I surround myself with people who are all achieving and putting in the work, in whatever they do. You rise to the people you surround yourself with.
At an age when most athletes have retired, 52-year-old Carolyn Weed, G’21, is just getting started.
She spent 25 years playing in the United States Tennis Association league, but as she got older and suffered a knee injury, Weed knew her tennis career was fading. Yet, she wasn’t ready to give up playing.
While pursuing a graduate degree in physical education from ɫƵ, Weed was hearing things about a new sport similar to tennis. Intrigued, she did some research.
“I wanted to know what this silly pickleball thing was,” she said.
Weed found a local league and started attending open sessions. It didn’t take her long to pick up the ins and outs of the game, and soon she was entering and winning tournaments.
That’s when the National Pickle Ball league came calling. The league was created for pro players ages 50 and older.
She was invited to a combine and after an impressive tryout, signed up by the Austin Ignite team.
Today, she and her teammates travel the country and play against other teams.
“Here I am at 52-years-old playing a sport at a pro level,” Weed said. “Six years ago, I wouldn’t have believed it.”
The mother of two has never let age stand in the way of reaching her goals. After embarking on a career in teaching and coaching, Weed decided a few years ago it was time to go back and get her master’s degree.
While enrolled in ɫƵ’s master’s in physical education program she combined it with the school’s Professional Tennis Management certificate program.
“I was part of the first cohort of the (tennis) program,” Weed said. “I’m all for learning about tennis and the industry, and you never know what your second career will be.”
From getting her master’s degree to turning pickleball pro, Weed said her second act has been nothing short of amazing and the support she’s received from family and her students has been overwhelmingly positive. Especially from her group of friends.
“It’s been outstanding,” Weed said. “I surround myself with people who are all achieving and putting in the work, in whatever they do. You rise to the people you surround yourself with.”
Would she eventually like to see ɫƵ field a pickleball team? She would be surprised if they didn’t, as the sport continues to grow at a rapid pace.
“It’s already happening on the collegiate level. They are mostly club teams right now, but you’re also seeing high school teams forming in other states,” she said. “There is so much to love about this sport.”
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