WashU’s Pickleball Club: Washington University’s (WashU) pickleball scene is making waves, as the university’s pickleball club has recently launched a competitive branch. This new venture aims to take part in collegiate tournaments later this year, marking an exciting step for the growing sport on campus. The club’s competitive team held tryouts that attracted more than 80 students, and ultimately, 14 players—seven female and seven male—were selected to join the team under the guidance of a seven-member executive leadership team.
The Surge in Popularity and the Growing Community
In recent years, pickleball has increased in popularity among WashU students. The pickleball GroupMe chat, an essential communication platform for the club, boasts 484 members.
However, according to first-year Noe Schwartz—who serves as the competitive branch’s co-vice president and co-captain—the number of active participants is closer to 150. With the rapid rise in interest, it’s clear that WashU’s pickleball community is growing at an impressive pace.
Inclusive Atmosphere and Competitive Edge
At the heart of WashU’s pickleball mission is inclusivity. Senior Justin Xu, a co-president of the competitive branch, highlighted that one of the club’s main goals is to foster a welcoming environment for players of all skill levels.
“One of the main goals for WashU’s pickleball club is to provide an inclusive space for players of all skill levels.” – (Xu)
This philosophy has shaped the club’s culture, with the competitive branch now offering a more challenging opportunity for players seeking a higher level of competition.
Senior Ava Schumacher, the other co-president of WashU Club Pickleball, works primarily to coordinate open play opportunities. She mentioned that while open play is beneficial for all levels, many players expressed a desire for more competitive opportunities.
“I kept hearing from people, like during the club fair and practices, that there are a lot of people interested in having something a bit more competitive, having something that’s a bit more high-level.” – (Schumacher)
Creating a Competitive Branch with Expert Guidance
The current leadership faced challenges in resurrecting the competitive branch after last year’s leadership failed to complete the necessary paperwork for re-registration. Fortunately, with the support of WashU Rec, the club was revitalized and elevated to the competitive stage.
The executive team consulted with local pickleball professional John Callahan, owner of Callahan Pickleball Academy, who has been an instrumental figure in coaching and providing tactical advice.
“He’s been helpful in coaching us individually and offering tactical advice on the game.” – (Schwartz)
Furthermore, Michael Chapin, a prominent figure in the local pickleball community, also provided support. Chapin, who is an assistant director of career development at WashU, has been coaching professionally for over eight years.
He now serves as a coach and faculty advisor for the club, lending invaluable expertise in selecting talent and training players. “It’s not like this sport is a fad. It’s not going away,” Chapin remarked, emphasizing the sport’s enduring popularity.
The Tryouts and the Growing Competitive Team
The tryouts for the competitive team were particularly hectic due to the large number of applicants.
“It was challenging to work out logistically because we had so much interest, and we are trying to manage our current budget with how many people want to play. The level of skill — we have so many amazing people, and so we’re piloting [a small team] and hoping to expand in the future.” – (Schwartz)
Despite the overwhelming response, the executive team decided to expand the roster to accommodate more players than initially planned.
Pickleball tournaments offer a variety of competition formats, including women’s singles, men’s singles, co-ed doubles, and women’s and men’s doubles. Given the restrictions on team sizes, the club appointed two captains: sophomore Jace Slone for the men’s side, and Schwartz for the women’s side.
Schwartz, though new to pickleball, has extensive experience in other sports like flying trapeze, skateboarding, and skiing.
“That’s the nice thing about pickleball — it’s inclusive for everyone of all skill levels and all abilities. You can just get on the court and play.” – (Schwartz)
Training and Upcoming Tournaments
The competitive team practices every Thursday for an hour and a half at Padel + Pickle, an indoor facility that opened in Olivette in February. The team’s first official practice took place on Nov. 7, where players were introduced to one another and quickly grouped into teams for warmups.
Chapin, rotating between courts, provided guidance and encouragement to the players. In the coming months, Schwartz and Slone will be responsible for planning practices, as well as deciding who competes in each event.
Although local tournaments in St. Louis are open to all skill levels, WashU’s competitive team has set its sights on collegiate events. The team hopes to attend the Georgia Super Regionals in February, the first official tournament of the season.
The top four teams from this event will earn a spot at collegiate nationals. In addition to the Super Regionals, the leadership is planning scrimmages with other local collegiate teams, including Saint Louis University and the University of Missouri.
Pickleball as a De-Stressor and Future Prospects
For many players, pickleball is not just a sport but a stress reliever. First-year law student Barry Zhang, who plays for the competitive team, finds the game a welcome break from the demands of law school.
“I’ve been playing a lot this semester because I’m drowning in work with the law school, and I need some method of getting away.” – (Zhang)
The future of WashU’s competitive pickleball team looks promising, with a motivated executive team and an eager group of athletes. Zhang expressed his excitement about the club’s trajectory.
“I’m lucky that I came [to WashU] this year because everything’s coming together right now … The execs have really pulled it together. We have so much stuff going on now. It’s really exciting.” – (Zhang)
News in Brief: WashU’s Pickleball Club
WashU’s pickleball club has launched a competitive branch, selecting 14 players from over 80 tryout participants. The pickleball club aims to compete in collegiate pickleball tournaments, with hopes to attend the Georgia Super Regionals in February.
With the support of local experts like John Callahan and Michael Chapin, the pickleball team is set for a successful season. The pickleball club also plans scrimmages with other local college teams, including Saint Louis University and the University of Missouri.
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