The world of professional pickleball is being taken over by teenagers, with many of the sport's top players being under the age of 20. Despite some criticism from fans, the fact remains that teenagers are dominating the sport, with many of them turning pro at a young age and achieving great success.
The argument against teenagers in pro pickleball is often based on the idea that they are not physically developed enough to compete at a high level. However, as hosts Zane Navratil and Nico the Lefty pointed out on a recent episode of PicklePod, pickleball is a sport that does not require physical contact or collisions, making it accessible to players of all ages. Navratil noted that "there's no physical contact with the other team, so I don't understand why you couldn't have a 10-year-old if you wanted to."
The Best Players Have Always Been Kids
Teenagers in pro pickleball are not a new phenomenon, but rather a continuation of a trend that has been seen in the sport for years. Players like Anna Leigh Waters, who turned pro at 12 and is now considered one of the best female players in the world, have paved the way for younger players to compete at a high level. Other notable players who started young include Hayden Patriquin, Gabe Tardio, Jorja, and Elsie Hendershot. The list of successful young players also includes Jalina Ingram and Will Mackinnon, who was drafted 17th overall in this year's draft.
Some of the top-ranked male and female junior prospects have recently signed pro contracts with the UPA, including:
- Cam Chaffin: a top-ranked junior prospect who has signed with the UPA.
- Tama Shimabukuro: a 15-year-old from Honolulu who was drafted 9th overall in the 2026 MLP draft and signed a three-year PPA Tour deal at 14.
- Elsie Hendershot: a 13-year-old left-hander who was drafted by the Chicago Slice and has already achieved great success in the sport.
- Kiora Kunimoto: an 18-year-old from Hawaii's Big Island who was drafted 15th overall in the 2026 MLP draft and has already taken down several top seeds in competition.
These young players are not just sneaking onto rosters as projects, but are instead being sought after by teams and achieving great success in the sport. As Navratil noted, "if watching a fourteen year old win makes you uncomfortable, that might be a you problem, not an MLP problem." The trend of teenagers dominating pro pickleball is unlikely to change anytime soon, and fans can expect to see even more young players making a name for themselves in the sport.
