Your neighbor, Holly Bashore, contracted the pickleball bug six years ago and now plays professionally. We caught up with her to find out more.

 

Q: First, tell us a little bit about yourself.

 

A: I moved to Hammock Bay in 2015 from Panama City.  At the time, I was working in Niceville, so it was a closer drive.  My family moved to Panama City in the late '80s when my dad got assigned to the Navy base there.  I grew up in Panama City, went to college on a softball scholarship to Gulf Coast State College and finished at FSU. I have a house full of pets, four cats and two wonderful dogs, that travel with me as often as possible.  

 

Q: What were your proudest moments, achievements or highlights playing sports — amateur and/or professional?         

 

A: The biggest highlight for me is the amazing people I have met and the friendships I have developed playing pickleball.  I have awesome partners and the craziest group of friends that I get to travel and play with. There are many exciting moments, but the two biggest ones for me were getting a personal invite to play some pickup games with a female pro and two other players while staying in Hilton Head, SC.  The other was getting sponsored by Head/Penn in 2021. I love representing a great brand with great products.  

 

What I like most about pickleball is the fact that it appeals to such a wide range of people, from kids to seniors. You can be a social, recreational player, a competitive tournament player and/or a professional pickleball player.  Pickleball has given me the opportunity to travel across the country playing a sport that I absolutely love.  I've played in over 50 tournaments, taking me to amazing places like Las Vegas, Boca Raton, New York City, Hilton Head, and Baton Rouge.

 

I've won over 50 medals. Some of my favorite medals have come from:
—Winning gold in singles and doubles at the APP in Atlanta in 2021
—Winning gold in double and mixed at the USA Pickleball Atlanta South Diamond Regional in 2022
—Winning Silver in doubles for age and skill at the APP Masters in Boca Raton in 2022
—Winning Bronze in mixed at the PPA in Las Vegas in 2022
—Winning a Triple Crown, which is gold in doubles, mixed and singles, at the Gulf Shores Battle at the Beach in 2019
—Finishing ranked No. 1 in Women's Singles 4.0 19+ for the 2021 APP Tour

 

Q: Is there a coach or athlete you look up to as a role model, and why?

 

A: My role model has always been my dad.  He coached me in softball from the age of 5 until I went off to college. He was also my biggest supporter and gave me all the essentials needed to be an athlete. He instilled in me the competitive drive and hard work ethic to be successful in not only sports but in life.  Sadly, he lost his battle with cancer before he was able to watch me play pickleball at a competitive level.  

 

Q: What are you up to now? 

 

A: Work and pickleball occupy the majority of my time.  The great thing is that my job allows me the flexibility to travel to tournaments.  I do try to pick tournaments in locations that can also be a vacation.  The tournament in Las Vegas also included seeing Katy Perry in concert, Michael Jackson's ONE by Cirque du Soleil, and Terry Fator, and we ate at Hell's Kitchen.  

 

I also love that my dogs travel with me to as many tournaments as possible.  They love the attention they get from all the players.  

First, we need more courts.  The community is out-growing the four courts we have. Second, for anyone interested in learning the sport, the pickleball club does several "intro to pickleball" lessons throughout the year. I'm available for any resident that wants to take lessons in order to improve their game.  I specialize in tournament preparation and strategy.