Allyce Jones has enjoyed watching her oldest child, Leah, develop the same passion for pickleball that she shares.

With a court in their backyard, Jones often trains and practices alongside Leah, helping her refine her skills while strengthening their bond through the game.

Leah made an impressive run at the Junior PPA Florida Dairy Farmers Daytona Beach Open, reaching the finals in girls singles under 14 and capturing gold in girls doubles under 14.

Her mother could not be prouder.

“I just love watching her play. Her game is developing, and she’s growing more into her body now, but she still has a long way to go. She still has these long, dangly arms and legs, but that helps her reach, too. Leah’s actually taller than me now,” said Allyce.

“She’s learning to take a lot of balls out of the air, attacking, and her ground strokes are looking really good. It’s just so fun coaching her. My favorite thing is when she’s playing, and I get to look at her and tell her I love her and she gets this big smile. I just love watching my kid.”

Allyce has focused on several key areas to support Leah’s development.

“I’ve been really helping her start working the point more because she was naturally having better hands than some of the other girls, and she was getting away with it, but now the level has only gotten better in juniors,” she explained. “I’ve been working with her to move the ball around more on her dinks and waiting for the right ball versus going earlier with the wrong ball.”

Beyond point play, Allyce has also been helping Leah develop the mental side of her game.

“We’re working on being a little more patient and keeping calm in the moment, versus thinking too far ahead or focusing too much on the past. I coached volleyball for 10 years and kids can have big emotions. What I’ve learned with kids is that if you’re calm and give them good, strategic feedback, then they’ll be calm,” she noted. “You can cheer with them when it’s a great point, but with a calm demeanour and voice, kids will respond well to that.”

As a mother, how special has it been to watch her daughter fall in love with the game the way she has?

“It’s just the best. First of all, she’s here with me in Daytona, and I get to watch her compete, then I get to compete. The PPA having the pro matches next to the juniors is just fabulous,” praised Allyce. “I love that we can drill together, play games together, and I get to watch her pick up on strategy. Sometimes, she’ll watch me play and say, ‘Hey, mom! I saw this.’ She’ll give me feedback during my matches. It’s so great to watch her grow.”

After a strong year on the junior circuit and with help from her mom, Leah is one to watch.

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