Eva Welsher ranks top in pickleball women’s mixed doubles after the sport changed her life

The pickleball court is more than just a playing surface for Eva Welsher. It’s a place of community. A place that has given her a refreshed outlook.

“It was like the light came on again,” Welsher said. “You know the light came on again and said you have a path still Eva.”

The 58-year-old, who spends her winters in Naples, was drawn to the sport during a new stage in her life. A few years ago, her kids left home and she became an empty nester.

“Everyday is about somebody else,” Welsher explained. “And all of a sudden you’re like you know I don’t know if I took care of myself completely during that time. But I didn’t want to. Happy to just be a mother and a wife trust me. But then when they leave, you’re like what’s the best version of myself now? And I found the best version of me is being back in sports, which I gave up. And I’m happy I gave it up. No regrets.”

Welsher was a top junior tennis player and even played at Northwestern. So picking up pickleball was a perfect match.

“I have those competitive juices,” Welsher said. “And I saw that I could be good. I felt I could be good. I had the work ethic. I had the knowledge. I had some background. So I saw something I could become a kid again.”

With that motivation, Welsher had a clear goal.

” wanted to be the best woman in mixed double with multiple partners and win,” Welsher explained. “And I accomplished that this year.”

She finished the year as the top player on the Senior Pro Tour for Women’s Mixed Doubles.

Now, she’s shifting her focus to this weekend’s first ever Naples Mixed Doubles Pickleball Classic at Veterans Park. A tournament she’s co-organizing along with Randy Sussman.

“The sport is just growing and growing everyone is having a good time,” Sussman explained. “It’s built a sense of community It’s nice seeing people with big smiles on their face hitting a little whiffle ball. If you can’t have fun hitting a whiffle ball, you can’t have fun.”

“I really try like put myself out there to make sure people know I notice them,” Welsher said. “I see them. I’m happy they’re there. And that’s what I want them to feel with the tournament as well.”