gonna win a third title with Pablo and Ava, it's a tough team.
Vivian: I had no idea what was happening during that time and it all worked out so great. Let me tell you what happened though. I was sitting at this nice little table eating dinner that Thursday night. By the way, you guys were so nice that Thursday when we practiced, all of you when we all met. I was like overwhelmed, like everyone was like 'oh my gosh you're so good.' Like Pablo even saying right away 'I watch you for like 30 seconds and I'm gonna get you on the team.' I was like that is a lot of trust and in my head I was like they must be desperate, like there's no way you can watch this girl for 30 seconds hit one..."
James: You know what it was? I actually talked to a few people about it. We were playing and at the third point, I came in and hit a hard drive and then I hit like a fifth shot out of the air as hard as I could right at you and I hit you in the hand. I hit it as hard as I possibly could and I got you. I was like 'oh sorry' and then you were said 'didn't even hurt' or something like that.
Vivian [17:54]:I remember that. I actually wasn't even trying to be macho or lie. I didn't feel it.
James: "Yeah, you said something like that and then we were just like okay put her in, sign her up for the league.
Vivian: I've gotten hit before, sometimes it just hits you in a spot that it just stings a little but that one was okay. Maybe you just don't hit that hard.
James: No, I just don't have power.
Vivian: But yeah, I was sitting at dinner, I get a call from Jeff, one of the GMs. I'm getting a call from him and I know it's like time for them to make a decision so I don't know if he has like last minute questions for me, like 'put in your last words Vivian before we reject you' or what was going on. But he says 'how are you' and I'm like 'good how are you' and he's like 'just want to let you know we've decided to select you.' I don't know why I didn't even expect to be this excited but I screamed. I screamed and all the people sitting at the tables around me gave me the weirdest look. I wonder guys, you don't know what's going on, you don't know what's going on, I just got drafted! Don't look at me! I texted all my friends right away. That weekend was crazy, like for that to happen on a Thursday.
11. 17:54 – Vivian’s Pickleball Training Regimen
James: How much are you training?
Vivian: I see a trainer once a week. I’m bad at weights—my UVA strength coach hated how I made lifting look easy. I prefer cardio. I play in the mornings (9:30–12:30) before work. Quitting my job won’t change that—just gives travel flexibility.
12. 23:30 – Considering a Part-Time Job
Vivian: I might pick up part-time healthcare work. I’m open to PA school later, but life’s crazy. Don’t want all eggs in one basket.
James: You’ll be top five. You won’t need another job!
13. 24:36 – Stand-Up Comedy Potential
James: "You could do stand-up. Just talk about your day!"
14. 25:54 – Air Force Academy Experience 🛩️
James: What made you think that you could handle the Air Force for like eight years?
Vivian: "Yeah, I think I shocked a lot of people who know me. You're like 'Viv's going into the military?' Like it didn't seem right. But you know what, I learned so much there. I actually got so strong. I was able - so right now if you tell me to do a push-up, I would not be able to do one. If you tell me to do a knee push-up, I could probably bust out like five. But keeping that in mind, I maxed out on all my events for Air Force training and for the push-up section that's 48 push-ups in two minutes."
[Brief pause]
Vivian: "Okay, everyone give me a round of applause! You cannot laugh at me, this is serious. When I committed to the academy, I knew I was taking the spot of somebody who, like having already got my degree, I was taking the spot of someone who didn't have - they were going for undergrad. So given that, like the admissions process was super tricky. They wanted me to write so many things on why I would be a good fit and why I want to go to the academy and why I want to do this, and I was so committed. I wasn't lying in my application. I was like 'I really want to do this, I think this is the coolest opportunity and I'm gonna be the greatest Cadet ever' and I was - for that year."
"But you know what, I was just so much older than everyone, and I just wanted freedom. The inner part of me just was like 'I love the military, I have so much respect for these people, but you know what, I need my freedom and I need to move on with my life.' And to do undergrad just to spend another four years and get the same degree, at least like the same level of degree and not like do a master's or whatever, I was like 'uh no, this is not smart.'"
"A lot of people were sad that I left. I gained a lot of support from people there that were like 'I love what you're doing, like this is such a unique situation. I cannot believe like you're dedicating yourself to the country - like you don't have to, you literally don't have to.' And that was really cool to hear from everyone. So I did feel like I was letting a lot of people down, but you know what, sometimes you got to put yourself first."
It was really sad but yeah, that was the situation there. Loved it there, made some of my best best friends because if you know, it's quite a tough environment. Even though they call the Air Force - anybody who knows the military knows the Air Force is known as the 'Chair Force,' which means it's like the easiest of the three like Army, Navy - it's the easiest branch. But even being the easiest, it's almost like it's way harder than civilian life. It's crazy. Anyway, my respect for them has like shot through the roof. I love all of them and it's so cool to just be a part, like just to even say that I was a part of that.
15. 29:36 – Upcoming Partnerships
James: Who are you playing with in Atlanta and San Clemente?
Vivian: Atlanta: Callan Dawson (mixed) and Dominique Schaefer (women’s). San Clemente: Wes Gabrielsen (mixed) and Bobbi Oshiro (women’s).
James [30:09]: Bobbi's good and so is Wes. Yeah, Bobbi's solid and Wes is like the nicest guy ever, so you'll have fun with him.
Vivian: That was my favorite thing about my early partners. I didn't really know what I was doing, I just kind of wanted a partner that was nice.
James: That's super important in my opinion.
