Pickleball, the fast-growing sport in the US, has become a way of life for many, including Mary Brascia. Her journey into the sport began in 2020 when her parents introduced her to it while she was home from school during the pandemic. What was initially intended as a social activity quickly transformed into a career. “It was supposed to be just a fun way to pass the time, but who would have thought it would become my job!” she laughs. She is now ranked number 9 in the PPA rankings.
Growing up in Southern California has played a significant role in shaping her pickleball path. “SoCal is a wonderful place to play pickleball,” Mary explains. “Obviously because of the weather. It barely rains here, so you get to play outside year-round.” But beyond the weather, the local community also played a key part. “When I started playing, the SoCal pickleball community was so welcoming to my sister and me. There is a really good level in SoCal too. Lots of great players and fun places to play – just like Los Cab in Fountain Valley.” Her father, Vinnie, and his business partner, Mitch Bridge, run the pickleball program at Los Cab, where 51 courts are packed every night with players.
Competing on the PPA Tour has been a thrilling experience for Mary. “I love traveling to different cities and playing pickleball!” she shares. “I also love that I get to travel with my family. We always find fun things to do while we’re in a given city. For example, we just had a tournament in Florida, so we visited Universal and Epcot while we were there!” Integrating sight- seeing or fun activities when traveling can take some pressure off and lighten the load of the trip.
Despite the excitement of traveling and competing, she acknowledges one of the challenges that come with it. “A hard part about traveling a lot is finding time to work on things in my game since I’m on the road so much. So I really value time at home when I can practice and improve.” Her daily routine is packed with training and fitness. “I usually train twice a day—drilling, singles, doubles. I also go to Crossfit Reform three times a week and get a good workout in. I also love doing fitness classes at LifeTime—yoga, cycling, etc. I love to be busy.” Any high level athlete understands the grind of practicing twice a day; it is part of the process.
Even with all the training and travel, tough losses still happen. “Mary explains, “Whenever there’s a tough loss on the court, maybe to get into a final or when you had a match point, you sometimes get off the court and question things. However, I overcome this feeling by remembering it is a process. There is always a lesson to be learned in every match, and I love knowing there’s always something I can improve in my game.” This is a lesson that all athletes can learn from.
One of her quirky rituals involves switching up her hair after a tough match. “Sometimes I change my hairdo after I lose a game. From a ponytail to a bun,” she adds. Quirks and superstitions are part of the game.
When it comes to music, Mary has a go-to playlist that helps her get pumped before a match. “Anything EDM! John Summit, Fisher, Dom Dolla. I love music and dancing on the court.” Her relationships with fellow players are equally upbeat. “I’m friends with a lot of other players, especially SoCal players. It’s fun to go to dinner with friends from your area while you’re on the
road! We also cheer each other on at the tournaments.”
For Mary, pickleball isn’t just about playing—it’s about growth. “I’ve always been more of a gamer than a practice player, so I’m working on bringing that game-time intensity to practice
because I think that will translate well to big moments in big matches,” she admits. She also responds to the idea that pickleball is easier than tennis with a healthy perspective, given the criticism that pickleball often faces when compared to tennis. “Pickleball is easy to learn and hard to master,” she says. “What’s great about pickleball is that anyone can pick it up! However, competing at the pro level is not easy. Pickleball has a lot of different strategies and shots than tennis, so it’s a different game to master.”
Looking toward the future, Mary has clear goals. “In 2025, my goal is to develop some more shots. I also hope to make it back to Championship Sunday with my sister, Maggie. I feel like we
keep getting better and it’s so special to play with her. For pickleball itself, I hope the sport keeps growing at the college level and I have some exciting projects I’m working on that I can’t wait to bring to life soon.”
With a career run with passion, perseverance, and the support of her family, Mary is not just a rising star in pickleball; she’s also helping shape the future of the sport. She is a former tennis player who shows that you don’t need to give up on high-level competition if you are not ready yet. Her mindset towards competing can be translated across all sports.