Her Stories
About Us
Angela Farmer
Angela Farmer is the co-founder and visionary behind Game ChangeHer, a company she created alongside Lee Whitwell to empower women through pickleball. Angela's passion lies in building inclusive spaces where women, particularly those over 40, can rediscover the joy of sports and community. Her leadership has shaped Game ChangeHer into a movement that challenges the industry to better support senior pro players, women at all levels of the game, and all who love the sport.
Lee Whitwell
Lee is a Senior Pro Pickleball player and a key figure in the Game ChangeHer team. Alongside Angela Farmer, Lee created Game ChangeHer to address the need for more inclusive spaces for women in pickleball, especially for those over 50 and senior pro players. Her expertise and dedication have helped shape the company’s mission to build confidence, skills, and community through the sport she loves.
The Third Space Effect: How Pickleball Became the Place We Belong Again
by Lee Whitwell
Somewhere along the way, we stopped playing.
We traded connection for calendars. Laughter for logistics. Community for convenience. Life became efficient—but emptier. And without realizing it, we lost something fundamental: a place where we simply belong.
The Third Space Effect explores the quiet disappearance of what sociologists call the “third space”—the place outside of home and work where connection, identity, and community are built. And more importantly, it reveals how—and why—we’re finding our way back.
At the center of this movement is an unlikely hero: pickleball.
Through personal stories, sharp cultural insight, and a voice that is equal parts witty and deeply reflective, Lee Whitwell uncovers why this wildly popular sport is doing more than filling courts—it’s filling a human need. From strangers becoming teammates, to women rediscovering confidence, to communities forming in the most unexpected places, pickleball has become a modern-day gathering ground for something we didn’t realize we were missing.
But this isn’t just a book about sport.
It’s about belonging.
It’s about identity.
It’s about what happens when we give ourselves permission to play again.
Blending psychology, lived experience, and a fresh perspective on connection in a disconnected world, The Third Space Effect challenges us to rethink how we live—and reminds us that it’s not too late to find ourselves again.
Because sometimes, the place you go to play…
becomes the place you come alive.
Our Mission
The mission of Game ChangeHer Events is to empower women, especially those over 40, through the sport of pickleball by creating inclusive, dynamic environments where all people can connect, learn, and grow. By hosting events, clinics, and leadership networking opportunities, Game ChangeHer is committed to uplifting women leaders, supporting female senior pro athletes, and fostering a sense of community for all through the fastest-growing sport in the world. Our goal is to change the game by providing opportunities for women to thrive both on and off the court, promoting women-led brands, and amplifying the voices of senior pro female athletes in pickleball.
*While our mission is to empower women, all are welcome at
Game ChangeHER!
