The Unexpected Journey: Anna Bright’s Path from Tennis to Pickleball Stardom
How a Chance Game with Family Sparked a Pro Career
Anna Bright’s trajectory from collegiate tennis star to professional pickleball player was neither straightforward nor foreseen. Once skeptical of the sport, Bright’s initial exposure was marred by a negative first impression. Yet, in a candid conversation with Mac Engel on The Engel Angle podcast, she revealed how curiosity, family influences, and an addictive competitive spirit drove her to become one of pickleball’s top players. Here, Bright shares her story of reluctance turned passion, shedding light on what makes pickleball so compelling for athletes transitioning from other racket sports.
1. Before you picked up the pickleball racket, before you even played it, what were your perceptions of the game coming from your background in tennis?
Anna Bright: My perception was pretty negative, actually. In my community here in Florida around 2015, one of our tennis courts was taken away, and they put in two pickleball courts. But no one was playing pickleball, so we were upset. We went from having two or three tennis courts to having one less, and it was quite a hassle. A lot of people in the community complained, and within a couple of months, they turned it back into a tennis court. That was my first exposure to pickleball. It’s crazy to think that if I had given it a try in 2015, I could have been one of the true OGs of the game. But at the time, my perception was very negative. The game only started to pick up in 2021 or early 2022, and even then, I had no intention to enjoy it or get good at it. My dad had been nagging me to play, and by that point, I was a little less firmly anti-pickleball.
2. When you go back to your original thoughts of the sport, did you think it was a sport?
Anna Bright: No, I thought it was just a silly game for unathletic people—kind of the stereotypical view that people have today.
3. You obviously had a lot of success with racket sports and played collegiately at the University of California. What prompted you to give pickleball a try, even if just casually?
Anna Bright: I was just done with tennis. After college, I was good but not good enough to go pro, and I knew that chapter in my life was over. My parents were playing pickleball twice a week—not fully addicted, but interested. I was home, I was bored, and I didn’t start working until January after graduating in May. So, I decided to give it a try. I played against my parents one-on-two, and I was beating them, which was fun. Then, a guy at the local park told me I was really good and should play in another area with higher-level players. Once I played with those better players, I got hooked. I have a bit of an addictive personality, and pickleball itself is addictive. Combine that with someone like me, and it’s like lighting a fire.
4. At what point did you recognize that you weren’t just good at pickleball, but really good, with a much higher ceiling than just casual play?
Anna Bright: I think it took me a few months, maybe even until my first pro tournament, to realize I was actually very good. I was lucky to be in a group with a few strong professionals and was losing all the time during practice. But at my first tournament, I played against competitors who were a bit below the level of those I practiced with, and I did really well. That’s when everything changed quickly. Playing outside my practice bubble showed me that I wasn’t just average—I might have had a little extra talent compared to the typical tennis player transitioning to pickleball.
Summary Anna Bright’s evolution from skeptical tennis player to top-tier pickleball competitor encapsulates the sport’s burgeoning appeal. Initially dismissive of pickleball as a pastime for the less athletic, Bright’s journey underscores the sport’s potential for serious competition and personal transformation. What started as casual family games during a break from her tennis career turned into an unforeseen calling. Her story highlights the importance of trying new experiences and staying open to possibilities, demonstrating that talent and passion can ignite even where least expected.
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