PBU: How Lee Whitwell Accidentally Became the MVP of Major League Pickleball
We had Lee Whitwell on the Pickleball fire podcast, the renowned MVP of Major League Pickleball (MLP) in 2021. Giving us some insight into how she started, Lee explained how she used to consider Pickleball a game for old people before she “accidentally” stepped into it.
Participating in a Pickleball tournament to win a case of beer from her friend was the reason why Lee Lee ever started taking any interest in the game that she is now known for, funny as it may seem.
With a background in tennis both as a player and a coach, it was a challenge for Lee to embrace the differences in Pickleball and tennis because these games are highly similar to each other. Being the second last pick for MLP led to her being criticized alongside Kyle Yates for being the worst picks, which fueled her fire to prove herself in the game.
Sharing her experience during the singles tiebreaker playoff, she explained how the mixed doubles with both genders playing against each other put pressure on the guys for performing well. She also talked about facing a lot of pressure playing Dekel Bar during the match as he has a lot of wingspan and can easily reach both sides of the court.
The audience would cheer and that also increased the pressure for both players. In her own words, she did not step into the match aiming to become the MVP but working hard to support her team got her a well-deserved title. Lee also shared how her and Anna Leigh’s playing styles complemented each other.
Anna plays more on the left-hand side of the court while Lee plays on the right-hand side. Their duo worked well and was much appreciated. People said that they looked as if they had been playing together forever, although it was their first time having stepped together on court.
Appreciating the MLP staff and Steve Kuhn’s work especially, she mentioned how the format of the specific event is very appealing for her. Lee also mentioned how she feels flattered and embarrassed by people sharing the highlights of her match online and giving her titles like the “Dragon Slayer.” She aims to keep playing at that level and maintain her reputation.
Lee shared her tournament plans for the future. She mentioned that the first quarter of 2022 would be pretty packed and that she is looking forward to participating in the MLP next year again.
