A Modest Goal Turned Into A Thriving Youth Program For Yucaipa Pickleball Inc.

By Bob Reinert
Red Line Editorial

A few years ago, the pickleball club in Yucaipa, California, was seeking access to use the city’s facilities. In order to do that, it had to organize as a non-profit, public benefit corporation. So, Yucaipa Pickleball Inc. was born, with a mission to teach the game to students at local schools.

The hope was to use a $2,450 grant secured in June 2023 from the city to promote the sport by providing paddles, balls, nets and instruction to a handful of schools. Instead, the program attracted 11 schools, an adult school and an after-school program. There are currently 2,000 participants, with another 900 about to be added.

“We really thought when we started this that we might get three or four schools participating,” said Patty Ingram, president of Yucaipa Pickleball. “The bottom line is, we ran out of money. We used our club money to fund the rest of it. We obviously encouraged all of the schools to get the youth grant that (USA Pickleball) provides.”

Selkirk Sport also donated equipment to the effort when the one net, eight paddles and eight balls that Yucaipa Pickleball originally provided each school proved insufficient. The program got underway with the first classes last fall. The children immediately took to the sport.

Students and teachers pose in front of a pickleball net.

“It’s so amazing,” said Melinda Daniel, the club’s youth coordinator. “They’re so excited, and they all want to do it. Fifth grade is where we’re starting. That’s the youngest.”

When Daniel visits an elementary, middle or high school in the Inland Empire community, she tries to take enough volunteer instructors with her so that each adult works with four or five students.

“Sometimes when we come on campus and they see us, they start chanting, ‘pickleball, pickleball,’” Daniel said. “We usually have about 35 kids in a class.

“It’s really fun to see these kids develop and have fun with it. It’s exciting to see these kids that aren’t very athletic or need some extra help. They love it, too.”

As Ingram pointed out, Yucaipa has a large population of economically disadvantaged youth.

“So, it’s a really good sport for our community,” said Ingram, pointing to its relatively low cost. “It’s growing. We’re getting feedback from the families already.”

It’s also worked well for a group of adult beginners, Daniel said.

“The adult school had an English as a second language class,” said Daniel, “and they used pickleball as a way to teach terms and language to help them do that.”

According to Ingram, the club conducts an annual youth clinic for the public. It will also hold a tournament this month in May.

“We have kids now coming from probably as much as 50 miles away that are coming to this tournament,” Ingram said. “We have a lot from out of town.”

The club received more than 75 thank-you notes from students at one school. Ingram said the school district plans to give the youth program an award at an upcoming school board meeting.

As a reward for doing well academically, one school holds tournaments where students get to choose teachers as their playing partners.

“It’s become a real discipline tool for them in a positive way,” Ingram said.

Daniel and the other volunteer instructors go to each school as many as a half-dozen times.

“You don’t want to burn anybody out,” Daniel said. “I try to mix that up and use a lot of different people.”

Ingram said that even the club’s newer players can benefit from providing instruction to the boys and girls.

“They learn from it,” said Ingram, “and they feel like they’re really contributing more to the club.”

With only four temporary courts in the city, pickleball can currently only be played on weekday mornings in Yucaipa. Ingram said the youth program will receive a boost when four permanent courts now under construction are finished and allow for evening and weekend play. Courts are also being painted at each school in the program.

Ingram and Daniel would be more than willing to help other pickleball clubs looking to establish youth programs in their local schools. Ingram did offer a word of advice to those considering it, however.

“It’s possible you’ll get an overwhelming response,” said Ingram, “and you need to be sure that your volunteer base is strong. We’re lucky that we have a really strong volunteer base.”

Bob Reinert spent 17 years writing sports for The Boston Globe. He also served as a sports information director at Saint Anselm College and Phillips Exeter Academy. He is a contributor to USA Pickleball on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.