YoYo Monroe
Team ONIX player YoYo Monroe, a resident of Long Island, New York, was originally a professional handball player for 38 years for Team USA. She later transitioned into pickleball after looking for a new sports challenge. YoYo played handball in Nebraska where her husband was stationed. She decided to stop at a Dick’s Sporting Goods where she then saw pickleball paddles and balls and bought gear on the spot. YoYo took the gear to her husband and asked him to play pickleball with her over a tennis court net. She had no idea they were playing the sport wrong until a person walked by and informed them.
YoYo explains that she and her husband were invited to the Senior Center in their area to watch how pickleball is played. They both laughed at the idea, but decided to go since the invite came from someone who was very good at the sport. Her and her husband lost the game, but they went back to the tennis court and dinked for six hours the following two days. They learned the game of pickleball and ended up beating the individuals who they first lost to. Following that, they were referred to the Omaha Pickleball Group, which is where YoYo’s love for pickleball truly started.
YoYo tried pickleball for recreational purposes only, not to just succeed; she wanted to have fun. It turned into an addiction for her, and she could not stop herself from playing. Along the way, pickleball became her full-time job. She has been playing for about 6.5 years but took two years off consecutively due to some of her husband’s surgeries in 2021. She returned the last six months of 2021.
YoYo uses the ONIX Evoke Premier Pro Raw Carbon 16mm paddle, and she loves it.
“I love this paddle because it enhances my style of play. It packs power and spin; the polypropylene core is amazing, and the handle suits my swing motion. It is a very well-constructed pickleball paddle,” she explains.
YoYo goes onto say that she enjoys playing pickleball because it’s fun and the pickleball community is awesome. The diversity throughout the sport makes it welcoming for all people. Since her husband is deployed, it keeps her busy. She can play it all over the world. She also became a USAPA Pickleball ambassador to help grow the sport wherever she might go. Her favorite athlete is her son and she really looks up to her husband. She plays pickleball with her son often and his game is something she has never seen – he’s very talented! He is always willing to better his mom’s game, which is something YoYo appreciates.
YoYo has goals to teach people the game of pickleball. She wants to go even further in the sport but goes on to say it is sometimes hard to maintain reliable partners. She would love to play Senior Pro but not everyone is always willing to put in the work or travel. So for now she is okay with doing clinics to spread pickleball and travel and meet new people. YoYo is a proud member of Team ONIX and we are happy to have her on our team!
YoYo’s Pickleball Accolades:
US Open - Bronze medal Mixed in Naples, FL
Nationals - Gold medal in Singles at Indian Wells
Sr. Nationals- Bronze medal Singles in New Mexico
100 medals from Jan. 2018 -Jan. 2019
Taught multiple pickleball clinics in 7 countries.
