Pickleball has taken the world by storm as the newest, most popular recreational sport for young and old players alike. This year, Holy Trinity started its own pickleball club.
HT’s pickleball club was created by math and AP Research teacher Catherine Koos, who became interested in playing after being introduced by a fellow HT teacher. “Mrs. DeRosier had invited me in May to a beginning pickleball class,” said Koos. “I went all in and got really excited this summer about it. I’ve been able to look out the window in my new classroom and think, ‘Ooh, it’d be great to manifest pickleball courts.’”
Some students also expressed interest in starting a pickleball club, leading to the club’s creation. “I wanted to start a pickleball club at Holy Trinity and introduce the new sport to the students, so my family and I took initiative with the idea,” said freshman Gabriel Talbert.
The club meets from 3:30-5:00 p.m. on Wednesdays at Dill Dinkers Pickleball Club in Satellite Beach. At the moment, the club is strictly recreational, but Koos believes the club could head in a more competitive direction if students were to express interest. At a typical club meeting, members work on their skills and play doubles matches. “We typically have around six people, so we’ll often have four people playing a game of doubles and then two people will be on another court doing drills, practicing serves, or hitting with the ball machine,” said Koos. “We’ve played games like king/queen of the court, where four people are playing, and when somebody messes up, they come out and we all rotate around. We do all sorts of different things.”
While the club itself is not competitive, some of the students in the club train and compete competitively outside of school. Seventh grader Quin Fung has been playing pickleball for almost two years. “My dad played in the first place and then he started taking me out to play,” said Fung. “That’s when I got more into it. I like practicing with the other kids in the club since there’s not that many kids that like pickleball.”
Similarly, Talbert trains in Cape Canaveral and competes in doubles tournaments. “I started playing in April 2024 after I saw it online and thought it’d be cool,” said Talbert. “At pickleball club, we do different drills and play games with a coach who helps if we’re doing something wrong. Outside of the club, I train for competitive tournaments with my doubles partner, Alex.”
Around 40 students have expressed interest in the club, but few actually participate because of the cost: $15 for each session, with paddles, balls, and guidance from a coach included. Since HT currently does not have pickleball courts and is in the process of redoing the tennis courts, the club has to rent out courts elsewhere, creating a monetary barrier for many students.
“It’s not just the cost that’s keeping me away, it’s also the location and the fact we have to sign up through a different organization,” said junior Samantha Foster. “When the pickleball club was first in its idea stage, it seemed as though we might have been able to use the school courts, but we eventually found out that it was in a different location and it would cost. As much fun as it does seem to play a sport and not be connected to a team, it is the cost and the location that deters me. I think I would definitely give it more consideration if it were free, but I just don’t want to have to go through the hassle of a third party and pay said third party.”
“I feel very strongly that we need dedicated pickleball courts, not just tennis courts,” said Koos. “The height of the net is different, and even though it’s only a couple inches, in pickleball, it’s very important to keep the ball low. When I serve with a tennis net, I’m hitting the net every single time because I’m trying to get it just over the pickleball net, so it really doesn’t work well. It reinforces bad muscle memory and habits to play on a tennis court, so we need dedicated pickleball courts.”
Despite the costs, members of the club encourage others to come out and play. “Pickleball is really fun and really beginner-friendly,” said Talbert. “I think other people should join the club because we need more kids playing pickleball instead of adults,” said Fung.
