Kanonji Exchange Students Pickleball Experience: Ten exchange students from Kanonji, Japan, are playing pickleball in Appleton, Wisconsin. They arrived last Friday and visited the Pickleball Kingdom, their first official pickleball center. The visit is part of a two-week cultural exchange program between the two cities, helping to grow pickleball in Japan.
A Visit That Builds Connection
The students from Japan are visiting northeast Wisconsin through the Kanonji Appleton Partnership (KAP), which began in 1988. The program was started when the son of a Japanese restaurant owner in Appleton helped bring the two cities together.
The goal of the partnership is to give students from both cities a chance to learn about each other’s cultures by living with host families and sharing everyday experiences.
During a similar visit last summer, the Japanese students were introduced to pickleball. They had never played the sport before. They received free paddles and balls, thanks to a donation from Selkirk, a well-known pickleball company.
First Pickleball Center Experience
This time, the students are taking their skills to a real pickleball facility. They are playing at Pickleball Kingdom in Appleton. It is their first time playing in an actual center built just for the sport.
“I love America and I wanted to go to Appleton since I was in junior high school,”
said Lento, one of the exchange students from Kanonji.
The program has already closed applications for this year. However, people interested in hosting a student next year can still ask questions and apply for the future.
Why It Matters
This visit is not just about learning a sport. It’s about making friends and learning new things from another culture. The students from Kanonji are bringing pickleball back to a region of Japan where the sport was not known before. The exchange could help spread pickleball in Japan.
By staying with American families, the students also get to see what daily life is like in the United States. They try new foods, speak English, and take part in community activities.
The Kanonji Appleton Partnership continues to build strong ties between the two cities. Each visit brings new friendships and shared experiences that can last a lifetime.
News in Brief: Kanonji Exchange Students Pickleball Experience
Ten Japanese exchange students from Kanonji are visiting Appleton, Wisconsin, where they are playing pickleball at Pickleball Kingdom. The trip is part of a long-running cultural exchange. Students first learned the sport during a past visit. They now hope to bring pickleball to their hometown in Japan.
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