by Kelly Campbell
This back-to-school season, a Maryland county school system is making headlines for being the first in the nation to have a varsity pickleball team. In July, the Montgomery County Public School system (MCPS) announced that all 25 high schools would offer pickleball as a varsity sport by partnering with Washington’s Major League Pickleball team.
This is a great step for overall pickleball development and professional legitimacy. An investment in varsity pickleball is an investment in pickleball’s future. Local leagues and community organizations truly drive pickleball success and are responsible for the growth that has fueled the pickleball craze over the past few years. Strong pickleball programs at school will encourage more young people to pick up a paddle, which will build a strong foundation for organized and professional pickleball moving forward.
Although there are more schools interested in supporting varsity pickleball teams than ever before, many communities still lack any pickleball programs. Read on for more about the MCPS upcoming season.
Montgomery County & Varsity Pickleball
Although the pickleball program at Montgomery County Public Schools has expanded to include 25 schools and will partner with JOOLA and an MLP team this year, MCPS actually became the first to offer pickleball as a varsity sport last year, in the fall 2023 season. They piloted pickleball as part of their corollary sports program which aims to increase “interscholastic athletics participation opportunities for all students, in particular, students with disabilities,” according to their press release.
“This initiative is directly aligned with our R.A.I.S.E. core values of equity, access and spirited competition, and will provide a foundation of success for pickleball across our county,” Dr. Jeff Sullivan, MCPS Systemwide Athletics Director said.
Vivian Glozman of the D.C. Pickleball Team attended the program launch and even played with some of the student athletes.
“It’s super exciting to see where pickleball is going and just having it be a high school sport now is super awesome,” Glozman told NPR.
Glozman will work alongside the rest of D.C. Pickleball Team and JOOLA as they partner with MCPS to roll out the pickleball programs.
Varsity sports are a core part of the high school experience, and adding pickleball to the mix is a step in the right direction for future growth and longevity. High schoolers are an underserved demographic across the pickleball community, and the accessible and inclusive program at MCPS will foster a strong pickleball foundation for young people.
We’re hoping that especially after a successful upcoming season, Montgomery County will not just be the first varsity pickleball program, but the first of many. We know that more high schools offer recreational pickleball clubs, but they’re student-led and do not have the same funding, stability, requirements, or prestige as many other varsity sports. Varsity-level pickleball is a crucial piece in legitimizing pickleball and giving it the same positive athletic reputation as sports like basketball, baseball, and football. Varsity play will increase pickleball participation at collegiate and professional levels.
Collegiate Pickleball, Scholarships, and Beyond
Back in May, we dived into the state of collegiate pickleball. With the new school year underway, we hope to see even more pickleball growth on college campuses.
As we know, USA Pickleball’s college pickleball club initiative aims to increase pickleball access at universities by housing information on collegiate clubs. Their program encourages students to register their clubs on their site, provides information about other collegiate clubs, gives best practices and guidelines, and even includes a grant application. USA Pickleball currently has 135 collegiate clubs listed on its website. U.S. Collegiate Pickleball also works to start and unite collegiate pickleball clubs by providing information, instruction, and resources to college students looking to start or foster pickleball programs on their college campuses.
Earlier this year, DUPR and JOOLA announced a partnership that would revamp their collegiate season, with over $6,000 in scholarship money. We’re excited to see how the 2024 changes will influence the success and future of organized college play. Read more about the 2024 DUPR collegiate season bids.
College pickleball is growing, it’s still primarily stuck at the club level. Collegiate sports and varsity sports work in tandem. For other mainstream sports, college scouts start recruiting players based on their varsity years and while players are still in high school. A successful athletic career in college could lead to an impressive professional one. Strong varsity programs will lead to stronger college programs which will continue to increase the intensity and popularity of professional pickleball. The key here is investing in younger players to ensure a future for pickleball that’s exciting and successful.
What’s Next?
The key to pickleball success is working from the ground up, by investing in pickleball at the local community level to increase professional success. One of the most accessible ways to offer pickleball to young people is by supporting organized play at schools, particularly at the varsity level. The domino effect of developing strong youth is increasing the volume of pickleball players in general, and having strong, lifelong pickleball players to continuously raise the stakes and competition at the professional level. Ensuring pickleball longevity starts with youth involvement, which is why the varsity MCPS program is such an exciting feat for pickleball overall.
If you’re not already, we encourage you to get involved in your local pickleball scene, particularly by finding ways to include younger generations. If you have kids, motivate them to pick up a paddle or support their growth by signing them up for leagues and camps. If you have spare time, volunteer to coach pickleball programs at your local school districts. Collaborate with P.E. teachers and encourage pickleball education, and hold or support local pickleball fundraisers –– your community involvement will ensure pickleball joy for years to come.
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