Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1476674
being physically healthy, it's about making connections and being engaged in something that will truly benefit the soul. Many of the Elaine H. Lucas Senior Center pickleball players fell in love with the game, and one can now find them playing regularly at Tattnall Square Park. "That was my ultimate goal," Lee stated. "I'm trying to change the cultural norms and bridge the gap of different demographics with this sport. I am trying to break the race barriers." Sports like tennis, golf, baseball and softball are normally perceived as having a majority Caucasian participation. Meanwhile, football, basketball, track and field are seen as sports with a majority African American participation. Lee sees pickleball as a bridge between a younger generation to older generations, as well as with Caucasian and African American people, making pickleball an "all us" sport. Macon Pickleball makes inclusion its main objective by not only hosting the seniors' classes, but by creating an adaptive pickleball program for those with special needs, participating in a camp with children at Jay's Hope, taping a temporary court in the middle of the street during Open Streets and hosting a tournament with proceeds going to help the Brookdale Resource Center. One of the original Senior Center pickleball graduates was Rudy Mendes. The passion Rudy had for the sport was something he aspired to share with communities who hadn't yet caught on. Mendes quickly became a USA Pickleball Ambassador for the state of Georgia. "My wife and I started traveling to tournaments and watching a lot of pickleball, and one thing we noticed was that we didn't see a lot of people of color," Mendes shared. "I thought, wow! This is such a great game, I think more people in my community would love the opportunity to play." From there, Mendes made it his goal to share and teach the game in neighborhoods across Macon, especially Black-led communities. Mendes has hosted pickleball games in the street during community festivals in Pleasant Hill, taught the game to campers at Union Baptist Church and held a summer camp at the Tubman Museum for kids to join in on the fun. Mendes brings his teaching partner, a puppet, for a fun and catchy way to teach the game to youth and break the ice. There are reasons why pickleball is uniquely enjoyable for a wide range of ages. The simple structure of the game makes it notably easy to learn. It is a sport that can keep people active without overexerting – the matches are entertaining for hours without getting winded. Compared to tennis, it's easier on the joints and the equipment is more financially accessible because of its durability. Most importantly, it seems, players have fun. Mental health is just as important as physical health. Pickleball has created an extremely welcoming environment where anyone can join in and enjoy themselves, meet new people and laugh until their face muscles hurt. "I've never spent time on a pickleball court without hearing uncontrollable laughter at some point while playing," Midkiff chuckled. "It's really the great unifier among people. I've met some of my greatest friends that I would have never known had I not played pickleball, and I'm thankful for what this game has gifted me." Get Involved If you are interested in learning how to play pickleball or want to know about pickleball events coming up, contact Paul Midkiff: EMAIL: pickleball.macon@gmail.com | FACEBOOK: Macon Pickleball 78 maconmagazine.com