Woodville Elementary School Students Ace Their First Pickleball Experience!

Monday, May 15, 2023, LINDSAY.

Last Thursday afternoon, a group of 21 grade 7 & 8 Woodville Elementary School students had the opportunity to visit The Lindsay Exhibition Commonwell building (LEX) indoor pickleball courts for the very first time to learn about the sport from Kawartha Lakes Pickleball Association (KLPA) volunteers and try it out for themselves.

The visit was organized by their teacher Tanya Farr, who wanted to expose the children to new and different sports. Pickleball, a sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping pong, was the perfect fit.

Upon arrival at the LEX, the children were greeted by friendly KLPA volunteer members who were eager to teach them the basics of the game. The children were given paddles and balls and were treated to a complete lesson from beginning mechanics to scoring and playing of the game.

At first, the children were a bit hesitant and unsure of themselves. But as they continued the lesson, their confidence grew and they began to enjoy the game more and more. Even the teacher and one of the parents were given an introductory lesson on pickleball basics and every participant left the venue with a big smile and a desire to come back again.

Ms Farr was thrilled with the experience and she shared some of the feedback she received with comments like "pickleball was great, even better than the end of the year trip to Niagara Falls", "easy to learn", "the helpers were very informative and hands on" and "definitely will return on off school time".

KLPA President, Stan Tisshaw stated "the outing was a great success, as the children left with a newfound appreciation for the sport and it was a fun and educational experience for the students at the same time. This was the inaugural school session of this type for us and the organization is now looking at expanding this program throughout the Kawartha Lakes school system in various modes”.

For more details on pickleball in the Kawarthas or where you can play the fastest growing sport in North America in the Kawartha Lakes visit the KLPA website at www.klpa.ca for more details.