Angie and Ella Cosma are thriving in the sport together while sharing their story on Instagram.
By Stephen Hunt
Red Line Editorial
FARMERS BRANCH, Texas — Angie and Ella Cosma only began playing pickleball in June 2022. A little over a year later, the mother/daughter tandem from Washington state have fully embraced the sport, and this week they’re savoring their first taste of the 2023 Biofreeze USA Pickleball National Championships powered by Invited and the PPA Tour.
“It’s cool to see how big this event is because pickleball started small where we’re from,” said Ella Cosma, 14. “To see so many people come together is cool.”
The event at Brookhaven Country Club in Farmers Branch, Texas, a Dallas suburb, marks the Cosma’s second trip this year to Texas for pickleball. In June, they traveled to a tournament in the Lone Star State with modest expectations.
“It was more like, ‘Let’s play this cool tournament, have fun, and see,’” Angie Cosma said. “It’s neat looking back on our journey, and to be at the biggest pickleball event in the world. We look forward to the next few days here, being able to play and experience everything.”
Sure, the Cosmas playing at nationals just over a year after first picking up paddles is an impressive achievement alone, but considering the circumstances that led them to start playing pickleball makes their being in Farmers Branch extra inspiring.
By the time she was 12, Ella Cosma had battled multiple medical conditions affecting her digestive system and endured several stays in a hospital. Following several successful surgeries, her condition was cured after being fitted with an ileostomy bag.
Meanwhile, Angie Cosma, a former college tennis player, battled an autoimmune disorder that often left her feeling fatigued and lethargic.
Playing pickleball together has become a big part of a healthy lifestyle, a shared experience that has brought them even closer. They’ve been sharing that journey on their Instagram page, @Ella.Angie.Pickle.
“I play different hats with Ella. I can be her best friend, mom, supporter and coach,” Angie Cosma said. “It’s been a nice added part of our relationship that was very unexpected. This is not anything I ever expected, being able to play together, let alone compete at this level. It’s also an analogy for life. The court is much like life where you get through the lows together, the tough times, the good times, you experience it all and the whole thing is a gift.
“It’s an amazing experience. I feel like this is just the first present you get to open on Christmas, and there’s so much more.”
The Cosmas might not consider themselves inspirational, but one day as they were about to leave a court in Washington, they were approached by a gentleman whose daughter was having an ileostomy the following day. The Cosmas proved to be big sources of support for the young mother, who it turned out was going through colon cancer. Ella Cosma spoke with her before and after her surgery.
“She was worried about what the procedure would look like, so I talked to her, told her how it was for me and said that we’ll be there if she needs any help or support,” Ella Cosma said. “During her recovery, we were checking on her. She’s doing well. She’s been sending a lot of pictures with her family and seems very happy.”
And for Angie, knowing the positive impact she and Ella had on this father and daughter, which came largely due to pickleball and their Instagram page, makes their journey extra worthwhile.
“I would love to inspire others and hope that we can and do,” Angie Cosma said. “He (the father) said it was really touching being able to talk to us. It’s little things like that which bring us happiness in it. That makes it not just a sport.”
The Cosmas might not consider themselves inspiring to other picklers, but Dalton Hess, a friend of theirs and fellow Evergreen State native from Mukilteo who is also competing at nationals, begs to differ.
“They sort of came out of nowhere. I saw them start showing up at the local courts,” Hess said. “They started out as average beginner players with a little bit of tennis background, but you could tell they were going to go places if they put in the effort. To get where they’ve come in less than a year’s time through their dedication and practice has been incredible.”
Like many picklers, the Cosmas love the social aspect of pickleball and being able to make friends with players of all ages and skill levels.
However, the sport has also delivered a nice bonus for the younger Cosma.
“We’ve always been close. Pickleball brought us closer together,” Ella Cosma said. “When we’re going through a tough time or down in a match, we talk and bond through that. We’ve always talked about everything together. This gave us a passion that we can share together. To be able to compete with my mom is really amazing.”
Stephen Hunt is an accomplished freelance writer and sports statistician who has been blessed to cover a multitude of subjects and sports in his time. He is a freelance contributor to USA Pickleball on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.