University of Maryland Pickleball Program: The University of Maryland is helping new transfer students feel welcome through a special program built around pickleball. The Transfer Cohort, supported by JOOLA, combines classroom learning, physical activity, and community building to help students adjust to university life more easily.
A Unique Start for Transfer Students
Unlike freshmen, who join orientation classes when they arrive, transfer students often start without guidance. Many come from two-year colleges and feel lost in a big school.
To fix this, the University of Maryland’s Department of Kinesiology created the Transfer Cluster program. Led by Andrea Liberto and Polly Sebastian-Schurer, the program gives students a place to belong and connect with others.
“It fills fast,” said Andrea Liberto, Physical Activity Program Coordinator. “Students are constantly emailing me, asking how to get off the waitlist. We run two seven-week sections per semester just to meet demand.”
Building Bonds Through Movement
The program is half classroom, half pickleball. In class, students get help with résumés, internships, and academic planning. On the court, they play pickleball—a fun and easy sport perfect for making friends.
“I’ve always said the magic happens in the activity,” Andrea Liberto said. “Freshman orientation classes create natural bonds, but transfer students miss that. So we created an experience where the court becomes the connector.”
Polly Sebastian-Schurer, Program Director in the Department of Kinesiology, added, “A safe space to mess up together,” describing how the game helps students feel comfortable even if they’re new to it.
“When Andrea was first teaching the cluster, I could see it, these students were forming friendships, supporting each other. It wasn’t just about the game. It was about feeling like they belonged,” Polly said.
More Than Just a Game
The Transfer Cohort is about more than playing sports. Andrea Liberto and Polly Sebastian-Schurer also guide students through personal and academic growth.
“They start asking each other for help in anatomy, or sharing internship leads,” Polly said. “That doesn’t happen when people feel isolated. Pickleball breaks the ice in a way the classroom alone can’t.”
Students meet three times a week, building trust and lasting friendships. Some even join the Pickleball Club at the University of Maryland or continue playing in tournaments together.
JOOLA’s Support Makes It Possible
JOOLA supports the program by giving each student a JOOLA Agassi Edge paddle. The company also provides videos and learning tools to help students feel confident.
“We use pickleball as our vehicle for creating community,” Andrea Liberto said. JOOLA helps make that happen by giving students the gear and resources they need.
Some students lead warmups and drills in class, helping others and building leadership skills at the same time.
Creating a Lasting Impact
The University of Maryland’s Kinesiology major has over 750 students, which can be overwhelming. This program helps transfers feel seen and supported.
“We always tell them: you’re not a transfer student. You’re a Maryland student,” Polly Sebastian-Schurer said.
Since the program relaunched, more students are arriving with some pickleball experience. Others discover it for the first time and fall in love with it. Many continue playing long after the course ends.
“Pickleball is transferable,” Polly said. “If you end up in a corporate environment where everyone golfs, but you’ve never swung a club, think back to this. You picked up pickleball in a few weeks. You can learn anything.”
The Transfer Cohort is more than a class. It shows how sports like pickleball can help students grow, connect, and succeed—both on campus and beyond.
News in Brief: University of Maryland Pickleball Program
The University of Maryland’s Transfer Cohort uses pickleball to help new students feel welcome. The program, supported by JOOLA, blends fitness and learning to help transfer students build confidence, community, and academic skills. Students gain support, friendships, and leadership skills that last well beyond the course.
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