The Quest For Fun
Look outside the box for innovative ideas
By John Engh
Photo: Nays
Of all the programs initiated by the National Alliance for Youth Sports, my favorite one is the Start Smart Sports Development Program. It began, in part, because of the shocking statistic that many kids quit sports by the time they turn 13 years old. It is actually more than two-thirds! And the number-one reason children cite is the lack of fun. Think of that, “not fun!”
Anyone who has ever watched a T-ball game or a five-year-olds’ basketball game knows the kids who are having the most fun are those who are most skilled. So, the idea with Start Smart was—and still is—to make sure children (and their parents) are prepared when they begin organized play so they can be better players.
The Next Big Thing
The reason I am writing this is to remind recreation professionals they always need to be innovating with their programming. One of the best examples of this is pickleball. I first saw pickleball at the National Recreation & Park Association show about five years ago. From afar, I said, “There’s no way you will ever catch me playing that!” Now five years later, every Tuesday a group of us from the office play right after work, and sometimes for up to three hours. At first, I couldn’t believe it when I saw half of the tennis courts at two of my local parks being converted into a group of six pickleball courts. I was a tennis player my whole life, and while I was very aware that tennis participation had dropped over the years, I wasn’t really emotionally ready to see those courts disappear.
After an hour of playing the game for the first time, I started to see why pickleball has taken off like it has. The first thing you notice is how much smiling and laughter goes on. From the most competitive matches to those of beginners, everyone is amazed at how fun the game can be. Why is that? Because it’s easy to learn. And just like the concept of the Start Smart programs, when you can be good at something, it really can be fun.
Recently, I saw a younger-looking grandfather and a grandmother teaching their teenage grandson to play. This kid looked like he had never touched a racquet or paddle in his entire life. I thought the lesson would last about 10 minutes, but within 30 minutes they were playing a game of doubles with lots of smiles and laughter all around.
Meanwhile, on our court, four sweaty guys who have played sports all their lives and are ultra-competitive, are hitting overhead smash shots at each other with the intention of inflicting pain. And yes, on every other point someone is laughing because it never really hurts to get hit with a pickleball! On another court, six skilled twenty-somethings are having a blast, playing music and hitting shots that my overweight 57-year-old body can only envy.
Keep Looking And Discovering
This isn’t meant to be a PSA for pickleball, but if it comes off that way, I am 100 percent ok with it. I just want to stress again that, as recreation professionals, it’s our job to look outside the box. To find what’s working in other communities and jump on it. I am still amazed when I see another complex with six to eight tennis courts and no pickleball being played. On an average Tuesday on our courts, I see 30 to 40 people rotate into games of pickleball. Meanwhile on the tennis courts, it’s rare to see more than two or three matches.
So, what’s the next pickleball? I don’t know. But I do know that it is most likely to come from the parks and recreation industry and the outstanding people who work in it.
John Engh is executive director of the National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS) in West Palm Beach, Fla. He can be reached via email at jengh@nays.org. To join more than 3,000 communities by starting a NAYS Member Organization, visit www.nays.org, email nays@nays.org or call (800) 729-2057.