00:00This is Outperformed Yesterday, presented by Kayaks.
00:04Everybody is joining the pickleball wave, athletes, celebrities, I mean, everybody.
00:09We've got the number one pickleball player in the world, Anna Lee Waters, here live with us to talk about just her journey and why this sport is so hot right now.
00:22ALW. Can I call you ALW?
00:24Yeah, go ahead.
00:25Okay, ALW. I'm doing my research on you, and you're a very fascinating athlete.
00:31You went pro at the age of 12. Pickleball is a relatively new sport, so how did you start the sport, and I guess, like, what made you start?
00:41Funny story, so in 2017, I live in South Florida, and Hurricane Irma came to Florida, so I evacuated to where my grandparents live in Pennsylvania,
00:49and my grandfather actually played pickleball, which is, like, a big stereotype, you know, like, oh, old people play pickleball,
00:56so my grandfather played pickleball, and he was trying to get my mom and I out of the court, and we were tennis players,
01:01so we were kind of like, no, like, we're going to stick to tennis, but he finally got us on the court, and we, like, fell in love with it,
01:08and I think that's, like, a big thing, too, like, people like to hate on the sport until they play the sport,
01:13and then they realize how much fun it is, and they get addicted to it, and that's what happened to us, so we got, like, addicted,
01:19and we just wanted to play all day, every day, so when we came back to Florida, rest is history, and I was just playing a ton because I loved it.
01:25And that is the recipe for success. When an athlete becomes addicted to something, when we have that passion,
01:32and we're like, you know what, I'm going all the way in on this, then that right there is the recipe for success,
01:39and, I mean, you're having all types of success within your career. I guess, take us through the world of ALW.
01:47Like, what's your day prep like? What's your mindset, not only when you're training, but then that week
01:54when you're going into the weekend of a tournament? Yeah, for sure. I feel like when I'm, like, prep the week
01:59before tournament prepping, like, the first half of the week is kind of a more chill, I'm more relaxed,
02:03and then towards the end of the week, that's when my training, you know, starts to get more dialed in,
02:08that's when I'm playing more rec games, trying to get ready for the tournament, but I try not to, like,
02:12mentally get too stressed out, or, like, I don't know, like, focus too much until the tournament
02:18actually starts, because I feel like if I'm worrying about it, like, days leading up, I can get in my
02:24head about it, so I feel like, usually, like, when I start practicing the day of for the tournament,
02:29that's when I get locked in, and I don't say much, you know, throughout the day, I'm pretty focused.
02:33Like, the other day, somebody, or yesterday, I was playing in a tournament, and somebody asked me, like,
02:38hey, do you want to come play a board game? And I'm like, no, I gotta stay locked in. Like, what are you
02:42talking about? Like, I can't do that. I gotta stay locked in. So, when the tournament starts, I'm pretty
02:46locked in, but before, you'll see me, like, joking around, having a good time. Yeah, when we're locked
02:51in, we have no time to be playing Monopoly or something. Like, what? We're trying to build a, we're
02:58trying to win a tournament here. You mentioned how, like, the stereotypes around pickleballs is for
03:05older people. You're 18 years old. You're what I call the new generation of athletes to where you can be
03:11an influencer, and you can be an athlete at the same time. Like, what's that like, I guess, being
03:17the face of this sport? Yeah, definitely adds another level to it. It makes me more busy, but I just, I love
03:25showing my personality. I love helping to grow the sport. I feel like the sport has done so much for
03:29me in my life. Like, not even talking about all the success I've had on the court, just how pickleball
03:34has made me feel, or how it makes me feel when I'm on the court. So, I like to give back to the sport,
03:40but I also like to get more people involved in the sport because I want them to, or I feel like
03:45pickleball will have a positive influence on their life. So, I love spreading the game on my social
03:50media for that purpose, but then I also love kind of showing some of my personality in my social media
03:55posts. So, it's kind of like the best of both worlds. I love growing the sport, but I also just
03:59kind of like doing some social media stuff. Yeah, I'm 40 years old, and like, I have these back in my
04:05day moments from time to time when I'm talking to these younger athletes, and it's like, when I was playing
04:10football, and the CFL, and the Canadian Football League, I was shooting content. I started my own
04:14web series called Jersey Off, Suit On, and I'd take, like, players, get them, like, styled. We'd walk
04:19in fashion shows. That's cool. Back in the day, they'd be like, you're not focused. You need to be
04:23locked in. Yeah. If you're not posting, you're not focused, you know? Yeah. So, I saw that you did
04:30on your social media, you did a get ready with me for the ESPYs. Yes. You've been able to take
04:37your game, and the game has given back to you as well. You're living, you're living life. You're
04:43a superstar athlete. So, who's been like that celebrity, or who's been like that not only
04:48celebrity or celebrity athlete that you've met, and have been like, wow, I cannot believe
04:53the game has allowed me to meet this person? Yeah, I mean, the ESPYs was kind of crazy, because
04:58I was just walking next to all these athletes that I grew up watching, kind of on TV, or like,
05:04kind of idolizing. But funny enough, somebody that I really used to watch in the Olympics
05:09is Michael Phelps. And I actually played pickleball with him, like, three or four years ago, which
05:14is crazy that it was like that long ago. So, it wasn't really before, like, pickleball
05:18really exploded. But I always look back to that, and I'm like, that's pretty cool that
05:21I was able to kind of play with Michael Phelps. But then, at the ESPYs, I was like, walking
05:25next to Simone Biles, and like, having conversations with, like, Taylor Fritz, and like, all these
05:31people. So, it was, the ESPYs was kind of a cool moment, because I was seeing and meeting
05:34so many, you know, amazing athletes. But the Michael Phelps one was, was cool for like,
05:40a one-on-one, more one-on-one type moment. Were you surprised that so many, I guess,
05:44celebrity athletes, or big-name athletes knew who you were, and know, know about the game?
