The Wellness Journey That Led Sarah Bowman to Senior Pro Pickleball
When Sarah Bowman hit the top of her own staircase in 2019 and found herself out of breath, it scared her.
She was in her late 40s, a former Division I varsity athlete, and a mom whose daughters “really had no one else but me.” She was also stuck in a long-term abusive marriage, working up to five jobs at a time, and rewarding herself for surviving each day with a large bowl of cereal at 1 a.m.
That moment on the stairs flipped a switch.
“I knew if I was winded walking up my own stairs in my 40s, that would undeniably lead to disease and early death. My daughters needed me. I had to get that extra weight off for my health and for them.”
With a petite frame, standing only 5’1”, Sarah was overweight and unhealthy. She knew that something needed to change. She knew it was time to improve her health.
Today, at 55, Sarah is a nationally ranked senior pro in both singles and mixed doubles, USA Pickleball ambassador in western Maryland, a coach, a podcaster, and a life coach. She’s also lean, strong, and clear that she’s nowhere near done.
This is how she got here.
The Staircase Moment and a Different Kind of Goal
Sarah’s first changes had nothing to do with aesthetics.
She started with intermittent fasting while she was still in the middle of an abusive marriage. No big gym overhaul. No elaborate program. Just small, disciplined changes around when and how she ate.
A few months later, the marriage ended. That shift opened up space for something else: reclaiming the pieces of herself she had put away.
Before and after: Sarah’s wellness journey started with a staircase wake-up call and led her all the way to senior pro pickleball.
She brought tennis back. She started running again. When COVID hit, her story didn’t mirror the typical “I fell off my routine” narrative.
“The year 2020 was one of the best years of my life. I wasn’t stressed anymore. I was hiking, running, playing tennis, socializing. I no longer needed to stress eat.”
The weight came off. The stress eating stopped. Her body started craving healthier food.
The key thread through all of it: her goals were never about fitting into a certain size.
The aesthetics changed, sure. But they were a byproduct, not the point.
A Rec Brochure, a Lost Identity, and a New Sport
Pickleball didn’t arrive in some cinematic way. It showed up in a local Department of Recreation brochure.
Sarah had spent years as a dedicated hockey mom while her younger daughter played national travel ice hockey. Early mornings, late nights, all-year schedules, flights and road trips all over the country. When her daughter suddenly quit, it wasn’t just a sport that disappeared.
“I lost a big portion of who I was and not just my identity, but my time. I remember thinking, ‘What am I going to do now?’”
Flipping through that brochure, she saw “pickleball lessons—Monday nights for two months” and signed up. It was something that was hers.
From the first intro class in April 2022, she was hooked.
“Just hitting that ball, I realized, ‘I can do this. This is amazing. This is fun. I don’t want to wait a whole week to do this again.’”
A few people in the class felt the same way. When the course ended, they kept playing outside. They’d look over at other courts where the games looked more intense. Eventually, one of those players noticed Sarah’s potential and invited her into that group. That invitation mattered. It accelerated her game and expanded her circle.
It didn’t stop there.
By September 2022, just six months after her first intro class, she entered her first local tournament with what she calls her “Amazon-special” paddle. She has always been competitive—she started playing tennis tournaments at nine and ran a 5K every month in 2022—so tournaments were a natural next step.
From “Amazon-Special” Paddle to Senior Pro
On court at a USLPL event—where Sarah’s hard work, training, and love for the game truly show.
Fast forward to January 2025. Sarah applied for a senior pro event in Daytona, Florida. She didn’t know if she’d even get in.
“I had to apply and I didn’t find out until less than a week before the tournament. I had no record.”
She got the email: she was in.
Her boyfriend, John Braun, drove her all the way to Florida. She entered singles only, played at a beautiful outdoor club, and finally got to see the pros and senior pros she’d only read about.
She lost. But it didn’t feel like failure.
“I actually did okay. We watched the tape and thought, ‘It looks like I might have some potential here.’ So we went home, he helped me train even harder, and my passion grew even more intense.”
That performance turned into more APP senior pro tournaments in different locations, and eventually into a spot in the United States Legends Pickleball League (USLPL), a team-based senior pro league that requires a full-blown combine weekend and draft.
She went to the combine. She did really well. She got drafted.
Now, Sarah plays senior pro in two organizations, is nationally ranked in singles and mixed doubles, and still feels like she’s just getting started.
“I’m grateful for the goals I’ve achieved, but I have higher goals now. I want to reach a higher level in my senior pro career.”
Coaching, Community, and The Pickle Box
Competing isn’t the only way Sarah shows up in pickleball.
She’s a USA Pickleball ambassador in her local community, has a strong social media presence, and coaches players from brand-new beginners all the way up to players prepping for tournaments. She’s especially dialed in with tennis converts.
“I have a special niche with players who come from tennis. I know exactly what mistakes they’re prone to make, so I can explain things in a way that resonates. When I see that light bulb go on for them, that’s one of the proudest parts of my journey.”
She’s also about to start coaching at Dill Dinkers—Hagerstown, Maryland, a brand-new indoor facility opening in her town, helping grow the local scene with structured programs and coaching.
On top of that, Sarah co-hosts The Pickle Box podcast with John. It lives on YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn and leans heavily into the life-changing side of the sport.
They’ve interviewed people who found pickleball while recovering from addiction, navigating widowhood, leaving abusive relationships, or just feeling quietly isolated in ordinary adulthood.
“One of our themes is how pickleball saves lives. Not just physically, but mentally and socially. You walk by a pickleball court and you hear laughter. That matters. Adults need that.”
Strong at 55—And Still Hungry for More
A lot of people in their mid-50s quietly switch into coast mode. Sarah is very aware she is not one of them.
“I know a lot of people my age who feel like they’re done with big goals. They make plans for vacations or lunches, but there isn’t that personal passion that really fires them up. I’m the opposite. I’m fired up. I’m hungry for the next step.”
At 55, Sarah isn’t coasting. She’s competing in senior pro events around the country, coaching at a new indoor club in her community, building her life-coaching practice, and chasing higher benchmarks for her senior pro career.
Strength, in her world, is physical, emotional, and deeply practical.
What She Wants Women to Hear
Sarah is very clear that you don’t need a blank calendar or perfect circumstances to start changing your life.
“Even if you’re busy with work, kids, and everything else, you’re still eating and you’re still walking somewhere. You can tweak those things. You can change what you eat, when you eat, or throw on a weighted vest when you walk the dog. A couple of weeks later, you can feel completely different.”
She also pushes back on the idea that prioritizing your health is selfish.
“Those changes are not selfish. They’re gifts to your loved ones because you’re healthier and better able to help them.”
Sarah training off the court with a weighted vest—the strength work that fuels her senior pro game.
And when it comes to picking a path, she’s not interested in one-size-fits-all advice.
If you like gyms, great. Go to the gym. If you hate them, find an outdoor or at-home routine. If you love salads with salmon, eat them. If you don’t, there are other healthy choices. The best workout is the one you’ll actually do.
What she hopes her story does most is give women permission to stop coasting and start choosing themselves, whether that’s on a pickleball court or somewhere else.
“Everybody needs connection. Everybody benefits from that endorphin rush and the laughter on the court. Pickleball was the catalyst for that in my life. I want other women to know it’s not too late to find something that lights them up.”
Where to Find Sarah
Podcast: The Pickle Box on YouTube
Life & Accountability Coaching: The Feisty Tulip on Facebook
On Court: Senior pro events with APP and the United States Legends Pickleball League, plus coaching at Dill Dinkers - Hagerstown, MD.