A booming sport at Beeston u3a

Malcolm started a pickleball group at Beeston u3a which has transformed his social life.

I was first introduced to Pickleball on a visit to Boston to see my brother. It was considered to be the fastest growing sport in America, played mostly on outdoor courts. Being an ex Tennis player, this wetted my appetite to get back on court .The fact that the sport is played on the similar sized court to Badminton enthused me even more to get involved back home.

Once home in Beeston, I could not find a club, despite enquiring at sports facilities in the area. By chance I saw an advertisement for an open day held by Beeston u3a. I went along and expressed my frustration to the Tennis groups. I was accepted with open arms after explaining my enthusiasm for Pickleball. The Group Coordinator at the time was very enthusiastic and I agreed to be the Facilitator for a new group.

With the excellent help from the committee, we started the group at the beginning of January 2024. Initially, we had 6-8 interested players and together we learned the rules and played twice a week.

The growth in our first year has been beyond my expectations. We now have four groups playing every week. We recently had our first anniversary party attended by most of our 56 members (pictured above).

The personal satisfaction from joining u3a and the excellent cooperation from the committee has been amazing. From having only close family friends before joining u3a, I now have at least 60 new friends, all enjoying a healthy sporting lifestyle. The camaraderie is indescribable.

u3a has given me a new lease of life at the tender age of 82!

Tell us about the new hobbies and friendships you've made in u3a. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..