WACO, Texas — If you don’t have a new years resolution yet, you can add playing pickleball to your list. Local Pickleball group spent the Saturday before the New year on the pickleball court raising money for new supplies to continue their outreach efforts in the community.
- Central United Methodist Church Pastor David Brower picked up pickleball a few weeks ago playing in the “Awesome Pickleball Outreach” program. He said it's a better option than getting intimidated by the gym.
- Brower believes playing in the pickleball group gives people a chance to meet others in the community and make connections with one anther.
- If you’d like to pick up a paddle, 'Awesome Pickleball Outreach' meets every Monday and Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For beginners every Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and competitive meets from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
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“No-one want to go and workout at a gym by themselves and have to figure out what to do,” Pastor David Brower said.
David Brower picked up pickleball a few weeks ago playing in the “Awesome Pickleball Outreach” program, and now he can’t get off the court.
“It’s fun, it’s accessible, for people of all ages, all skills, and abilities,” he said.
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Brower believes playing pickleball is the perfect way to head into the New Year healthy without that gym intimidation.
“You can play for as little or as long as you want, it’s good cardio which we all need and this is the perfect opportunity to have fun while you’re working out. So it doesn’t really feel like a workout,” Brower said.
And that’s the environment Van Davis is wanting to create with the “Awesome pickleball Outreach” program.
“We want to be able to bring pickleball to smaller communities that might now know pickleball and I’ve got some great people that will come and help me we’ve got nets we can take out. If there a parking lot somewhere we can teach people how to play pickleball,” said Van Davis, Director of Awesome Pickleball Outreach.
Davis said having people come together helps create a fun active atmosphere for families heading into the New Year.
“The whole family can come do this, not just a husband and wife, we want husbands and wives, to come together. We want a family with children to come play and be active together,” Van Davis said.
For this Central Texas Pastor, it’s also a way to meet people and create connections in the community.
“You get to learn each other's names. You come consistently and you see the same faces and so you’re going to build those relationships just around a fun game and a fun sport,” Brower said.
The money raised from Saturday’s tournament will go towards purchasing new paddles, and balls to help continue the free outreach program.
If you’d like to pick up a paddle, 'Awesome Pickleball Outreach' meets every Monday and Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For beginners every Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and competitive meets from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.