05:50It was funny, because I'd go up to somebody and like, introduce, or start a conversation,
05:54or introduce myself. And the amount of people that actually knew who I was, was kind of
05:58mind-blowing, because I was kind of just going up to these people to like, start a conversation.
06:02And then, they'd be like, what's your name again? And I'd tell them, and they'd be like,
06:05no way! Like, I watch you all the time, or I've watched your journey, you're doing amazing. So,
06:10it was really cool. I met Sloane Stevens at the ESPYs, and she knew so much about me. And I was like,
06:16this is nuts. Like, I watched you win the U.S. Open. So, this is, it was cool. It was really cool.
06:21Great story, because I met Michael Jordan one time, and he had no clue who I was. Actually,
06:26I was standing, I was in VIP, but there was like a VIP of VIP. Yeah. I was standing in the way of
06:33the red velvet rope, and he like, tapped me, and I like, looked back, and was like, that's Michael
06:38Jordan. He goes, in my head, I was like, that's Michael Jordan. He goes, excuse me, and tapped me
06:43on the back. And I like, people, I, you know, Michael Jordan tapped me on the back. Don't ask me to move.
06:49There's, there's my claim to fame. We talk about the celebrities, and like, the celebrity athletes. If you
06:54could have an ideal partner for a mixed match doubles, who would that partner be, and who
07:01were the two celebrities you'd want to play against? Yeah, so I, honestly, I'm a big tennis
07:06fan. I grew up watching tennis, so I would probably play with Roger Federer, and I would play against
07:11Carlos Algres and Yannick Sinner. Oh, wow. Right? That'd be a cool matchup. I feel like we could make
07:16that happen, too. Yeah, that's primetime TV. They should make that happen on Netflix,
07:21going into sports and all. Now, what, like, for when we talk about game day, give me, like, a couple
07:27songs you have to hear to get you ready and into the zone. I love Eye of the Tiger. I think that's
07:33just a classic. Yeah, so there, I have this one, I don't know, short story. I was playing my first ever
07:40major title. I was playing with my mom, and we lost the first game, and we were, like, coming back in the
07:45second and starting to get some momentum, and they started playing Can't Stop the Feeling,
07:49and we were, like, oh, yeah, like, Can't Stop the Feel. We started singing it and vibing it to it,
07:53and then we ended up winning the finals of that major tournament, so sometimes I'll listen to
07:57Can't Stop the Feeling because it, like, gives me those memories, brings me back, so two kind of
08:02very different vibe songs, but I listen to both of those. Some Eminem sometimes, too.
08:08Wow, okay. Yeah. Yep.
08:10So what's, like, when you're, when you have some downtime, what's, like, some mindless TV that
08:17you watch just to, like, get away from it all? And you can't say Love Island. You can't say Love
08:22Island. Yeah, well, it wasn't gonna be that. I'm actually watching the new season of The Summer I
08:26Turned Pretty right now. I don't know if you've been seeing the hype on that, but I think the first
08:30few seasons were better, but I'm watching the third one just to watch it. I'm trying to watch all of
08:39Game of Thrones, but I go through, like, where I watch, like, a season and then have to take a
08:43break because it's too intense, and then watch, like, a season.
08:46It's into you. It's into you. You're, you're, you're, it's, it's perfect. Go, just take it. If you
08:52have, like, a long road trip, just binge watch it all. It is, have you got to the Red Wedding yet?
08:58I don't want to spoil it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes. I was not expecting that. I was, like,
09:03I had, I was, like, oh my gosh, crazy. I know. Game of Thrones is, that is probably every athlete,
09:12that's in, like, their top five in terms of shows. Yeah, it's, it's good. I feel like every episode
09:17is, like, a movie, and it's, like, crazy. So high quality. I don't want to spoil it for you,
09:23but you've got so much more. I guess, lastly, Anna, what's next, not only for Pickleball,
09:29but what's next for ALW, the brand, as well? I just feel like trying to grow the sport and,
09:34and keep doing things that maybe people in my sport haven't done, like going to the ESPYs. That
09:39was something huge. So kind of doing that. I think one main thing is growing my social media. I've done
09:43a pretty good job so far. I definitely could do better. And then further down the line, I would
09:48say probably, like, play in the Olympics. That would be pretty cool. Keep getting the kids involved,
09:53growing internet, growing the sport internationally, flying internationally to play international
09:57tournaments. So there's a lot. I feel like there's a lot that I can, I can do, and I haven't tapped
10:02yet. So I'm very excited for the future. I have a two-year-old. I take him to Giants training camp
10:07practices with me. I take him to Red Bulls games, Knicks games. Oh, I love that. He's now going to be
10:12an Anna Lee Waters fan. Awesome. Thank you. That youth is going to be playing some pickleball
10:20when he grows up. Thanks for hanging out with us today. Keep crushing life. Thank you. Good luck on your
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