Calabasas Pickleball Ambassador Hosts Free Intro Clinic

CALABASAS, CA – To further elevate the stature of one of the fastest growing sports in the United States, the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) recently announced that the month of April will once again be designated “National Pickleball Month.”

Designed to increase awareness in all aspects of the sport, the 2nd annual National Pickleball Month promotion, with assistance from sports industry companies and organizations will support programs and leagues, encourage public parks and other facilities to offer opportunities for players of all ages and abilities to play the game and help bring about a higher level of interest in communities throughout the country.

Locally, growth and participation continues to grow thanks to efforts from USAPA ambassadors and players. Recently, Oak Park ambassador, Miguel Enciso hosted a free clinic and Round Robin at Deerhill park which attracted lots of new players and was a big success.

In Calabasas, Ambassador Dan Beeman has been busy too.

He started a Facebook group called San Fernando Valley Pickleball and is hosting a free, introductory Pickleball clinic, equipment overview and exhibition on April 6 from 9 – noon at our local Rec/Community Center: AHCCC.

The clinic for up to 24 people, most of whom have never played the sport but have heard about it and registered for the event which is filing quickly with mostly first time players. The exhibition at 10 am is free and open to the public. So, if you are not ready to try it, you can watch some top players compete.

“Given our geographic location, demographic of residents and population size (over 1 million residents), I think there is a tremendous growth opportunity for Pickleball in the San Fernando Valley.

My plan for growing the sport is to host monthly, free clinics at new and different locations in our valley. I am also spending an entire day at Agoura High School on April 4 to teach Pickleball to all of their gym classes. My goal is introducing the sport to 500 new players this year.” Beeman said. “Why do I do this volunteer work promoting Pickleball? It is healthy social, fun, can be played by people of all ages and abilities and is easy to learn.”

“Pickleball is experiencing unparalleled growth in the United States,” said Justin Maloof, Executive Director of the USAPA. “By establishing National Pickleball Month again for April, it will help us to continue to promote the sport on a national level and help get Americans moving, stay active and truly enjoy this great sport.”

Pickleball is a fun, active paddle sport created for all ages and skill levels that combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. It’s played both indoors and outdoors on a badminton-sized court with a slightly modified tennis net. Pickleball, which was developed as a recreational game in 1965, uses a paddle and a plastic ball with holes and can be played as both singles and doubles competition.

“We see this as a continuing initiative to help promote the sport throughout the U.S. on the local level,” added Maloof. “The USAPA has established a nationwide network of @1,800 dedicated ‘Pickleball Ambassadors,’ and designating April again as National Pickleball Month will help them spread the word about the great benefits the sport can provide not just to individuals of all ages, but also to communities as well.”

The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) 2018 Pickleball Participant Report reported that the sport currently has 3.3 million players in the US – an increase of 12% over the previous year. SFIA is the premier trade association for top brands, manufacturers, retailers and marketers in the American sporting goods and fitness industry since 1906.

Pickleball ambassadors and providers can utilize National Pickleball Month by scheduling events and social play in April, promoting tournaments throughout the month, offering special discounts for first-time players, or other local events to create additional programs and courts. National Pickleball Month will also generate renewed interest in the many health, fitness and social benefits of the sport.

For sports facilities, schools and communities, pickleball courts are easy to build. A pickleball court is 44 feet long by 20 feet wide, and many courts are lined on existing sports surfaces, such as tennis, volleyball and basketball courts, in addition to being built as “standalone” courts. The USAPA estimates that each month, 300 pickleball courts are created in the U.S., either by adding lines to existing courts or building standalone courts. To date, there are nearly 21,000 courts in the United States.

For more information about pickleball, visit www.usapa.org.

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About USAPA

The United States Pickleball Association, a non-profit 501(c)(3) was established in 2005 to further the advancement of the sport on a national level. As the official governing body of pickleball in the United States, the USAPA promotes the growth of pickleball by maintaining the rules, setting player ratings, advancing the sport through its national network of @1,800 ambassadors, and sanctioning tournaments. Over the past five years, the USAPA has realized a growth of 650% in its membership which now totals @34,000. The USAPA is divided into 11 regions across the country with all 50 states being represented. The extensive group of volunteer ambassadors oversees the sport in their respective states. For more information, visit www.usapa.org.