Pickleball Rehabilitation in California Prisons: Pickleball is becoming a popular sport in California prisons, offering rehabilitation and community for incarcerated people. The game is played daily at facilities like the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla, where it helps reduce conflict, build friendships, and give players hope for the future.
A Game with a Purpose
At the Central California Women’s Facility, inmate Simaima Ohuafi discovered pickleball during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike in many neighborhoods where pickleball causes noise complaints, inside prison walls it offers a way to connect.
“It’s an outlet for us to find ourselves to be more in tune with who we really are,”. “We know we’re the ones that are incarcerated and we messed up. But just take a look inside here. There’s beautiful things flourishing in here.”(Simaima Ohuafi )
The sport’s popularity in prisons became public when TMZ reported in March 2024 about an unrelated attack on Scott Peterson during a pickleball game at Mule Creek State Prison.
How Pickleball Entered Prisons
The movement began with 78-year-old Roger BelAir, who started playing pickleball in 2011. Inspired by a “60 Minutes” feature on Cook County Jail, he wrote to Sheriff Tom Dart to suggest introducing the game to inmates. Dart agreed, and the sport was an instant hit.
BelAir went on to found the Pickleball for Incarcerated Communities League (PICL), introducing the game to over 60 institutions in 18 states. He has witnessed pickleball unite rival gang members, lower disciplinary problems, and encourage teamwork.
“I think escapism is beneficial for all of us,”. “When you’re on the court, you can’t think of anything else other than hitting the ball over the net.”(Roger BelAir)
Building Courts with Creativity
Some prisons lack proper courts, so players improvise. At the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility, inmate Alphonso Williams used baby powder for boundaries and tied volleyball nets to chairs.
“It just started to slowly become an obsession,” Williams said.
At Chowchilla, Ohuafi uses masking tape for outdoor courts, encouraging beginners and making the game accessible for all. She has seen the sport help people struggling with addiction reconnect with others.
Support from Staff and Players
Physical education instructors like Stacy Zelenski at the California Men’s Colony and Brian Horan at the California Institute for Men have supported the sport’s growth. “It’s a very welcoming and open sport,” Zelenski said. Horan has seen players coach each other and cooperate more than usual in prison life.
BelAir recalls San Quentin’s warden saying,
“Roger, the day you introduced pickleball was one of the five highlights of my career.”
The game has also inspired tournaments, with some facilities hosting monthly events lasting up to 10 hours.
Changing Lives Inside
Williams says pickleball breaks racial barriers and promotes positive behavior.
“If you’re out there playing, you’re not getting high, you’re not engaging in violence,” he said.
Ohuafi credits the sport for awakening her passion and humility.
BelAir believes pickleball proves rehabilitation works better than punishment. Wardens and staff have also joined games, blurring the lines between authority and inmates. As Williams puts it,
“It’s the most inclusive support that you can have in the prison system.”
News in Brief: Pickleball Rehabilitation in California Prisons
Pickleball is thriving in California prisons, thanks to Roger BelAir’s efforts to introduce the sport nationwide. It’s bringing inmates together, lowering conflicts, and helping with rehabilitation. From makeshift courts to official tournaments, the game offers hope, community, and purpose behind bars.
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