Horizon Honors Charter School in Phoenix Hosts Pickleball Party
It was the ultimate pickleball party. Nearly 400 students, parents and teachers from Horizon Honors Charter School in Phoenix traveled to Pecos Park for an array of games including pickleball, cornhole, basketball and much more. (READ MORE). Pickleball goodies including paddles, bags, hats, towels and balls were given away as prizes and used for contests.
Steve Manolis of the USAPA and his outstanding group of volunteers worked together with the Parent Teacher Organization, the school’s physical education instructors, the City of Phoenix and our local club; a perfect formula that had parents and teachers playing with kids, kids playing against parents and teachers and kids playing with other kids. The future of pickleball was right before our eyes!
Plans are well underway for a kids-only tournament while league play and other events were the most asked questions from teachers, kids and parents. The desire to expand was clearly evident from all who participated.
Kudos to the club volunteers who made it all work — Denise Smith, Susan Manolis, Thom Young, Richard Kim, Karen Maish, Akira Kakisawa, Maria Escobedo, Kathy Miller, Erna Taylor, Carolyn Cafeiro, Kelly Quek and Hector Camacho and Russ Blair.
Nearly 200 players hit the courts for challenges and games while $1,500 in value was given away in prizes including 12 paddles along with several dozen balls. All in all, another great step forward for pickleball to be introduced to the players of the future, our country’s youth.
