SWW Pickleball Club Seeks to Provide Activity and Community

Pickleball, a mix of ping pong, badminton, and tennis, is the fastest growing sport in their world right now. According to the Department of Parks and Recreation,“Since 2019, DPR has gone from no pickleball facilities to 58 dedicated or blended outdoor courts, and 12 indoor use sites with marked lines for playing pickleball.” This trend has spilled over into Walls where we now have our very own Pickleball Club founded by President Grace Heramb (‘26).

“I think the sport [has become] so appealing to young people in recent years is because it’s not too complicated and easy to learn,” says Vice President Riley Gayle (‘25). The rules of pickleball can be easier to learn compared to other sports because of how similar the rules are to tennis or badminton- which are both widely known.  “I know a lot of people like tennis and pickleball is similar, and I don't know. I just think it's something different,” says President Heramb. Like tennis, pickleball is a good way to stay healthy and active!

Vice President Riley Gayle (‘25) joined the Pickleball Club leadership team because of her interest and enjoyment regarding the sport. “My reasoning for joining was because I find the sport to be extremely fun and relaxing. I played a lot over the summer and my interest for the sport grew so when the school year started and I heard there was going to be a pickleball club I was really excited to join.” said Gayle. “My main goal for the club is to make sure everyone has fun and grows to enjoy pickleball as much as I do.” Heramb defines the club's goal as, “just [to create] a space to be a little bit competitive, but like, outside of school and just to have fun.” 

The club is currently fundraising for things like paddles, pickleballs, and facility fees. “So far the leadership team has come up with a few fundraising ideas that fit the theme of the month of October, Halloween. We have talked about creating and selling ‘Boo Grams’ . We have also talked about having a mask decorating fundraiser where people can make masks for Halloween.” Gayle explains.

“I think the fundraisers are gonna go pretty well, but it is hard to find places that want to do like, pro bono work.” Heramb explains. The club hopes to work with local recreational centers for the warmer months, though an indoor court called “Kraken Kourts & Skates” is a potential option for the winter.

The club has already taken steps to acquire members according to Heramb.“We started an Instagram, so I'm hoping that it’ll do club outreach kind of and we're sending emails out to everyone who joined”. So far the Instagram, “swwpickleballclub”, has posted the leadership team for the year, but we can expect to see more news as the year goes on. If you are interested in the club, follow their Instagram, and show up to a meeting! The club meets Fridays at 8:30 in room 404.