Who Are Anna Leigh Waters's Parents? Meet Leigh and Stephen Waters
"What she’s accomplishing for women and the sport, it’s amazing.”
Published Nov. 7 2025, 4:17 p.m. ET

Creating a legacy in professional sports is no easy task. Tournaments must be won, and Anna Leigh Waters is more than aware of how becoming a champion requires effort and determination. The professional pickleball star is taking over the news cycle due to her talent and young age.
Who are Anna's parents? Here's what we know about the people who raised the pickleball prodigy. It turns out that the sport was in her blood all along, making her the perfect candidate to leave a mark on the history of professional pickleball.
Who are Anna Leigh Waters's parents?
It takes a lot of effort to raise a superstar. Fortunately, pickleball professional Leigh Waters was up for the challenge. Anna's mother had been involved with the sport before she was born. The athlete was determined to introduce her daughter to the sport that brought her so much joy.
Anna's father is Stephen Waters (via Pickleball.com). The man is also very supportive of what Anna has accomplished both on and off the court.
Stephen values Anna's time away from the sport: "Typically, if we have a day before the event, we’ll try to find something to keep her busy during her downtime. We try to have an activity, whether it’s playing nine holes of golf, going to a museum, or doing a little hiking. We just like to keep her mind good.”
The pickleball star likes to share what she does when her family is around on her social media accounts. Anna constantly uploads images of the locations she visits with her parents.
The best pickleball player on the tour is just getting started. Anna's accomplishments are remarkable because she conquered the sport at a very young age.
Anna's age gives her the potential to become one of the best pickleball players in history. Time will tell if the teenager will grow up to become an icon. Judging by her record, she is well on her way.
Anna Leigh Waters's accomplishments exceeded expectations.
The vision Leigh had for her daughter has become a reality. Anna has won 55 gold medals in the singles category, 53 medals for doubles, and 57 gold medals for the mixed doubles category. There's no stopping the teenager from taking her career to new heights.
At the same time, Anna has the ability to top the rankings in multiple categories at the same time. The entire circuit has witnessed the rise of a pickleball powerhouse.
The aforementioned Pickleball.com report also points out what Stephen thinks of Anna's career: "“If you look at the pay amongst the men and women, she’s making a lot more than the males in the sport. She’s kind of setting the tone for equal pay among men and women. I’m super proud of that and how she carries herself on and off the court."
Anna's journey continues with the firm support of those who love her the most.
