Leigh Waters’ Pickleball Coaching Journey: Leigh Waters, a former world No. 1 in women’s pro doubles, is now best known as the coach and mother of top pickleball player Anna Leigh Waters. Leigh, once a champion herself, now guides her daughter’s career, traveling with her and offering constant support both on and off the court.
Leigh and Anna Leigh Waters share a close mother-daughter bond. Leigh has helped Anna Leigh become one of the sport’s top players. But before coaching, Leigh was a top-level athlete, once playing with her daughter in pro tournaments. Their strong family support helped Anna Leigh compete at the highest level.
From Pro Player to Coach
Leigh Waters used to play at the top level in women’s doubles, teaming up with Anna Leigh Waters. They were ranked No. 1 before Leigh suffered an ACL injury.
“People who look at the sport see my mom as a really good pickleball coach, but they don’t really remember us playing together. We were the No. 1 team, and we were on to it when she got injured and tore her ACL before pickleball got so popular,” said Anna Leigh Waters in ‘In Search of Excellence’ podcast.
“But people don’t remember that. They just see her as my coach, my manager, and my mom.” – (Anna)
Leigh was known for her strong skills, even beating Anna Leigh Waters when they played against each other in mixed doubles. As Anna Leigh improved over time, she eventually won a match against her mother.
“It went from her annihilating me in mixed doubles at tournaments to then all of a sudden I beat her in a tournament. It was a very interesting night. She told my dad and I to go to dinner by ourselves.” – (anna)
Leigh remained competitive, even after her injury.
“When I beat her for the first time, she said, ‘It’s not time yet. You’re 12 years old. You shouldn’t be beating me yet.’ I think it took her about 24 hours to get over it and then she was fine. But that first 24 hours, it was interesting. I don’t think anybody knew how to go about the day. It was just weird.” – (anna)
A New Role After Injury
Leigh Waters talked about her career change on the Talk Pickle to Me podcast. Her injury pushed her to become a coach. She said she didn’t want to slow Anna Leigh down as she got older.
“Anna Leigh was getting better and better, and at that point I’m only getting worse because I’m getting older, my hands are getting slower, and my body’s getting slower. I didn’t want to be the person that held her back just because she wanted to play with her mom or felt like she had to. I never wanted to be in the position where I was bringing her down. When I got injured, I wasn’t at the point yet where I felt like I was holding her back, but I knew that time was coming. But I loved coaching and it gave me a new avenue to discover, and gave me new challenges. It ended up being a saving grace.” – (Leigh)
Now, Leigh focuses on coaching and enjoys being with her daughter on tour. They often post funny videos together on social media, showing their close friendship.
Leigh Waters also coaches Christian Alshon, another rising star in pickleball. She is respected for her coaching skills and her stylish look courtside.
A Strong Team On and Off Court
Anna Leigh Waters is grateful for everything her mother does.
“She does everything for me, so I couldn’t do what I do without her. She takes all the pressure of everything but pickleball off of me, so I can just really focus on playing, which is awesome. She’s my best friend, so I’m so blessed.” – (anna)
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News in Brief: Leigh Waters’ Pickleball Coaching Journey
Leigh Waters, a former No. 1 pickleball pro, is now best known as coach and mom to top player Anna Leigh Waters. After a serious injury, she left playing to coach full time. Today, she guides Anna Leigh Waters and Christian Alshon, earning respect as one of the sport’s top coaches.