Karmelina Woody was born in Puerto Rico, where she began playing tennis when she was 5 years old. She was the #1 ranked junior in Puerto Rico from 1998-2000. She represented Puerto Rico on their national junior teams and was part of the Puerto Rico Federal Cup Team in 2001 and 2002. Karmelina played for Tennessee Tech University from 2000-2002 before transferring to play at Georgia State University from 2002-2005.

Karmelina has been teaching tennis since she was 16 years old, beginning by helping with the younger kids at her tennis academy. Then as a senior in college, she was the Georgia State University Women’s Team Student-Assistant coach and taught the GSU Recreation Center tennis clinics. From 2005-2008, she was the Jr Development Director at Arias Tennis Academy in Puerto Rico. Upon moving back to the United States in 2008, she began teaching at Smoky Mountain Tennis Academy in Knoxville, TN until 2016. She then taught at Tennessee Tennis Club and Academy from 2016-2023. Karm is PTR certified in tennis and PCI certified in pickleball.

Karm is a huge asset to our teaching team. She loves working with women in both tennis and pickleball. We can always count on Karm’s smiling face to bring the great energy here at The Pickleball Playground.