From Chant to Champion: Shelby Bates Takes Her Game to the World Stage
10/5/2026 10:37:00 AM | Women's Tennis
CONWAY, S.C. – Former Coastal Carolina women's tennis team captain Shelby Bates never set out to become a professional pickleball player. What started as simply picking up a paddle at the country club where she worked in Florida eventually took her from the tennis court to the world stage.
The transition from tennis to pickleball came naturally in some ways. Bates already had the hand-eye coordination and competitive experience that came from decades on the tennis court.
But pickleball also forced her to rethink some of the skills she had spent years developing.
"Thirty years of tennis in my life, you have to unlearn certain things in certain shots for pickleball," Bates said.
Among the biggest adjustments were learning how to move at the kitchen line without crossing her feet, adapting to the different mechanics of volleys and understanding the importance of the "reset" shot.
Still, her tennis background gave her an advantage.
Bates began competing in pickleball tournaments and quickly found success. Within six months of first picking up the sport, she had turned professional.
At the time, professional pickleball was still in its early stages, with smaller tournaments and draws providing Bates an opportunity to establish herself in the emerging sport.
"I saw success in tournament after tournament, and I was getting better, and I was really enjoying it," Bates said.
She decided to give herself two years to see where the opportunity could take her.
Despite finding success on the pickleball court, her career outside of the sport provided more financial stability. By the end of 2025, she was faced with a decision: continue pursuing the pickleball dream or walk away.
She was on the verge of calling it quits as her deadline edged closer, but then everything changed.
Bates won her first tournament.
She followed it with two more tournament victories before the end of the year, and in 2026, her career continued to take off.
She was winning. She was traveling. And soon, she was representing her country.
Bates was selected as one of the members of the United States Pro Open team at the Pickleball World Cup in Vietnam. She competed in women's doubles and mixed doubles as part of a nine-player U.S. roster competing across women's doubles, men's doubles, mixed doubles and singles.
For Bates, the opportunity carried an additional distinction.
She was named captain.
The role felt familiar.
During her time at Coastal, Bates was also a team captain, embracing the responsibility of being a vocal presence and constant source of encouragement for her teammates.
"I love being super loud, supporting my teammates," Bates said.
That same mentality followed her from the teal and bronze to the red, white and blue.
"Being part of a team is special, but also teaches you a lot more about yourself than most people realize," Bates said. "You have to be supportive to everybody that's on your team and be encouraging to everybody, no matter what their role is on the team."
That leadership helped Bates earn another honor at the World Cup, as she was named the best captain at the Pro Open level.
But the ultimate prize was still ahead.
With more than 70 countries represented at the World Cup, the United States advanced through the group stage and into the knockout rounds, eventually reaching the championship match against Vietnam.
The setting could hardly have been more intimidating.
The final was played in front of a home Vietnamese crowd of approximately 10,000 passionate fans.
For Bates and the United States, it meant embracing the role of the underdog.
"When we won a point, it's like, 'Oh okay, good point,' and then when Vietnam won a point, it was like the whole world erupted," Bates said.
The noise, however, couldn't outweigh the opportunity.
The United States came away as World Cup champions.
For Bates, it was difficult to put the experience into words.
"Pickleball is not in the Olympics, so this basically is the Olympics of pickleball," Bates said. "To represent the United States was a blessing."
"To play Vietnam in the finals as the underdogs, and then come out as champions was a feeling I actually can't recreate," Bates said. "It's hard to put it into words just because it was a special bond for us as players."
Bates is now back on the professional circuit, where she is ranked No. 3 in women's doubles on the APP Tour. She also competes internationally through the Global Pickleball Alliance.
When asked what comes next, Bates kept her answer simple.
"I want to keep competing at a high level and keeping my ranking up, but I also want to continue being able to travel and meeting so many amazing new people all around the world."
"I am going to continue for as long as my body basically can handle it."
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The transition from tennis to pickleball came naturally in some ways. Bates already had the hand-eye coordination and competitive experience that came from decades on the tennis court.
But pickleball also forced her to rethink some of the skills she had spent years developing.
"Thirty years of tennis in my life, you have to unlearn certain things in certain shots for pickleball," Bates said.
Among the biggest adjustments were learning how to move at the kitchen line without crossing her feet, adapting to the different mechanics of volleys and understanding the importance of the "reset" shot.
Still, her tennis background gave her an advantage.
Bates began competing in pickleball tournaments and quickly found success. Within six months of first picking up the sport, she had turned professional.
At the time, professional pickleball was still in its early stages, with smaller tournaments and draws providing Bates an opportunity to establish herself in the emerging sport.
"I saw success in tournament after tournament, and I was getting better, and I was really enjoying it," Bates said.
She decided to give herself two years to see where the opportunity could take her.
Despite finding success on the pickleball court, her career outside of the sport provided more financial stability. By the end of 2025, she was faced with a decision: continue pursuing the pickleball dream or walk away.
She was on the verge of calling it quits as her deadline edged closer, but then everything changed.
Bates won her first tournament.
She followed it with two more tournament victories before the end of the year, and in 2026, her career continued to take off.
She was winning. She was traveling. And soon, she was representing her country.
Bates was selected as one of the members of the United States Pro Open team at the Pickleball World Cup in Vietnam. She competed in women's doubles and mixed doubles as part of a nine-player U.S. roster competing across women's doubles, men's doubles, mixed doubles and singles.
For Bates, the opportunity carried an additional distinction.
She was named captain.
The role felt familiar.
During her time at Coastal, Bates was also a team captain, embracing the responsibility of being a vocal presence and constant source of encouragement for her teammates.
"I love being super loud, supporting my teammates," Bates said.
That same mentality followed her from the teal and bronze to the red, white and blue.
"Being part of a team is special, but also teaches you a lot more about yourself than most people realize," Bates said. "You have to be supportive to everybody that's on your team and be encouraging to everybody, no matter what their role is on the team."
That leadership helped Bates earn another honor at the World Cup, as she was named the best captain at the Pro Open level.
But the ultimate prize was still ahead.
With more than 70 countries represented at the World Cup, the United States advanced through the group stage and into the knockout rounds, eventually reaching the championship match against Vietnam.
The setting could hardly have been more intimidating.
The final was played in front of a home Vietnamese crowd of approximately 10,000 passionate fans.
For Bates and the United States, it meant embracing the role of the underdog.
"When we won a point, it's like, 'Oh okay, good point,' and then when Vietnam won a point, it was like the whole world erupted," Bates said.
The noise, however, couldn't outweigh the opportunity.
The United States came away as World Cup champions.
For Bates, it was difficult to put the experience into words.
"Pickleball is not in the Olympics, so this basically is the Olympics of pickleball," Bates said. "To represent the United States was a blessing."
"To play Vietnam in the finals as the underdogs, and then come out as champions was a feeling I actually can't recreate," Bates said. "It's hard to put it into words just because it was a special bond for us as players."
Bates is now back on the professional circuit, where she is ranked No. 3 in women's doubles on the APP Tour. She also competes internationally through the Global Pickleball Alliance.
When asked what comes next, Bates kept her answer simple.
"I want to keep competing at a high level and keeping my ranking up, but I also want to continue being able to travel and meeting so many amazing new people all around the world."
"I am going to continue for as long as my body basically can handle it."
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Thursday, September 26
Thursday, September 26
