Megan Fudge Interview

 

The Rise of Pickleball Star Megan Fudge

Tennis Pro Finds New Life on the Pickleball Court

NAPLES, Fla. — In a sun-drenched corner of the East Naples Community Park, Megan Fudge is holding court at a picnic table, recounting her journey from collegiate tennis standout to professional pickleball player.

Ms. Fudge, 34, was once a top singles and doubles player for the University of Illinois women's tennis team. Now, she and her husband are crisscrossing the country in an RV with their two young children, competing in professional pickleball tournaments.

It's a road less traveled, but one that Ms. Fudge believes will lead to success. "Pickleball has come around and has given us both a new opportunity," she said in an interview at the 2023 Minto U.S. Open Pickleball Championships, where she recently won a bronze medal in women's singles.

Topics from the Megan Fudge Interview:

1. 0:09-0:18 - Introduction Megan Fudge joins the podcast at the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships in Naples, Florida. She recently won a bronze medal in women's singles, which was her first medal at the U.S. Open.
2. 0:18-0:30 - Megan's Tennis Background Megan was a standout tennis player at the University of Illinois, playing number one singles all four years and making All-Big Ten. She met her husband Ryler DeHeart there; he played professionally for six years and ranked as high as 200 in the world.
3. 0:30-0:48 - Transition to Pickleball After injuries ended Ryler's tennis career, Megan eventually convinced him to take up pickleball. They played their first professional tournament in January 2022. The sport is easier on their bodies than tennis.
4. 0:48-1:19 - Life on the Road In 2022, Megan and her family sold nearly everything they owned and bought an RV. They travel from tournament to tournament with their two young kids. This allows the kids to have stability instead of constantly changing hotels and flights.
5. 1:19-2:07 - Parenting on Tour Megan homeschools her kids on the road. They get two boxes each for toys and possessions. The kids have adjusted well and made lots of friends. Megan feels less mom guilt being able to keep the kids with her.
6. 2:07-2:43 - Kids and Pickleball Her kids are obsessed with pickleball and are developing well. Megan is trying not to push them too much and just let them enjoy the sport. They are excited to watch the junior competition at the U.S. Open.
7. 2:43-3:07 - Junior Pickleball Juniors can start competing as young as 8 years old. Megan thinks 8 may be a bit young to compete against 18-year-olds. Her friends' 13-year-old son just took silver with an adult partner.
8. 3:07-3:39 - Playing Doubles with Her Husband Megan and her husband played mixed pro doubles together last year. The good is very high, the bad can be low. This is their last event playing together; they've been drafted to separate pro teams.
9. 3:39-4:31 - Professional Pickleball Megan was drafted by a Major League Pickleball (MLP) Dallas team, then traded to Columbus for this first MLP Premier League season. Players can be traded after every event. She's still adjusting to the team aspect after mostly individual tennis.
10. 4:31-5:10 - Advice for Beginners Megan advises new players to embrace pickleball and not judge it prematurely. Have an open mind, don't overthink it, and let yourself enjoy playing this fun sport.
11. 5:10-5:46 - Mental Game and Anger Megan says her biggest frustration is her own mental game while playing singles. She needs to be mentally tougher and not let bad line calls or score effects rattle her.
12. 5:46-6:13 - Kids Starting Pickleball Megan's kids are developing fast and love the sport. She wants them to enjoy it first. 
13. 6:13-7:07 - Pros and Cons of Playing with Her Husband Communication can be difficult between spouses on the court. He knows her so well that he anticipates instead of communicating. But they have great chemistry from knowing each other's games inside and out.
14. 7:07-8:01 - Drafted to Separate Teams This is Megan and her husband's last tournament playing doubles together. They've been drafted to separate MLP Premier League teams for the next event and season. Megan is excited for the new challenge.
15. 8:01-9:00 - Buying a Pickleball Team With league expansion, many new team owners are coming from outside pickleball. Megan jokes that everyone and their dog is buying a team, including possibly the podcast host.
16. 9:00-9:57 - Where to Follow Megan Megan's most active on Instagram @officialmeganfudge. She also uses Twitter but is still building her Facebook page and other social media.
17. 9:57-11:55 - This or That Game Megan chooses beer over wine, mowing the lawn over dishes, hole in sock over hole in underwear, and broken down RV over stuck in an airport.
18. 11:55-12:19 - Conclusion Megan thanks the podcast for having her on and promotes her social channels again. The host wishes her good luck in the tournament.

Living the RV Life

The RV lifestyle is central to Ms. Fudge's new career. "We walk home to our home," she said, describing the convenience of having their residence along for the ride. But it's also a calculated decision to create stability for her two children, Lillian, 8, and JR., 6, as she and her husband chase titles across the country.

"I want to provide them a stability home base," Ms. Fudge said. "An RV is a house on wheels — that's our home on wheels with us."

While unconventional, the arrangement seems to be working. "They have adjusted really well and made lots of friends," Ms. Fudge said of her children. "I want them with me, and they want to be with me as well at the tournaments."

New Opportunities in Pickleball

With tennis in the rearview mirror, Ms. Fudge has quickly risen to become one of the top competitors in professional pickleball. She and her husband played their first pro tournament in January 2022, and now she's already claiming medals at major events like the U.S. Open.

It's a familiar story for many pickleball players, who tend to come from other paddle sports like tennis and badminton. The sport has exploded in popularity in recent years, with nearly 5 million players in the U.S. as of 2021, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association.

"Pickleball has come around and has given us both a new opportunity," Ms. Fudge said of her and her husband's transition. Though pickleball is easier on the body than tennis, she noted there is still a "very steep learning curve."

Homeschooling on the Road

The travel schedule has led Ms. Fudge to homeschool her two children on the road. She follows the Florida Virtual School curriculum and has a teacher assigned to provide guidance. It's a constant balancing act, as she acknowledged some subjects get more attention than others.

"Their math skills are off the chart," Ms. Fudge said, laughing. "But Megan science is missing."

Still, her kids seem to be thriving in the unconventional environment. "They have met people from all over the world and have made a million friends," Ms. Fudge said. She strives to make the RV feel like any other home, with structure and routines in place.

Blazing Her Own Trail

Ms. Fudge has already etched her name in the tennis record books at her alma mater, the University of Illinois. Now she's on a quest to do the same in her new sport of pickleball.

If her recent U.S. Open bronze medal is any indication, Ms. Fudge is well on her way. "I feel like people keep saying the first one's the hardest," she said of winning her first medal at the event. "I hope that's the case."

With her family's support, she is confident more podium finishes lie ahead. "There's no stopping Megan," as one of her supporters aptly put it. Though her journey to the upper echelons of professional pickleball is just beginning, Megan Fudge is ready to make the most of the opportunities ahead.