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Invite others in Offer free, basic beginner lessons. This is one of the most effective ways to grow a program. Lessons on public courts can be scheduled away from drop-in play times, and evening lessons accommodate all ages. Partner with indoor venues to find lesson times that grow the player base for a win-win. Plan a pickleball media event with the parks department or private venue and advertise to the community. Invite city officials and put paddles in hand for a free lesson. Designate players who will welcome new people at drop-in play and help them learn the ropes. Beginner players need to feel included and accepted by more advanced players during drop-in play in order to keep them coming back. Plan regular social activities, such as round robin games and picnics, and personally invite others to join in. education staff at their former schools. Meet with school staff to get pickleball started in the district or otherwise support existing classes. As numbers grow, become organized Choose a structure that fits the goals of the group. Being organized provides additional leverage in working with city staff and facilitates the process. It helps identify player numbers, which is useful in acquiring city support. Form a volunteer base by establishing committees such as training, social, tournament, public relations, materials and finance. Membership committees provide a place for new players to contribute and form connections and add focus and support to various aspects of growing the sport. Raise pickleball awareness in the community Design an attractive brochure or rack card with pickleball information and post it on public bulletin boards and in recreation centers. Also hand it out at beginner lessons and health fairs, and make them available at the courts. Brochures should include information on what the local pickleball community is all about—this is especially helpful when approaching city leaders for courts or acquiring sponsors for events. Health fairs and community events often welcome a pickleball table and/or demonstration, and these events can bring exposure to hundreds of people. Set up a table with brochures, sample paddles/balls, condensed rules, a running video and copies of Pickleball Magazine! Engage those who walk by and provide a sign up sheet for the next beginner lesson. Pickleball shirts worn around town start fun conversations. Somebody will ask, “What’s pickleball?”— and there you go! Plan activities that give back to the local community. A food drive, blood drive, charity tournaments and other such events demonstrate the pickleball community is a partner in meeting local needs. Continue to keep local media informed of, and invited to, pickleball events. Remember the youth Herein lies the future of pickleball. Offer youth clinics and advertise through the school district. Encourage local parks & rec departments to offer the sport and provide support. Tap into community summer youth camps and programs. Directors of these programs will welcome the support of an activity such as pickleball. Retired teachers have connections to physical Continued on next page > Growing Pickleball in the QC Pickleball in the Quad Cities (QC) began in 2007 when a few QC friends visited The Villages in Florida during the winter and learned to play pickleball. Upon returning home, they approached a local parks department about the sport, and lines were painted. Soon afterward, the players and a parks department intern planned a clinic and the local newspaper covered it. Pickleball was on its way! Now, pickleball is played throughout the area on approximately 90 indoor and outdoor courts, which include 34 dedicated courts. From youth to retirees, the number of players continues to grow, with close to 450 in club membership and likely twice that in the area player base. The QC is made up of five cities along the Mississippi River: Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline on the Illinois side, and Bettendorf and Davenport in Iowa. The area also includes many smaller communities. The QC Pickleball Club and five area USAPA Ambassadors all work together across community and state lines with a common goal—to grow the sport! Ambassadors Barb Shinbori, Scott Stocker, Dave Stover, Sharon Walters and Ruth Senneff, along with club president Larry Miller, all contributed to this article, BRINGING IT HOME. JULY/AUGUST 2018 | MAGAZINE 35