Pickleball may still be finding its feet in New Zealand, but for Whakatāne’s Tracey Whitley, the fast-growing sport has already become a passion — and a pathway to national success.

Now in just her second year of playing, Whitley has claimed a silver medal at a major tournament held in Wellington over Waitangi Weekend, marking a significant milestone in what has been a meteoric rise.

“I found it intriguing and thought it would be fun to try,” Whitley said.

“I never expected to become as addicted to it – or as competitive – as I have.”

The tournament, praised for being exceptionally well run with plenty of courts in action, drew players from across the country.

Competing in the 21–49 women’s singles (Max 3.5 DUPR grade), Whitley dominated pool play, winning all three of her matches with relative ease to secure a place in the semifinals.

That semifinal proved to be one of the most memorable matches of her young career.

“I remember being down 12–8.

“I had to dig deep and focus on placement and consistency. I managed to come back and win 16–14.”

The victory propelled her into the final, where she faced a younger, fitter opponent from Hamilton. Despite a determined effort, Whitley was beaten in straight sets.

“Singles is a completely different game.

“You’re relying on your fitness and shot placement the entire time. She was really good. Of course I would have loved to win, but I was proud to have made it that far.”

It didn’t stop there for Whitley as she also competed in the doubles events.

First up was the women’s doubles and she teamed up with a partner from Auckland, Despite the pair never having played together, they advanced to the quarterfinals – an impressive result against some strong competition.

In the open mixed doubles, Whitley partnered with her brother in what she described as “an experience and loads of fun,” though they faced some high-quality opponents and were unable to progress out of pool play.  

The sport’s combination of strategy, reflexes and social atmosphere has proven irresistible.

“I love playing pickleball — it’s very addictive,” Whitley said.

With momentum on her side, she is already looking ahead to her next challenge:

The Dink Minor League Pickleball tournament in Rotorua in March is next for Whitley, with a large contingent of players from the Whakatāne club set to compete there.

For a player who simply wanted to “give it a go”, Whitley’s silver medal performance suggests her pickleball journey is just beginning.

Whitley tries to play pickleball as often as she can fit it in her schedule, but don’t expect her to stop anytime soon as she has several other goals to achieve.

Meanwhile, a few other players from Whakatāne also attended the Wellington Pickleball Tournament but failed to return home with any medals.