Florida Gulf Coast University sophomore Miranda Cabieses harbored a longstanding aspiration of becoming a professional tennis player, a dream she’d had ever since the first time she grasped a racquet.
She envisioned a future filled with titles, familial pride, and a lasting legacy for her native Peru.
Dislocated Hip
However, tragedy struck at the age of nine when she suffered a dislocated hip from a schoolyard fall. Medical counsel at the time was discouraging:
“When I had my accident,” Cabieses says, “All the doctors said, ‘Forget about sports.’ My body couldn’t handle training at that high of a level, seven hours a day, anymore.”
Bouncing back from this setback, Cabieses, while pursuing a major in management, redirected her athleticism and determination towards into pickleball.
Since then, she has not only attained professional standing in this widely popular sport but has also assumed the role of a global advocate for the game.
She also established a foundation to facilitate greater access for children in Peru to partake in pickleball.
“Do It Anyway”
According to fgcu360.com, she does not know the meaning of the word “quit.” Something she asserts when she says, “A lot of doors had closed to me, so everything I do, I give it my best. If you really want to do something, do it anyway — a lot of people are going to say no.”
Tennis, once her focal point, gradually yielded to new aspirations: excelling academically (she speaks three languages besides her native Spanish), garnering accolades for her literary and artistic endeavors, and setting her sights on architectural studies in Germany.
The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic coincided with Cabieses’ exploration of universities in Germany. However, opting for closer proximity to her brother Hercilio in the U.S., she enrolled at Florida Gulf Coast University.
Here, Hercilio introduced her to pickleball, a sport that offered a low-impact alternative to the physical demands of tennis.
Silver In Naples, FL
Cabieses’ foray into pickleball competition has been marked by success. Most recently, she and her brother secured a silver medal in the Pro Mixed Doubles Bonus Draw at the 2023 Minto U.S. Open Pickleball Championship in Naples, Florida.
As a result of her proficiency and commitment, Cabieses has been designated a World Pickleball Sports Ambassador by the International Federation of Pickleball.
She has also contributed to clinics in various Latin American nations, including Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Ecuador.
Transformative
For Cabieses, pickleball has proven transformative. It has afforded her opportunities for travel, competition, and national representation.
In 2021, her interest in pickleball coincided with participation in a modeling class, initially intended to enhance her posture. To her surprise, she was scouted for the Miss Teen Model Peru competition.
While initially hesitant, Cabieses embraced the challenge and, of course, won, including the title of Miss Teen International in 2023.
The “Miss” competitions offer Cabieses a platform for international exposure and the chance to advocate for meaningful causes.
Fundación Cabieses
Her current focus is on the Fundación Cabieses, a foundation she co-founded with her brother to promote pickleball in Peru. To date, the foundation has distributed an estimated 5,000 pickleball paddles, along with balls and nets, to children across the country.
Additionally, the Cabieses siblings conduct exhibitions to instruct children in the game and assist local communities in establishing pickleball clubs.
The foundation’s mandate is to introduce pickleball to children in underserved or economically disadvantaged areas, an endeavor made feasible by the sport’s relative accessibility.
The Contrast With Tennis
Cabieses notes the contrast with tennis, which often requires substantial resources. She emphasizes, “I don’t want that in pickleball. When we brought pickleball to Peru, we didn’t go to the country clubs – we went to rural places and public schools.”
Colleagues collaborating with Cabieses, including Yvonne Goodson, an FGCU student success counselor, commend her as highly motivated, unassuming, and culturally attuned.
Together, they arranged for Cabieses to participate in virtual classes from Peru during the spring 2023 semester, allowing her to oversee foundation operations on the ground. Goodson unsurprisingly says, “Her leadership is unique.”
Cabieses’ aspirations have evolved since her youth, a shift she embraces with gratitude for the opportunities that pickleball has presented.
The foundation is presently focused on fundraising endeavors and seeks to sponsor young pickleball athletes from Peru, enabling them to pursue their own ambitions in professional tournaments.
