14-year-old Kelly Goodnow becomes youngest PPA gold medalist in Boise

Kelly Goodnow’s Boise breakthrough was bigger than a single title. At 14 years and three months, she became the youngest gold medalist in PPA Tour history, turning a women’s doubles run with Carlota Trevino into a clear sign that elite pickleball’s age curve is dropping fast.

The Boise PPA Challenger was staged June 12-14 at The Flying Pickle, 1135 N Hickory Ave Suite 110 in Meridian, Idaho, and Goodnow earned the milestone the hard way. She and Trevino first survived a three-game semifinal against top seeds Jalina Ingram and Lindsey Newman, then closed the title match in straight games, beating Chloe Igleski and Marianna Petrei 11-5, 11-7 to win the women’s doubles crown.

That path mattered as much as the record itself. Goodnow did not sneak through on a single upset or one hot stretch at the end of a draw. She handled the bracket’s No. 1 seed in a long semifinal, then backed it up with a clean final, a sequence that showed poise, chemistry and the kind of match management usually associated with far more experienced players.

The title also fits the larger arc of Goodnow’s rise. She turned pro in 2025, was signed by the PPA in 2026 at age 13, entered Boise as a two-time PPA Junior World Champion, and already had 26 PPA medals on her profile before this win. A silver medal at the Black Desert PPA Challenger in May, alongside 13-year-old Elsie Hendershot, had already hinted that a breakthrough was coming. Boise made it official.

For junior development, the result is a loud signal. Challenger stops are built to bridge the amateur and pro levels, with 3.0 through 5.0 divisions alongside the pro draw, and the pro winners collect ranking points based on tier. That structure is helping young players get from junior promise to real tour relevance faster than before, especially in doubles, where timing and trust can accelerate a teenager’s climb.

Goodnow’s mark also pushed past a familiar benchmark. The PPA says Anna Leigh Waters became the youngest professional pickleball player and champion in history at 12, and that she set the youngest women’s title standard at the 2021 Takeya Showcase by winning at 14 years and six months. Goodnow beat that mark by a few months, a reminder that Waters remains the sport’s dominant standard, but no longer the only teenager reshaping its history.