An Interview with Laura Fenton Kovanda, US Open Champion

Laura Fenton Kovanda is a 4-time US Open Pickleball Champion, 15-year US Olympic Racquetball Team member, multi-sport athlete, and winner of national titles in five different sports. 

You competed in the first US Open PIckleball Championships in 2016. How has the game changed since then?

Laura: The explosiveness and popularity of the sport have been incredible for all ages. On the pro side, it provides an avenue for athletes who maybe couldn't make it on the pro tennis circuit, but have high-level tennis skills that transfer easily to the pickleball court. The same goes for senior players who were high-level tennis players. Pickleball provides that avenue for a new challenge, yet the skills are already there. 

It's also probably the only game where all generations can play together, meaning parents with their children and grandparents with their grandchildren. I currently play some fun one-day shootouts with my 7-yr-old grandson. I'm also seeing a wider age range competing. I believe it will be the most played game worldwide in my lifetime.  

Thirdly, it is "the most social" game I have ever played in my lifetime.  Pickleball becomes one huge family in your town, across the nation, and abroad, where people truly care about each other and become friends for life. 

Do you think pickleball will become an Olympic sport?

Laura: I think it could. There will need to be more global interest and the right people advocating for it. One hurdle is that it is not currently a huge spectator sport. More TV time would bolster the salability.  Watching doesn't reflect the precision and action on the ball, nor the reaction time at the net, and many points look the same.  But I would certainly fight for it to be in the Olympics!

You are a 15-year member of the US Olympic Racquetball Team. How do racquetball skills translate to pickleball?

Laura: A racquetball travels anywhere between 150 - 180 mph, so the reaction time and reflexes from the game certainly help. The quick foot speed is also beneficial, but on the not-so-good side, a racquetball groundstroke can be harmful, as it's a high-to-low swing with a lot of wrist action.  That's where the tennis players have the biggest advantage with the topspin stroke which is low-to-high.

What skills did you need to learn in pickleball that you couldn't bring from your racquetball game?

Laura: I expected to play well when I started, but the realization of the complexity of the game was humbling. I had to study the different heights, angles and speeds, completely different strategies,  and add topspin & slice strokes to my toolbox, along with a heck of a lot of "patience!"  In my first year, I went straight to the 5.0s, analyzing the court and paddle positioning, body positioning, and shot selections.  And over time, I finally learned how to read the court and my opponents' body and paddle positions to anticipate shots and where to hit my shots.

What pickleball paddle do you use?

Laura: I had been playing with the Gearbox GX5 Power, 7.8 oz, ever since it came on the market. I like the thinner beam and balance, but I love the feel and longevity of the paddle's composition. The paddle does a lot of the "strong" work for me, yet I still feel the control and am able to use spin.  I played with the exact same paddle for 2 years!  But I now play with the new Gearbox CX14.  Absolutely love it!

You're an accomplished coach. What do you enjoy most about teaching?

Laura: I've been a teacher my entire life - a professor, a coach, and a trainer.  I've been competing ---- since I was 5 years old, so I thoroughly enjoy helping players with their mechanical skills and their competitive mindset.  I got the benefit of learning a lot from our US Olympic racquetball team sports psychologist, Diana Nyad, and pass on many things I learned from that experience. I also like helping players use their natural skills in their games, whichever sport they came from.  Badminton players have great touch to build their dinking games. Ping pong players have amazingly quick hands to develop the kitchen battle component. Tennis players have the strokes, angles, and court awareness facets. Most racquet-sport players can at least start out at the 3.5-4.0 level, but I love helping them learn the specifics to add to their automatic base. 

You mentioned you've been competing since you were 5 years old. Do you still enjoy competitions?

Laura: As I've gotten older and acquired more surgeries and injuries, the prep work and recovery time is much, much tougher.  The timing of tournaments has allowed me to be more ready for some than others, but I love the challenge of competition. I always enjoy playing. Now probably more than ever, I truly appreciate the opportunity to just be on a court playing a game!