Pickleball Alliance Serves Up New Club At Kendall Campus
Pickleball—the sensational paddle sport that integrates elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis—has made its way to Kendall Campus.
In 2022, four pickleball courts were constructed in the Racquet Sports Complex next to the G building. Due to high demand, 10 more courts were added.
Today, those courts serve as a playing ground for the Kendall Pickleball Alliance—a club aimed at uniting people with a shared interest in the sport.
“When you share the love of a sport with somebody else, that connects you with somebody you didn’t think you’d ever be connecting with,” said Michelle Zimmermann, an interior design student who serves as the club’s president.
The 19-year-old leads the KPA with vice president Yosdany Angulo-Cartas, secretary Samuel Castro Guerrero and treasurer Ashlee Lopez.
They currently have 26 members, who meet every Wednesday from 6-8 p.m.
Tournaments vary across different skill levels, including beginner, intermediate and advanced. Members are encouraged to bring their own gear, but a limited amount of paddles and balls are available with a valid MDC ID.
“College students encounter stress with exams and classes and life in general, and pickleball is a great way of having that energy and really distressing, you know, to bring in positive stress,” said Magdalena “Cookie” Rosell, manager of the SharkFit Recreation Fitness, Aquatics and Wellness Center at Kendall Campus, who serves as the KPA’s adviser.
On Oct. 30, the club hosted Pickleball on Wheels, an event in honor of Disability Awareness Month, where members of the ACCESS department and the Diverse Student Organization played pickleball with club members.
“We played with some of the members in wheelchairs and seeing my members connect with them was nice because it’s not easy playing pickleball on wheels,” Zimmermann said. “It was nice to see them form that kind of connection; no matter if you’re handicapped or not, everybody’s the same in the pickleball world.”
Ricardo Crespo, a biomedical engineering student, says the club has allowed him to step out of his comfort zone.
“My first day there everyone was very welcoming and they spoke to me…playing pickleball is a very good icebreaker,” said the 19-year-old, who participated in the Pickleball on Wheels event. “I had to talk to a whole bunch of people I did not know, so that definitely helped with my social anxiety.”
On Dec. 5 at 5 p.m., KPA is hosting a pickleball tournament in partnership with the Future Business Leaders of America to raise funds for the business club. Teams of two can register for $20 until Dec. 3.
Zimmermann hopes to host more fundraising events with organizations like hospitals and tournaments with local institutions such as Florida International University and the University of Miami.
“It just really, really brings a smile [to my face] to see the students playing and really having fun, just kind of like releasing themselves. And, you know, from a very good player to a novice player that’s learning…I just like to see the students out there utilizing our beautiful facilities,” Rosell said.
For more information on the club, contact Zimmermann at michel.zimmermann001@mymdc.net or visit their Instagram page @mdc_kpa.
