Success StoryGet Healthy with Pickleball



Get Healthy with Pickleball

Author: Katherine Alexander

Planning Unit: Daviess County CES

Major Program: Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association

Plan of Work: Healthy Lifestyles

Outcome: Initial Outcome

Pickleball has been the fastest growing sport in America over the last two years, according to many sources such as Pickleball Player; Pickleball, USA; and the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. It has grown in popularity because most ages, body types, and skill levels can play. It is an easy, affordable, accessible, fun, social, and friendly game that combines features of badminton, ping-pong, and tennis. It is played with a large paddle and plastic ball on an indoor or outdoor court similar in size to a badminton court with a net like that in tennis, according to USA Pickleball. Pickleball Player, SFIA, and USA Pickleball all agree that beginners can learn quickly, and many become core players, meaning they play eight or more times a year.

To help others Get Healthy with Pickleball in Kentucky, the County Extension agent for Family and Consumer Sciences in Henderson County taught thirty Green River Area extension Homemaker members Lesson basic concepts and rules of pickleball. The lesson also includes benefits of pickleball. The majority of participants were women and ranged in age from forty-five to eighty-five years old.

Following the lesson, evaluations were given out to club leaders. For Daviess County homemkaers, ten particpants returned evaluations.  One-hundred percent of participants learned the basic concepts and rules of pickleball. One hundred percent of participants learned why pickleball is so popular. One hundred percent of participants recognize the physical, social, and mental health benefits of pickleball. One-hundred person of participants can identify local pickleball resources.

Twenty-five percent of participants reported they intend to play pickleball.

Participants specifically shared the most significant things they learned from the lesson were that "Pickleball is for all ages, to be mindful of pickleball in the community, learning the rules and court dimensions of pickleball and they found they history of pickleball interesting".







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