16. 30:49 – Lea Jansen’s Take on Partnerships
Vivian: Nowadays it's not that important but you know when you're starting it matters. Um, so on Pickleball Fanatics they posted Lea Jansen's take on partners saying - partnerships in pickleball, it's like a Pro Sport now, it should be treated kind of like a business relationship instead of a friendship. Yeah, so like if you break up with your partner it's not like a relationship breakup, it's not like personal.
I sent it to all my friends. Well, I responded to them what I thought and my thoughts, if anybody cares, is - I did have to think about it for a while because I was like you know what, she makes a good point. But then I had to think about my time on the tennis team and at UVA especially. Coaches would have us do practice matches against each other and we even did this crazy thing where we split the team into two. We made up our team names - they're not important, they weren't good - but we would have this point system where we were competing the whole fall semester.
To increase people wanting to do individuals and go out and practice serves and do extra, we had this point system where you could earn points for your team by doing this with your teammates, but you could only do it with your own side, like your own half of the team. And so that, plus like competing against your own teammates, it just created a huge divide and it kind of made the relationships suffer.
And so thinking back to that in answering that question, I was like you know what, I think it's actually the opposite. Like when you are playing against your friends and not with them, if you're not close with your own side, I feel like that makes it more strenuous on the relationship.
I was thinking about Anna (Bright) - when she (Lea) said that, I was thinking 'is she calling out me and Anna?' Because the whole time leading up to Carolina, Anna was like 'oh we're gonna have so much fun, like this is my bestie.' Everyone commented on seeing me and Anna's chemistry on the court, and that was super cool to see because I mean, you don't really get to see people's on-court personality much. They were like 'we want to see more of you, we want to see this partnership' and I was like thank you for saying that because maybe I'll convince Anna.Friendships make partnerships better.
May 6, 2023, at LifeTime - Charlotte, NC
Semifinal Women's Doubles
#1 Anna Leigh Waters/Catherine Parenteau vs #4 Anna Bright/Vivian Glozman
17. 34:15 – Cool, Calm, and Collected on Center Court
James : Well you played great. I thought you looked really good. I mean you played like really well. You also looked pretty composed, I thought. You didn't look that tight. Like when I was playing my first like big Center Court matches, I was kind of nervous, but you didn't look nervous at all. I mean you looked like you were also having a lot more fun than Anna Leigh and Catherine.
Vivian: Yeah, I mean it was really fun. I think it helps to have like your best friend like next to you and just also someone so competent, you know? It's not just like 'oh we're out here having fun,' it's like you know it's fun to be competitive. I thought that take was interesting - a lot of people did say the same thing you did, like 'oh she wasn't nervous, I was really impressed, like biggest stage and like against the best people in the world.'
But it is pickleball though. Amazing people but they worked hard to get to where they are. But I just feel like to be number one in pickleball... it's not really the same as if you step out on Arthur Ashe Stadium against Serena. It's just really not the same and the stages I've played on for tennis have been a lot bigger. So yeah, I mean I wasn't nervous at all.
I'm glad people said nice words but just to give perspective, it's... it is pickleball. I listened to this one podcast that Federico (Staksrud) was on, they were asking him if he thought - or they were asking everybody if they thought like having a tennis background helps with pickleball. And I thought their takes were really interesting because at least Fed said maybe the habits that you have to break for tennis hurt you in a sense because if you just didn't have tennis at all, you wouldn't have habits to break, you would just be learning pickleball.
But at the same time, having that mental toughness really does help, or just being competitive in any sport. And you can tell too, it's so hilarious when the commentators start talking about people's tennis backgrounds. It's like you can definitely tell - I don't think you have to be a good tennis player at all to be good at pickleball, but you can tell the people who made it to the Elite tennis level and they're mindset, the way they handle themselves on court, the way they compete, the way they don't fold under pressure, tight moments. I think you can tell when it comes down to that. Anyway, that's my take on that.
18. James [37:33]:Okay, so last thing—when we were on the phone earlier today before this podcast, you asked me if you were allowed to ask questions. So, do you have any questions for me?
Vivian: Do you enjoy being a passenger princess and just being chauffeured around everywhere? Pick me up at this time, drop me off at this place. Do you enjoy that?"
James: It's the best thing ever because, you know, I honestly think that it's helped my pickleball game so much because Anna's driving and she's, you know, she's not the best driver sometimes. She needs help, like sometimes I need to be a little more than a passenger princess. I need to be kind of, you know, helping her notice things that maybe she isn't noticing. But most of the time I can just go on my phone and watch pickleball and it is so good for my game, you know? I'm like studying. I was actually watching you while Anna was driving and swerving and you know who knows what she was doing when she was driving. I mean that's a whole other issue, but yeah I think it's great for my game being a passenger princess. 10 out of 10 I would recommend.
19. 38:51 – James’ Pickleball Goals
Vivian: "What’s your goal? Be #1?"
James: "Last year, I wanted to avoid a 9–5. Now, I focus on being better daily. Comparison kills motivation."
20. 41:30 – How James Found Pickleball
Vivian: "How’d you start?"
James: "Winter break after quitting Vanderbilt tennis. Was 200 lbs, miserable. Played locals, got hooked. Never thought I’d go pro."
21. 43:19 – Can a Random Joe Schmoe Go Pro?
Vivian: Can anyone make it?
James: Not anyone. Better-than-average athlete, but nothing special. Even Collin Johns isn’t a freak athlete.
22. 45:05 – Dream Sponsorships
Vivian: Dream sponsor besides Selkirk?
James Starbucks! Free coffee for life.
23. 46:32 – Closing Remarks
Vivian: My sister said, They better edit this.
James: We’re leaving it all in. You’re funny.
Vivian: Thank you. Thank you.
James: Thank you for coming on.
Vivian: Thank you for having me. And uh, yeah, thank you guys. Instagram Post
