In June 2022, Mark Walters suffered a stroke on the pickleball court, an ordeal that doctors said left him in the 99.9th percentile of survival with remarkable mental and physical acuity. Though he continues to live with lingering effects such as numbness and diminished taste, Mark has not only returned to the court but continues to improve his game. A lifelong athlete: U17 city table tennis champion at 14, high school tennis player, and Hall of Fame softball coach, Mark’s life has always centered around sports and teaching. After 36 years as a high school English teacher, coach of 4 varsity sports, and athletic director, he now serves as a pickleball instructor at The Flying Pickle in Boise. For Mark, pickleball is more than recreation: it literally saved his life. 

In addition to sports, this father of 3 and grandfather of 7 played in 2 separate NCAA marching bands (University of Michigan and Michigan State University) and got to perform in the Rose Bowl and World Series.

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