There are two kinds of pickleball players: those who are there to have fun, and those who are there to compete.

The players in the second group aren’t necessarily miserable—they’re just locked in. They take the game seriously, thrive on competition, and step on the court focused on winning.

I’ve always leaned the other way. When I show up to open play, I gravitate toward the group that’s smiling, laughing, and maybe throwing a little friendly trash talk around. I’m not chasing wins as much as I’m chasing a good time.

Of course, there’s another side to it. Some players show up for the grind—for the workout, the intensity, and the challenge of high-level competition. And that’s just as valid. Both approaches are part of what makes pickleball great.

I hadn’t really thought about how this dynamic plays out at the pro level until Anna Bright and Kate Fahey touched on it in a YouTube video. It’s a reminder that even at the highest level, players bring different mindsets to the court—and there’s room for all of them.

Bright and Fahey don’t exactly associate pickleball with fun, at least not in the traditional sense.

“Are you having fun out there, Kate?” asked Bright.

“Never. I’m never having fun. Even when I played tennis, I never had fun,” replied Fahey.

The two were reflecting on a recent moment at MLP Orlando, when their team, the St. Louis Shock, faced off against the New Jersey Fives in the final.

“It’s probably a me issue, but we were talking about the match beforehand and Eric says, ‘Let’s just go out there and have fun.’ And I look around thinking, ‘Who the heck is having fun?’” said Fahey.

That mindset carried straight into competition. During the match, Bright and Hayden Patriquin dropped a tight, hard-fought battle to Anna Leigh Waters and Noe Khlif.

“After we lost, it’s right after the match, I’m seeing red, Kate’s seeing red, and Hayden just says, ‘I’ve never had more fun on the pickleball court in my life,’” mentioned Bright.

That “fun” mindset is hard for players like Bright and Fahey to relate to. Their competitiveness runs so deep that enjoyment takes a backseat. They’re on court to compete, not to have fun. Bright has even admitted she “turns into a bit of a psycho” once the match begins.

“I do think some really good competitors can have fun,” added Fahey. “Like Jaume Martinez Vich, having fun works for him and it helps them stay loose.” 

Bright also sees Patriquin as someone who plays with a lighter, more relaxed edge. It showed in that matchup against the Fives, where he was electric—smiling, chirping, and even breaking out a dance after a net-cord winner.  

“I think the greats in almost any sport aren’t having fun,” noted Bright. “Michael Jordan isn’t having fun out there.”

It raises an interesting question: at the highest level, is it actually possible to have fun while you’re competing? Or does reaching that tier require such an intense, serious approach that enjoyment inevitably takes a backseat?

“I do wish I could have a little bit more fun,” admitted Fahey. “Like even when I practice.”

“I was playing left-handed the other day and threw my paddle,” said Bright. 

Maybe competing at that level requires a near-obsessive edge. But with how dominant the Shock women have been this season, it’s hard to argue there isn’t a method to that madness.

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