Carter Turner

Team ONIX player Carter Turner, of Roanoke, Virginia, played pickleball for the first time after suffering a heart attack at age 47.  He heard about the game from a few friends and thought it sounded like fun.  He was looking to increase his exercise following the cardiac event, so he decided to give it a shot. He then fell in love with the game after the first time he struck a ball.  Tennis had been a big part of his life until the age of 26.  For Carter, hitting a pickleball for the first time – 20 years after quitting tennis – was quite satisfying for him.  Even though he was expecting the balls to bounce higher and he short-armed a lot of his shots, his old tennis strokes were still there.  Carter knew before he left the pickleball court that first day he played that he would be playing a lot of pickleball in the future. This was about seven years ago, and he’s been playing ever since.

Carter plays his pickleball games with the ONIX Evoke Premier Pro Raw Carbon Paddle and the Malice DB Paddle. These paddles are both under the ONIX Tournament Paddles lineup, often seen used by many of our pro players. He likes playing with these two paddles because of the weight balance of the paddles and how they feel quick in his hand throughout play.

Carter enjoys playing pickleball because it reminds him of games he once played as a kid; it almost makes him feel nostalgic.

“There’s a spontaneity about it that I find exhilarating. You never know how a point will play out in pickleball. And as I’ve aged, I’ve come to appreciate the physical and mental benefits of playing the sport. I have improved my strength, speed, endurance, as well as my mental toughness,” Carter explained.  

Carter’s all-time favorite athletes is hockey player Alex Ovechkin.  Carter believes that he is proof that older athletes can play at a high level with proper training and commitment. 

As far as long-term goals for Carter are concerned, he would like to win a national championship and play for an NPL team in the future. Right now, he is a proud member of the Stonegate Swim Club and Performance Pickleball in Roanoke, Virginia.

Career Accolades:

• Won the Triple Crown at the 2024 APP Vlasic Classic in Cincinnati
• Two gold medals and a silver medal at the APP New York City Open