First Pickleball Player Bobblehead Featuring Top-Ranked 17-Year-Old Anna Leigh Waters Unveiled

MILWAUKEE – This morning, in celebration of Anna Leigh Waters 17th birthday which was last week, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled a limited-edition bobblehead of the top-ranked professional pickleball player. The special edition bobblehead, which is the first featuring a pickleball player, is being produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum in conjunction with Anna Leigh.

Standing on a pickleball base and decked out in her pickleball outfit from the Fila Heritage Collection, the smiling Anna Leigh Waters bobblehead is holding her signature Paddletek paddle. The front of the bobblehead base bears her name. Each bobblehead is individually numbered to 2,024 and they are only available through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in May, are $30 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.

Ranked No. 1 in the world in women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles by the Professional Pickleball Association, 17-year-old Anna Leigh Waters became the youngest professional pickleball player in history at age 12. Raised in Delray Beach, Florida, Anna Leigh began playing pickleball with her mother, Leigh Waters, when the family visited her grandparents in Allentown, Pennsylvania, after evacuating from their home during Hurricane Irma. Anna Leigh’s mother, Leigh, who played tennis at the University of South Carolina, is her coach. They were also doubles partners, and in 2022, the duo played in the first nationally televised pickleball match in history on CBS Sports where they defeated Lucy Kovalova and Callie Jo Smith in the Sketchers Invitational Summer Championship at the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.

Sponsored by Fila, Paddletek, Lock Laces, and Carvana among others, Anna Leigh has her own signature paddle with Paddletek. She was named to “Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2022.” Anna Leigh is the holder of over 20 triple crowns. With an ever-growing fan following, Anna Leigh has over 50,000 followers on Instagram (@a.l.waters_a1).

When asked about the bobblehead, Anna Leigh said, “It is so cool and such an honor to be the first pickleball player to have a bobblehead! Growing up I would see so many pro athletes with bobbleheads and I would’ve never thought that one would be created for me!”

“We are excited to release this bobblehead of pickleball phenom Anna Leigh Waters,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “Playing the fastest-growing sport in the United States, Anna Leigh has played a significant role in the popularity of pickleball. We congratulate Anna Leigh and wish her continued success on the court.”

About the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum:
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, which is located at 170 S. 1st St. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, opened to the public on February 1st, 2019. The HOF and Museum also produces high quality, customized bobbleheads for retail sale as well as organizations, individuals, and teams across the country. Visit us online and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.