Kamryn Blackwood credits pickleball for pulling her out of a dark space during the pandemic. Now, the athlete, sportscaster and analyst is using her platform to give back to the sport by raising awareness about mental health.
FULL INTERVIEW
Blackwood’s career in pickleball is a culmination of multiple twists, turns and opportunities, leading up to her current role as a courtside broadcaster with Major League Pickleball (MLP), Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) and the Tennis Channel. Originally focused on a career as a gymnast, Blackwood’s sports shifted to soccer, basketball and tennis, with tennis eventually providing a scholarship to Nova Southeastern University, where she obtained a degree in Criminal Justice. A path towards a career in law came to a halt following a successful “one-and-done” pageant appearance in 2014, where Blackwood was awarded the title of Miss New Mexico USA, opening up potential new career avenues in modelling and acting.
After a shift in career ambitions and a relocation to Los Angeles that overlapped with the pandemic, Blackwood was introduced to the sport of pickleball by her tennis coach in New Mexico and after some initial hesitation, she competed in her first professional tournament in 2021.
Early success in singles and mixed doubles helped kickstart her eventual love and commitment to the sport, but heavy costs related to travel and competition left the door open for other opportunities. With pickleball’s popularity beginning to pick up speed, Blackwood’s constant presence on the pickleball circuit led to an offer to join MLP’s broadcasting crew in 2022.
Fast forward a year and Blackwood is now at the forefront of pickleball’s media frenzy. This year, she’ll also be seen back on-court in addition to her broadcasting commitments, returning to her competitive roots with goals to test her own abilities and compete at pickleball’s highest levels
“I’m really looking forward to getting back on court because I want to get back on court,” said Blackwood. “I just feel like I haven’t fulfilled that competitiveness inside me to say, ‘Okay, you gave it a good run and I’m done.’ It was almost like it got taken away from me a little bit…”
As a prominent media figure in the seemingly nonstop coverage of pickleball, Blackwood has built a strong online following of fans and athletes alike. She is now seizing that opportunity and her platform to raise awareness on mental health, with hopes of encouraging fellow athletes to take a more proactive approach when incorporating their own mental health as part of their daily routines and preparations related to on-court competition.
“You see the athletes, they do warm-ups, they have a whole routine that they do. They have post-workouts, you have your stretching, you do all your recovery, but when it comes to your mental health you totally ignore it,” explained Blackwood. “I think that’s something we need to focus on and we need to be very proactive about…It’s okay to not be okay all the time and I want athletes to understand that there’s a space for them in that and that they can be accepted and not be looked down upon or looked at as weak or unprofessional because they can’t ‘hold it together…’”
Blackwood’s first-hand experiences related to mental health challenges and the damaging effects that can arise as a result have played a pivotal role in the decision to speak out. She hopes to raise awareness on the topic, not just with athletes, but with anybody who may find themselves struggling.
“I say that I’m fortunately unfortunate to be able to relate with a lot of people,” said Blackwood. “It wasn’t easy growing up all the way into my mid-20s with a lot of things going on in my life. From dealing with divorces between my parents or addiction in our family or eating disorders, suicide, abuse. There’s a lot of people I can relate with and I feel like now having put in a lot of work within myself, with my therapist, my relationship with God, all of those things I now feel in a place to be able to share that and I’m okay to share that, if that makes sense.”
Whether it’s providing commentary and coverage from the sidelines, competing on-court, or helping to raise awareness surrounding mental health in the pickleball community, Blackwood is focused on growing the game in whatever way she can.
“I just really love this sport,” concluded Blackwood. “It brings incredible people from all walks of life together…whether you’re struggling or whether you’re perfectly fine and you’re killing it and winning every tournament to just playing recreational. I just think that you’re seen in this space and I just want people to know that I’m going to continue to do whatever I need to do to share this amazing sport with the world.”
