In the melee of the IPA Nationals, held at the Sports School on the outskirts of Bengaluru in November 2025, while the focus was on the players, there was a support system clearly visible on the edge of the court and under the banyan tree.
A mother holding a water bottle. Another reminding her child to eat. One carrying homemade snacks in her bag, while another gave a massage to her son’s strained shoulder. There were pep talks as well. These are the mothers, who wears all kinds of hats for young players taking steps toward bigger goals. It is the moms’ brigade at the forefront, taking care of their children’s formative days in pickleball.
In Indian pickleball, mothers are the silent pillars behind a rapidly growing generation of athletes, with fathers taking care of the family endeavor and financial aspects. The mothers are not merely spectators in the stands. They are caretakers, motivators, nutritionists, emotional anchors, travel companions, and often the first believers in a child’s dream.
Mother setting the goals
Payal Shah, the mother of Under-14 boys’ singles national champion Veer Shah, is one such dedicated mother to her son’s cause.
At pickleball events across the country, Payal is a familiar presence accompanying her son, watching intently, carrying essentials, ensuring his diet remains in check, and constantly encouraging him through every match and training session.
Her determination comes from a deeply personal place. A former volleyball player herself, Payal could not pursue her own sporting ambitions because of financial constraints at home. That unfinished dream now fuels her relentless commitment towards Veer’s career.
She travels with homemade chocolate laddus for Veer. She monitors his hydration, food, and routine. More importantly, she ensures he never feels alone.
“I felt that I would never let my son make the sacrifices that I had to make in my life. I just want to make his name proud in India. I also want to make my son’s name proud,” Payal, who lives in Ahmedabad, told Pickleball Now.
“Veer is doing so much in front of me. He is practicing for three hours now. He is doing everything. I teach my son, ‘Veer, practice more and more.’ And I just take care of his eating and drinking. I go with him. And I tell him just one thing – my son should never think that he is alone. I stay with him for 24 hours,” she added.
That devotion has already started showing results. Veer, who struck a remarkable hat-trick of medals at the Pickleball World Cup, was judged the Most Valuable Player in Florida, an achievement that left Payal emotional and proud.
“Which mother wouldn’t be proud that her son won the MVP award at a World Cup?” Payal asked. “And my son got the award at the age of 13,” she added.
While Veer, one of India’s most promising young players, lets his paddle do the talking – he is the reigning national champion in the Under-14 boys’ singles and doubles categories – it is his mother who takes care of the dreams and goals behind the scenes.
For Payal, the goal is already set. “My son should represent India in the Olympic Games,” she said.
Wearing many hats
A player, coach, organizer, and mother balancing multiple identities within pickleball, Monica Menon, who is based in Delhi, is a prominent figure in the sport.
Menon has been instrumental in organizing the Parent and Child Challenger Cup, an initiative aimed at strengthening the bond between parents and children through sport. Her idea of organizing such a novel tournament saw young children pair up with their parents. It also reflected their understanding on the court.
For her, pickleball is not merely about rankings and medals; it is about building relationships.
“I feel that when you are organizing this kind of tournament, what happens at the first level is definitely the bonding between the child and a parent. It has to go beyond homework, beyond telling things about what is right and wrong in everyday life,” she said.
As pickleball rapidly expands across India, Menon believes parents will remain central to sustaining the sport’s growth.
“Right now, I feel that if the growth of pickleball has to sustain for a long time, it has to happen when kids start playing more sports. And at the end of the day, it is the parents who somehow also decide for the kids whether they should take up sport and what kind of sport they should take up,” she explained.
As a coach, Menon works diligently with players across generations. But motherhood, she says, has transformed the way she understands young athletes.
“I train all age groups – starting from 7-year-old kids to 71-year-old and 81-year-old women too. So the range is very big,” she said.
“When I’m coaching anyone, I first of all believe that this person has potential. And second, as a mother, I feel that these kids can actually inculcate a good healthy lifestyle habit through pickleball because it is easy and adaptable. They don’t have to stress themselves too much,” she articulated.
Interestingly, Menon has also noticed how children entering the sport often inspire mothers to pick up paddles themselves.
“There have been kids who have achieved podium finishes in India in different Under-14 and Under-12 categories. And at the same point of time, the mothers also start taking interest. They feel that if my son is playing or if my daughter is playing, let me also try. So it’s vice versa,” she said.
“It’s a reciprocation of both things,” Monica professed.
Even while traveling for tournaments, Menon’s role as a mother never pauses. Speaking from an airport before heading to an event, she described how her four-year-old son is already beginning to absorb the culture of sport around him.
“Right now, I’m at the airport heading for a tournament. My son is four, but he understands that my mom is off for a tournament. He sees the kit bags, so he knows that I’m going for a tournament,” she said. “And he knows that in the evening, I will also go to a court and do something. So it’s a vice versa thing happening.”
For Menon, the penchant for racquet sports is boundless, and she wishes to see that reflected in her son. “It is from the age of four till ten, and then they make a choice about which racquet sport they should do. So it’s a very ideal age – from three and above,” she said.
handling the emotions
For Mumbai’s Prathna Chhabria, the medals tell only half of the story. Her daughter, Anushka Chhabria, is one of the most exciting young talents in India. Anushka won five medals at the Pickleball World Cup. And seeing her grow is what makes Prathna more gratified.
“Of course, the medals and achievements make me extremely proud, but more than that, I’m proud of the young woman Anushka is turning into,” Prathna said.
“Pickleball has taught her discipline, maturity, resilience, and how to handle both wins and losses with grace. As a mother, seeing your child grow from strength to strength like that means much more to me than any trophy ever could,” she observed.
Behind every podium finish, however, lies another reality – pressure – where Prathna has to remain constantly cautious while taking care of young Anushka.
“At 14, it’s not always easy handling expectations, especially when results don’t go your way and people start writing about it publicly. As parents, that emotional side of sport has probably been harder for us to navigate than any physical injury so far,” said Prathna.
Handling the dual roles
Shraddha Damani, a notable pickleball player from Mumbai and a mother of two, managing the dual roles of motherhood.
“Being a mother and being an athlete are not separate identities – they actually coexist and strengthen each other. Motherhood has made me mentally tougher, more patient, and better at handling pressure. At the same time, sport has taught me discipline, resilience, and the importance of setting an example for my children through actions, not just words,” said the Bengaluru Blasters player.
To mothers, she said, “Don’t give up on your passions because of responsibilities. Your dreams matter too. Pursuing sport, work, creativity, or any passion does not make you less committed to your family. If anything, it teaches your children resilience, discipline, and the courage to follow their own dreams someday. Children learn far more from what they see than from what they are told. It may not always be easy, and it’s not meant to be easy, but mothers are capable of far more than they often give themselves credit for.”
On Mother’s Day, Indian pickleball’s most enduring image may not be the athlete standing on the podium. It may well be the mothers and their various sheds as a player, coach, mentor and organizer.
