The East Kilbride Pickleball Community’s passionate promotion of wheelchair pickleball has been recognised in the Scottish parliament by their local MSP.
Club coach Michael Duncan, 65, was inspired to start ‘pickleball for wellbeing’ sessions for players with disabilities and special needs after meeting Scottish Masters champion Terry Smith by chance on holiday in Tenerife.
Terry runs disability pickleball sessions in Cumbria and the two “talked for hours” under the Spanish sun about making pickleball more inclusive. “His enthusiasm is infectious,” laughed Michael.
By this point, Michael had already founded East Kilbride Pickleball Community, had attended the Pickleball Scotland Ambassador course and was under way with his coaching qualification.
On their return to the UK, Michael and Terry held wheelchair pickleball sessions at the spinal rehabilitation unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow, supported by Angie Malone MBE from Wheelpower.
“I found it very rewarding,” said Michael. “One of the mothers was watching her son playing and she said to me, ‘Thank you very much. This is the first time I’ve seen my son smile since his accident.'”
Suitably inspired, Michael set about linking up with other wheelchair and special needs groups in the area and introducing them to pickleball. He issued an open invitation for wheelchair users to attend club sessions, where they played hybrid doubles pickleball (one wheelchair user and one standing player on each side of the net).
Terry Smith and club mate Keith Thom came up from Cumbria to play, as well as members of the East Kilbride Disability Group, and Frances McAveety, a coach at Glasgow Life Disability Group. Aileen Neilson, a former GB Paralympic curler, now takes part using a wheelchair provided by Disability Scotland.
Another player who came along is an ex-tennis playing youngster called Thomas McCaffrey. Michael helped him apply for funding for a sports wheelchair and he has improved to such an extent that he is playing in Terry’s wheelchair pickleball league in Cumbria. “Thomas is my biggest achievement,” says Michael. “The impact it has made on him is wonderful.”
Pickleball Scotland’s coaching qualifications equipped Michael with the necessary knowledge to adapt sessions for wheelchair users – and now the good practice is spreading. Perth Pickleball Club now run ‘Pickleball for Wellbeing’ sessions too for people coming back from injuries or operations and players in wheelchairs.
Monica Lennon SMP encountered Michael when she attended his ‘beginner and intermediate’ session at David Lloyd Hamilton. She then came along to one of East Kilbride’s hybrid pickleball sessions. “We’ve got her completely addicted now,” laughs Michael.
Witnessing the club’s impact on players with disabilities motivated Monica to recognise its work in the Scottish parliament (see above) – and that in turn drew the attention of national newspaper The Daily Record.
“I get so much joy helping people and introducing them to the game, but the disability and special needs groups give me the most satisfaction,” reflected Michael. “The smile on their faces when they manage to hit the ball is just lovely.
“It is nice to get recognition but that’s not why I do it. There are many people doing things in the background to help others that people don’t see. I’m at a stage in life where I’m probably past my prime, so to pass on a love for the game is pretty special.”
Fantastic to see the growth of wheelchair pickleball in Scotland. We are looking forward to the wheelchair event at the English OPEN next month.