Junior Spotlight
EVERGREEN PICKLEBALL CLUB
By Hana Papaco
Club members Linda Jacobsen , Corinne Jackson , Monte Poague , Janette Palenius , Sarah German , Jeri Herskovits , Brian Klepacki , Jim Treitman , Maureen Gehlhausen pose with campers and Greg Kyle of the Evergreen Park & Recreation District .
This issue ’ s Junior Spotlight is shining on two USA Pickleball Ambassadors who have made pickleball a craze in the small mountain town of Evergreen , Colorado . Sarah German started playing pickleball in 2015 and has helped grow Evergreen Pickleball Club ( EPC ) from 30 players to more than 200 . Club member Linda Jacobsen caught pickleball fever in 2020 , and her love for the game has only grown since she joined . The two have partnered — with the support of their club — to provide more pickleball opportunities for the youth in their community . Jacobsen and German worked alongside the Evergreen Park and Recreation District ( EPRD ) to feature pickleball in an eight-week youth summer sports camp .
Ranging in age from 6-11 , about 16 kids attended each week . Though pickleball was only featured on Thursdays at the camp , it became the most anticipated day of the week for the campers . With the support of the Youth Program Provider tools from USA Pickleball , German and Jacobsen set up eight stations inside the EPRD gym . The kids rotated through different exercises with the support and guidance of EPC members . At the end of their session , the campers played live points over the net . If they worked hard consistently during camp , they were selected to play on the main court alongside some of the coaches .
An EPRD staff member who was initially hesitant about pickleball had his son take part in the camp . The response from his son was so positive that he said pickleball was his favorite part of summer camp . The parks and recreation department cited overwhelming approval and a
remarkable response to pickleball from the campers , according to German and Jacobsen .
They also recalled a funny moment during introductions . A camper who was initially uncertain about playing pickleball candidly asked the EPC volunteers , “ Why are you all so old ?” German , Jacobsen , and the rest of the team could not help but laugh at the innocent comment . A few days later , that same camper ran up to Jacobsen and gave her a big hug , telling her how much fun he had playing pickleball . The favorable responses from the kids and the EPRD staff were exactly what German and Jacobsen were hoping for .
Besides setting up the youth summer camp , Jacobsen and German have worked with Evergreen High School by introducing the students to pickleball during their physical education time . EPC has donated paddles to the school and facilitated grants . As the school year starts to ramp up , EPRD has turned to Jacobsen in hopes of getting a pickleball curriculum set up with the elementary and middle schools .
German and Jacobsen enjoy spreading the love and excitement of pickleball . “ When it stops being fun , that ’ s when we ’ ll stop ,” they said . “ Then maybe we ’ ll join a bowling team !”
With the work and effort the two have put in for their community , spots on the bowling team are going to be unfilled for a long time .
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