USA Pickleball JUNIOR SPOTLIGHT
CAPE FEAR
PICKLEBALL CLUB
By Hana Papaco
For this issue ’ s Junior Spotlight , we want to shine a light on the Cape Fear Pickleball Club , located in Wilmington , North Carolina . The club was founded in 2015 and has grown to nearly 500 members in its short history . In 2021 , the club formed a Community Outreach Committee , and their first order of business was to introduce pickleball to juniors .
In May 2021 , Lib Wanner , chair of the committee , received the green light from the club ’ s board of directors to purchase a USA Pickleball Youth Program Provider ( YPP ) membership , which helped kick-start the juniors program . The YPP kit included the Youth Pickleball Playbook , activity cards , a video series , and fun play formats for kids . Committee members used the kit to help them prepare for their first city-sponsored youth pickleball program held in two locations in downtown Wilmington .
Daily group sizes ranged from 10-25 campers , ages 5-13 . The older and more advanced campers were able to go through fun drills , strengthen their fundamentals , as well as play some games . The younger campers spent more time with YPP activities , such as “ toss to targets ” and “ over the line dink .” Gabriel Guerra , the recreation coordinator at the Davis Center in Wilmington , had his two daughters participate in the summer camp . Guerra ’ s oldest , Ellie , 9 , recalls her time at the camp saying , “ I think everyone should be able to try pickleball at least once because it ’ s really fun ! You won ’ t regret it !”
While the YPP kit provided a great base for teaching the juniors ,
club coaches had to get creative to find solutions for unique problems . For example , some of the younger kids were having trouble handling the weight of the paddle . One of the head trainers and a retired nurse , Patty Hochwalt , turned to her medical background to provide a solution . She cut out an outline of a paddle on insulation foam combined with tongue depressors wrapped in tape to make a lighter paddle that younger players could use with foam balls — a perfect solution that the kids loved .
In addition to the summer camps , the committee has received an outpouring of donations of pickleball equipment from club members , The House of Pickleball ( an indoor facility in nearby Leland , NC ) and companies such as Mojo Pickleball , Paddletek , and Selkirk . The committee used these donations to provide training to elementary , middle and high school P . E . teachers . The club went a step further by providing nets , paddles , tape and balls to the New Hanover County School System so teachers could add pickleball to the curriculum .
With COVID-19 concerns and chilly months slowing down play , Wanner and the Cape Fear Pickleball Club are optimistic for the resumption of junior programs when the weather warms , making outdoor play a possibility .
The Cape Fear club ’ s goals in the coming months are to continue to work for more dedicated public courts in the community to allow for greater outdoor play , not only for youth but for people of all ages in all parts of the community , spreading the love of a game that is truly one that can be played for a lifetime ! •