After nearly two years working her way up through the pickleball ranks, Rachel Summers earned a spot on the Major League Pickleball team the Bay Area Breakers.
The team won back-to-back Challenger-level championships. Then, she had to leave the team for military training.
As a member of the Army Reserves, military training was something Summers always knew she would have to contend with.
“It was kind of poor timing because I had to leave to do a six-week boot camp,” Summer recalls. “It was my first time in uniform, my first time shooting a gun, and it opened my eyes to what my future is going to look like. But I’m so thankful I got to play the events that I did with the Breakers.”
Now a Selkirk Emerging Pro, Summers first began playing pickleball during the COVID-19 pandemic after returning to her parents' home in Naples, Florida.
"Naples was kind of the Mecca of pickleball at that time, so we picked it up because it was something outside that we could do together," Summers says. “And we just started playing it every morning.”
As her interest in the sport grew, Summers began competing in local tournaments, starting at the 4.0 level. However, she and her partners won quite frequently. Once they earned a few 5.0 medals, they decided to try their hand at the professional level on the Professional Pickleball Association Tour.
Toward the end of 2022, Major League Pickleball was about to begin drafting players, so on a whim, Summers threw her name in for draft contention.
“I was just kind of thinking, ‘Why not? Let’s see what happens,’ but I didn’t really think I’d get drafted,” Summers recalls.
However, in one of the last rounds of the draft, Summers was selected to become a member of the Bay Area Breakers, which was a Challenger-level team.
“I was fortunate enough to get selected and that was what really kicked off my career,” Summers says.
Summers was able to play two events with the Bay Area Breakers before she had to attend Army training.
“The team knew going into that I wasn’t going to play the third event,” she says. “I was in Oklahoma at an Army base camp for six weeks of training, but I was still watching my team on YouTube cheering them on.”
Inspired by her grandfather's service, Summers has always wanted to serve her country.
"Growing up, I kind of always knew that I wanted to serve the country in uniform and give back in that way," she says.
Currently a third-year medical student at Florida International University, Summers is pursuing a career as a forensic pathologist in the Army. She is a member of the Army Reserves and after graduation, she will become an active duty member for four years as a doctor.
Balancing medical school, Army obligations, and a professional career in pickleball has been no small feat, but Summers says she enjoys the full schedule.
"School always comes first — I wish it was pickleball — but I've been working around my school schedule the last two years to fit in as much pickleball as possible," she says.
Pickleball has served as a big motivator for Summers. When she has a tournament coming up, she works extra hard to get her schoolwork done early so she has ample time to prepare. It’s also a way to unwind from the stresses of school.
"The most important thing is that pickleball is a fun outlet outside of school," she says. “When you’re in medical school, it’s important to have something you’re passionate about outside of it to relieve stress. When I’m playing pickleball, it’s 100% fun for me.”
Summers’ favorite event is women’s doubles. As a right-side player, Summers enjoys being a consistent force on the court, mixing in her powerful backhand volley when she can.
Like many pickleball players, Summers has a tennis background, having played Division 3 for the University of Mary Washington where she was a two-time singles All-American.
Although she enjoyed her tennis career, Summers says pickleball has been the most rewarding athletic experience. For her, the best part of the game is meeting new people — she even met her boyfriend through the sport.
“I play with a lot of different partners and it’s fun adapting to different playing styles,” Summers says. “It makes me a better player and pickleball is the best sport in the world when you have the right partner.”
Looking ahead, Summers is optimistic about balancing her military service and pickleball career.
"I think it might be easier than it is now because with school, fitting it all in is very hard," she says. “It’s something I enjoy doing and am passionate about, so I’m going to find a way to make it work.”
