One of Moore County’s foremost picklers recently hit the big leagues. Katie Carpenter, co-owner of The Racquet Club of Seven Lakes and The Pickle Place was drafted in mid-August to play in the newly formed United States Legends Pickleball League.
The senior pro pickleball league for players ages 50 and up provides competition for elite players. The league was co-founded by Ron Cortese and Mike Cao, both senior pro players who hold multiple national and international pickleball titles and have extensive experience running tournaments and leagues.
Based on the East Coast, the league comprises 12 teams, each with seven men and seven women. A combine event was held in early August in Richmond, Va. According to Carpenter around 140 players participated in the round robin format over two days, playing in groups of eight with the winners advancing to the top group. The winners of each group faced off in the final rounds.
League owners and coaches scouted players for their team drafts. Carpenter performed well, finishing second overall in the combine. “Out of 80-something women, I feel good about that. I was pretty happy with my play,” said Carpenter.
Each owner announced their draft picks on YouTube. The Florida Royals team, based in Naples, had the eighth pick of 12 teams and Carpenter was the Royal’s first. Other teams in the league are the Boston Dragons, Buffalo Blizzards, Delrays, DMV Picklers, Florida Storm, Jersey Shore Shots, Northern Virgina Supernovas, NYC Ballers, Richmond Rocketeers, Roanoke Shine and Villages Heat.
The news reached Carpenter through a voicemail left by one of the Florida Royal’s owners that she listened to after coming off the court from teaching. “I was pretty proud,” she said.” It was pretty special. I was really happy.”
Carpenter grew up on clay. She learned to play tennis on the Seven Lakes courts she now owns and operates and has worked as a tennis teaching pro for over 30 years. She has embraced pickleball for the sport’s accessibility and social atmosphere.
Carpenter, an ambassador for the viral sport, opened The Pickle Place, Moore County’s first indoor pickleball facility in May 2024, with her partner Canyn Russell. It has seen steady growth and fostered a tight-knit pickleball community.
Though she has participated in pickleball tournaments, this is her first time to be in a pickleball league.
She heard about the league while at a tournament over the summer. Carpenter went into the combine without a ton of expectations. “I went into it just hoping to play well,” she said. “It was pretty cool to be able to just meet the people who love pickleball as much as I love it.”
The league is an exciting opportunity and will provide Carpenter positive competitive experience. “Most of the players are former athletes and have just found something to do in pickleball. Boy, they’re really good,” said Carpenter “I think it’s going to be a good league. It’s got a lot of talent, a lot of really good players in it.”
Carpenter looks forward to improving her skills and testing herself in a competitive environment. “I just want to play,” she said.
Being a part of the United States Pickleball League will also be an opportunity for Carpenter to meet people and expand her network. The play and the people are the things she loves the most about the sport which she professes anyone can learn to play in half an hour.
“The thing that we love the most about having this place is seeing the friendships that people have made here,” Carpenter said. “Good friendships have been created from the Pickle Place and through pickleball in general.”
The inaugural season of the United States Legends Pickleball League began Sept. 20-21 with showdowns in Noblesville, Ind.. The championship will be held in Robbinsville, N.J., in January.
Contact Maggie Beamguard at maggie@thepilot.com.
