Sarah Mitten

April 2025 Issue

by Lesley Kyle

Photography by Cassidy Dunn Photography

 

Sarah Mitten plays hard both on and off the pickleball court. By day, Sarah is a realtor and a professional pickleball coach on Hilton Head Island at Island Rec Center. She arrived in the U.S. in 1987 on a full scholarship to nationally ranked Mississippi State to play Division I tennis. A student-athlete, Sarah played field hockey, soccer, and tennis but needed to choose which sport she would pursue. Tennis offered young adult Sarah the most opportunity, and she became a SEC scholar-athlete.

Sarah hails from a family of talented athletes. Her grandfather, Charlie Mitten, played for Manchester United, an English soccer franchise rising through the junior ranks of ManU. The young club was dubbed Busby Babes after their legendary coach, Matt Busby, who led the team to win the FA Cup in 1948. Sarah’s dad, John, also played for premier league soccer clubs and was also a cricketer and boxer. Sarah’s uncle, also named Charlie, was a professional soccer player, and her mum was a ballet dancer. Patrick, Sarah’s brother, as part of the Royal Ballet, danced for Queen Elizabeth II, and later in the San Francisco Ballet. He also appeared in Tina Turner’s iconic music video, Private Dancer.

Sarah became a tennis pro and later became interested in a career in real estate. She was recruited by a group of private investors to sell a 276-unit condo community in Savannah, Georgia, in 2008 – a challenging time to sell real estate. Despite a difficult economy, Sarah and her spouse managed to sell all of the units by 2012. That success led to an opportunity to move to Hilton Head Island, where she was tapped to sell another 64-unit condo community. When those units sold, Sarah transitioned into general real estate sales. “It’s been a rewarding journey ever since,” she said.

In 2016, Sarah and her spouse went to Palmetto Dunes to try out pickleball, and Sarah found herself on the court with Mark Anders, the original coach there. “I immediately fell in love with the sport. It was fun, and there was a lot of buzz around it,” she exclaimed.

“We need to thank Mark and John Kerr at Palmetto Dunes for starting pickleball in the Lowcountry.” Sarah later became a pickleball coach at Palmetto Dunes for six years and entered tournament play where she won two gold medals and a silver medal at the U.S. Open Pickleball Championship.

The intellectual aspect of pickleball is what inspires, and yet still challenges Sarah the most. Referring to pickleball as “the NASCAR of tennis,” Sarah enjoys the challenge of physical activity combined with strategy. “Pickleball requires discipline,” she explained. “The court is set up like a chess board, and the pieces can only move in specific, defined ways.” Shot selection and execution are extremely important, especially as the ball whizzes around at a high rate of speed. “You won’t succeed without discipline to fight the body’s natural fight or flight response. If you have a better strategy than your opponent, you might beat him/her.” The pickleball court is also a tighter, more compact space than a tennis court. As a result, This particular challenge forces players to be careful with their choices.

The parallels between real estate and pickleball are unmistakable. Many of Sarah’s real estate clients are people she met through pickleball. “Being an extrovert on the pickleball court, the two go hand in hand,” said Sarah, adding patience and practice are essential, whether in sports or business—be respectful and have fun.”

Sarah has some advice for pickleballers in every stage of their pickleball journeys. “Pickleball is a game anyone can play,” she said. “It’s an incredibly inclusive sport. If you pick it up quickly, you can rise quickly, too.” Equipment is an important choice. “Wear the right shoes. Running shoes go forward and backward, and balance is more important than speed,” said Sarah. “If you’re balanced playing pickleball, you’re going to have a good day, so it’s important to invest in quality court shoes.” Sarah also advises players to avoid chasing lobs until they have a solid command of their footwork.

Coaching at Island Rec Center, Sarah recently finished working with a close associate to develop a model for a national pickleball academy that can be run from any facility. Sarah recommends taking lessons from a pro and encourages pickleballers to ask questions. “Don’t be afraid to challenge their answers,” she offered. “It will help you learn more.”

 

Up Close:

Hometown: Exeter, England

Fun Fact: Rescued a kitten during Hurricane Matthew who quickly became a family pet—named Crunchie, after the English candy bar. She also has two cute schnauzers—Spikey and Spencer.

Sarah’s Pickleball Tip: “Where you make contact is where the ball will go. Your feet and shoulders have nothing to do with it.”

Motto: “Ships rise during high tide.” Lift people up, don’t tear them down.

Watch & Learn: Tune into YouTube starting April 7 for “Mondays with Mitten” for instant success pickleball tips from Sarah: @sarahmitten2507