Jamie Wei is one of the pickleball's rising newcomers.

After competing in PPA Challenger events and PPA Asia tournaments, Wei turned pro earlier this year and now represents MLP's Chicago Slice.

“It’s been fun. I quit my job two years ago and started really playing on the tour last year for PPA Asia, and now I’m playing the PPA USA events. It’s been a wild ride,” praised Wei. “Lots of ups and downs, but it’s been really fun. I’m grateful for the people I’ve met, the places I’ve been, and what pickleball has brought into my life.”

Before turning pro, Wei was coaching and playing tennis in Austin, Texas.

And unlike many players on tour, she didn’t fall in love with pickleball at the outset.

“My first time picking up a paddle was in 2020. I played pickleball once, and then I immediately went back to playing college tennis. It wasn’t until 2024 that I started playing pickleball again and started playing tournaments,” explained Wei. “Then I got drafted for MLP Australia and really started playing consistently like middle of last year.”

“I wasn’t established in pickleball yet, so it was a big risk for me and I was really stressed out about it,” she mentioned. “But, I thought I’m too young to just settle and do something I don’t love. Life is too short. I don’t have kids or family commitments, so I can go and do whatever I want.”

In spring 2025, Wei earned a spot in the PPA Asia Trailblazers, an opportunity that convinced her this dream was worth chasing.

“They offered me the opportunity and I couldn’t turn it down,” she insisted. “After getting that, I felt like I could finally quit my job.” 

As pro pickleball continues to grow, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for players to balance competing at the highest level with maintaining a career off the court.

“It’s almost impossible to work full-time and play pickleball full-time. It drains you, mentally and physically. You play for a week, then go back to work, play for another week, and on top of that you have to train after work. I respect the players who can do that because it’s tough,” shared Wei. 

“We have so many tournaments to play. It can be overwhelming. But, I can’t complain because this is what I get to do for a living. It can be so busy when I’m flying across the world and training, but then I also get downtime where I can just sit on my butt on the couch, do nothing, and really just recover mentally and physically. So, it’s busy, but I’m young and it’s a good life.”

“Go for it! Just try. I think a lot of times people will hold back because they’re scared of risk—which is so fair because I was really scared, too. If you feel like you’ll have an ounce of regret in the future, though, then go for it. Take a year off work. It’s fine. You can always go back to work,” she concluded. “Spend some money, waste some money, it’s okay. It’s not the end of the world. You make money to spend it, so spend it and invest in doing what you love.”

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