USA Pickleball Featured on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt: Kids Edition
The sport of pickleball continues to gain traction throughout the United States, and this week was featured in primetime on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt: Kids Edition!
USA Pickleball had the opportunity to represent the sport on national television by showcasing the active yet social environment that pickleball brings to communities throughout the country.
NBC Nightly News: Kids Edition is a segment on NBC that touches on top headlines, broken down for kids. The topics range from cooking, weather, travel, sports, lifestyle and more.
USA Pickleball helped coordinate the video shoot, which shines a light on youth pickleball and the benefits of kids learning how to play.
More than 30 kids from the Nocatee community in Ponte Vedra, Florida, jumped at the chance to learn how to play pickleball and be featured on NBC. The kids ranged from ages 4 to 23 with varying levels of experience playing the game. With their true reactions of either playing the game for the first time or having fun playing multiple games with their friends, the pickleball showcase was a success.
USA Pickleball ambassador Mike Guyot and certified youth pickleball instructor Ivan Ramirez both attended the shoot to teach kids how to play the game. Each adolescent that attended had the opportunity to learn the sport, practice shots with their friends and family, and experience firsthand what it is like to be a part of a television segment.
When asked what they love about pickleball, kids answered that, “It’s a family-oriented sport and we look forward to more kids across America learning how to play pickleball.”
WATCH THE FULL EPISODE:
Loyal USA Pickleball photographer, Bruce Yeung, and his family also got the opportunity to talk with show host, Lester Holt, about their passion for pickleball. Yeung’s kids regularly participate in tournaments, while he is a successful sports photographer who sometimes sets his camera down to go win medals himself.
Bruce Yeung; IG: @yeungphotography
Ready to play the fastest growing sport in the country? Learn how to play pickleball with a series of instructional videos, all brought to you by USA Pickleball and Pickler.
USA Pickleball offers a Youth Program Provider Membership for Physical Education teachers, youth program leaders at Park & Rec Centers and after school programs. We provide turn-key resources to help implement a pickleball program easily. These resources include a Youth Pickleball Playbook which includes fun play formats and dynamic games, youth activity plans, instructional video series and access to equipment discounts. These resources were created for large group instruction in non-traditional spaces. Grants are also available to help jumpstart facilitating qualifying programs. Visit our Youth Program Provider Membership page for more details!
Tune in to NBC on Saturday, June 25th (check your local listing) to watch USA Pickleball and Pickleball in the Sun, and other youth around the country, tell kids how to play pickleball! Follow @NightlyKids and if you’re watching, share your photos on social media and tag USA Pickleball at @USAPickleball – #USAPickleball.
Photos: Maris Kirs Photography
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