Veterans and Active Duty Alike Can Benefit From The Fastest Growing Sport in the USA
Free Pickleball Lessons for Military
Sandra McDermott wants to combine two passions in her life — a love for Pickleball and a love for El Paso’s military community.
A retired military hospital medical clerk and widow of a fully disabled veteran, Sandra started playing Pickleball four years ago. She quickly became addicted. That’s not unusual — Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America. Now she wants to share her love of Pickleball with El Paso’s veterans and active military.
She’s offering free lessons in Northeast El Paso for veterans and military personnel who want to learn about the sport. Instructor Ben Avalos is a retired physical education teacher and also El Paso’s Ambassador for the USA Pickleball Association. Together, he and Sandy are offering workshops and regularly scheduled games for beginners at Sunrise Park in Northeast El Paso.
Why Pickleball?
Pickleball has elements of tennis, racquetball, table tennis and badminton. It’s played on what looks like a miniature tennis court (44 feet long by 20 feet wide), which allows it to be played both indoors and outdoors. Equipment is simple: a 3-foot high net, paddles and plastic whiffle balls. Mostly played as a doubles game, pickleball does not require exceptional athletic skills and even those with limited mobility or injury from other sports can flourish as players.
Staying Fit And Healthy With Pickleball
Pickleball has kept Sandra fit and healthy, so when she was at a program on veterans recovering from trauma, it clicked. “Pickleball! When you play Pickleball, you don’t think about anything else!”
“Not only does it provide hours of fun-filled exercise, but I have developed great friendships with other players. That’s why I want to share this sport with others, particularly among our city’s military and veterans.”
To sign up for lessons or find out the schedule of games at Sunrise Park, call or text Ben Avalos at 915-873-7817 or Sandra McDermott at 915-252-2100.
Randy Limbird
Contributing editor
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