Adaptive Pickleball in Phoenix: A group gathers every Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the pickleball courts in Telephone Pioneers Park, Phoenix, ready to enjoy a game in an inclusive setting. The event, hosted by Ability360, welcomes players of all abilities and fosters a supportive sports community.
A Sport for Everyone
Ability360, an Arizona-based center for independent living, offers sports programs designed for individuals with disabilities. Among its offerings, adaptive pickleball provides participants with a chance to stay active in a welcoming environment. Kinh DeMaree, the event’s instructor, recognized the need for adaptive pickleball while searching for sports options for her nine-year-old daughter.
“I started in tennis when I was a kid and I think pickleball is a lot more accessible in terms of cost, courts available and finding players. And then also because you don’t have to cover as much court, I think that it can be better for adaptive sports as well.” – (DeMaree)
The event accommodates all skill levels, dividing playtime into separate sessions. The first hour is dedicated to intermediate and advanced players, while the second hour welcomes beginners. Experienced players often assist newcomers, creating a collaborative learning atmosphere.
Adaptive Equipment and Growing Participation
Pickleball is America’s fastest-growing sport for the third consecutive year, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association‘s November 2024 report. The sport saw a 51% increase in participation from 2022 to 2023, with over 2.3 million players aged 25-34 leading the expansion.
One of the latest participants is 81-year-old Barbara “Bobbi” Maldonado Forner, a retired physical education teacher and lifelong sports enthusiast. She has engaged in several Ability360 activities, including adaptive golf, rowing, and skiing.
“It’s wonderful. In fact, I was just golfing at Encanto (Park) with that group this morning. They do a ride and row with bicycles, and the rowing on Tempe Town Lake, and three weeks ago I went skiing.” – (Maldonado Forner)
After contracting West Nile Virus in 2021, which left her partially paralyzed, Forner embraced adaptive sports to maintain her active lifestyle.
“I do tennis on Monday night, and then today was the golf and the pickleball, and then I play softball with the big 16-inch ball. I just try to stay active.” – (Maldonado Forner)
Building an Inclusive Community
Adaptive pickleball is made accessible through specialized equipment, including suction cups attached to paddle handles for easy ball retrieval and ball collection tubes. Ability360 ensures that all sports activities include necessary adaptations, helping participants regain confidence and independence. Will Osborne, a sports journalism student at ASU who interned at Ability360 in 2024, noted the organization’s commitment to inclusivity.
“The events at Ability360, the many that I did, they were all really well organized and they really were focused on making sure that they were adaptive, not only for people with disabilities but people of all ages and groups. It’s a very inclusive place. It really is a welcoming place to go.” – (Osborne)
For many, including Maldonado Forner, the opportunity to remain active through Ability360 has been life-changing.
“(Ability360 is) so encouraging and helpful. They want people to come out and be involved. I don’t know what I would have done, being so active and not being able to do anything, without 360.” – (Forner)
News in Brief: Adaptive Pickleball in Phoenix
Ability360’s adaptive pickleball sessions at Telephone Pioneers Park in Phoenix welcome players of all abilities. The program, led by instructor Kinh DeMaree, provides an inclusive sports experience. Participants like Barbara Maldonado Forner embrace the opportunity to stay active with adaptive equipment and a supportive community.
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