Students learn Pickleball from professionals

A mix of excited cheers and stomping feet filled the Ida B. Wells Middle School gym Wednesday afternoon as students ages 11 to 14 hit balls back and forth across the Pickleball court.

It is a much younger audience than what has come to be associated with the sport. The clinic, led by the DC Pickleball Team, had professional pickleball players join the teams and share tips and tricks with the students.

Although the court looks similar to tennis, the unique paddles and court set it apart. Pickleball has been named the fastest growing sport in America by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA). Its growing popularity among young people may come as a surprise, but it is not an exception.

Adam Behnke, chief operating officer of the DC pickleball team, said that while the sport has traditionally been played by an older population, the pandemic and people’s desire to find something active to do outside pushed the sport to a more diverse age group, including children. He said it was important to get young people involved in the sport.

“It all starts now with local schools like this at the primary and secondary level and we have to build that foundation; it is critical to the growth of the sport and its longevity,” Behnke said. “But most importantly, it’s about health and well-being and getting young people excited about healthy lifestyles.”

The typical crowd was much different at an event held March 39, when Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), along with the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and the Department of Aging and Community Living (DACL), held a pickle clinic with seniors in Turkey. Thicket Recreation Center. In his 2024 budget proposal, Bowser highlighted a $750,000 investment to repurpose four existing, underutilized fields as pickleball fields.

But the courts may see a wider variety of players than the clinic. This is because the sport is spreading to younger people. Ida B. Well Athletic Director Brian Cross started incorporating pickleball into the school’s sports rotation a few years ago and noted that it provided opportunities for students of all skill levels to have fun.

“Some students may not be as athletic, but they are very good at strategic paddling,” Cross said. “Some of them can’t run very fast or jump very high, but this sport brings their ability to do other things here. That’s why I want to introduce it to students.”

The event offered the students their own professional-level paddles from the Rockville-based JOOLA company, which manufactures professional equipment for the sport.

Originally a table tennis equipment company affiliated with the “Michael Jordan of Pickleball,” Ben Johns, who grew up in Maryland near their office. Johns is now a JOOLA sponsored athlete.

Tom Nguyen, director of marketing for JOOLA, said the sport and demand for pickleball gear has “grown tremendously” since it began manufacturing, due to the “addictive, fun and social” nature of the sport.

Sports bring people of all ages together, he said, united in competition across the web. “Whether they’re young or old, you’re going to love it,” Nguyen said. “That’s the beauty of sports. You can see a 10-year-old kid play against a 30-year-old guy and beat him and you can see an 80-year-old beat a 30-year-old; it’s a sport for everybody.”

You can learn more about the DC Pickleball Team at dcpickleballteam.com.

Sarah Payne is a reporter for Capital Community News. He can be reached at [email protected].