COLLEGIATE PICKLEBALL TAILGATE: New Weekly Series

 

Collegiate Pickleball Clubs - Growth and Community

Insights from Leaders at Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio State

Introduction:

On January 31st, 2024, pickleball club leaders from the University of Michigan, Indiana University, and The Ohio State University met for a virtual roundtable to discuss key topics related to collegiate pickleball. The 1-hour discussion covered club structures, campus growth, community building, competitive teams, tournaments, coaching, and more.

Key insights are summarized below from club presidents Suzanne Chapman (Michigan), Sam Hutner (Indiana), and Jace Fitzpatrick (Ohio State).

Key Topics Covered:

Club Structures & Growth Strategies (0:05 - 0:59)

• Social vs competitive teams
• Tryouts & membership numbers
• Securing indoor/outdoor courts
• Getting other sports teams involved

Building Community (0:59 - 1:33)

• Bonding between competitive team members
• Bridging social and competitive sides
• Support from broader pickleball community

Tournaments & Competition (1:33 - 2:43)

• Dupre, AP College, other local tournaments
• Enjoyable team bonding experiences
• Prizes and fundraising opportunities

Coaching & Funding (2:43 - 3:28)

• Coach contracts and pay
• University funding status
• Dues, sponsors, fundraisers

Engaging Other Groups on Campus (3:28 - 4:15)

• Networking events with business/medical schools
• Introducing pickleball across majors

Pro Integration (4:15 - 5:16)

• Tennis conversion challenges
• Watching tournaments for technique

Unique Aspects of Pickleball (5:16 - 6:09)

• Cross-sport athlete participation
• Lower barrier to entry than many sports

Competition Mindsets (6:09 - 7:10)

• Less adversarial than some sports
• Confidence building over time

Plans Going Forward (7:10 - End)

• Continuing collegiate play
• Coaching certificates
• Turning passion into a career

Club Growth Strategies:

• Indiana utilized club tennis rosters to recruit competitive female players (40:52)
• Ohio State hopes to build partnerships with schools like Maryland and Johns Hopkins to expand conference play (30:45)
• Michigan is hosting local tournaments with prizes and sponsors to draw teams (13:03)
• Indiana discussed hosting networking events with graduate programs to introduce pickleball (24:03)

On Community:

• The group bonding from traveling to tournaments was discussed, including dinners together (17:51)
• Opportunities to cheer on other schools and support sportsmanship (7:35)
• Friendships developing across the Big 10 through social media connections (8:11)

Competition Insights:

• The mix of nervousness and fun in a pickleball tournament environment (32:50)
• Differences in scoring format/rules across various tournament circuits (10:08)
• Training plans to strategically prepare for tournaments (31:37)

Conclusion: The roundtable discussion between these collegiate pickleball leaders covered many topics important to growing the sport at the university level, building community, supporting competition, and planning for the future. Key takeaways highlight the welcoming community that makes pickleball unique, strategies for sustainably developing clubs, and passion that college students have for taking pickleball to the next level.