Pickleball tickles the fancy of youth

Pickleball tickled the fancies of youngsters recently when the New Northcliff Pickleball Club hosted a charity tournament event for the youth of Thembisa.

Nikki Mozeglio, founder of the local club, said the best way to promote pickleball was through the youth.
For this reason, she and other members hosted this first-of-its-kind charity tournament at their club.

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Pickleball is a racket or paddle sport in which two players (singles) or four players (doubles) use a paddle to hit a perforated, hollow plastic ball over a 0.86m net.

Armed with paddles donated by the club and the motivation to give their best serve, the youth showed off the skills they had acquired through months of training and learning the sport.

Sherry Walker, a missionary from the USA, who teaches underprivileged communities the sport, said the children had only been learning pickleball for the past few months. “Pickleball is quite addictive,” she said. She loves the game as it caters to people of all ages and backgrounds.

Also read: Why Nikki Mozeglio is an ace on the court

During the tournament, she noted how at first, the young pickleball enthusiasts were a bit nervous stepping onto the court and playing with the club’s players. However, once they got used to their surroundings, they started to play more at ease.

She appreciates the work that the communities of Berario and Northcliff are doing to introduce the sport to children from underprivileged communities. “We were welcomed with open arms and it is such a blessing. My heart is just full.”

Mozeglio concluded she had always been passionate about giving back to communities.

At the end of the day, the youngsters received a care bag that included a whole host of goodies such as school supplies, treats, and personal care products.

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