Local pickleball players of all ages were pumped up Thursday morning, not just to dink and volley, but to make the record books.
“It’s going to be super awesome!” said participant Chase Ruban.
Which world record?
The goal? To gather the most players ever to take a pickleball lesson at the same time.
From seasoned veterans to first-timers, excitement was building on and off the court.
“To just see the growing interest in it is fun,” said participant Erin Rousar. “I think it’d be fun to take lessons or brush up on it a little more.”
Partnering with the community
A year in the making, the local nonprofit KidsMatter called on coach Joe Canda of Sure Shot Pickleball in Naperville to lead the lesson and the community to grab a paddle and join in.
“He had not done anything like this before, but from the first moment I asked him, he was all in,” said Sherilyan Hebel, director of programs for KidsMatter. “He was motivating those kids. He was demonstrating. He was a phenomenal instructor.”
The lesson didn’t stop there. Streaming live on Zoom gave players in additional locations the opportunity to participate, including students at Naperville North and schools across Will, DuPage, and Kane counties.
A successful attempt
The previous record to beat? 250 people. Not long after the attempt, the Guinness Book of World Records made it official. Now 446 local pickleball players can say they’re part of a world record list.
“I never thought I should be on one. I can cross it off my bucket list I guess,” said participant Grace Katinos, a sophomore at Naperville North High School.
“It feels amazing. Our students at high school, kids had huge smiles on their faces,” said Hebel. “We had our home school community who joined us at Sure Shot. We had grandparents who brought their grandchildren.”
Pickleball a perfect pairing for KidsMatter
Organizers say pickleball and KidsMatter were a natural fit.
“KidsMatter’s mission is to build resilient kids who make successful choices,” said Hebel. “We know a big part of that is connection with others, is learning and laughter, altruistic giving, and being part of something bigger than themselves in the community.”
The milestone moment comes during the 25th anniversary year of KidsMatter, now with a world record to its name.
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