Pickleball England have announced that 54 new Pickleball Leaders were certified via three workshops last week.
And the south-east session, in Caterham, was particularly noteworthy, with 26 attendees including eight deaf candidates plus two British Sign Language interpreters.
England international Mollie Knaggs was one of the tutors on the course, and told Pickleball 52 that it was one of the most heartwarming experiences of her career thus far.
“I haven’t worked with deaf coaches before,” she said. “They were so positive and encouraging, and they had so much energy and passion when they were coaching!”
She was working alongside leading coach Rob Williams, who said that all the participants had played pickleball previously, making it easier to explain some technical concepts.
“Accommodating the people on this course wasn’t any different to anything we’ve done before,” he says. “In a normal course, we have people across four courts, we have to stop the activity, bring them in so you’re not shouting across the sports hall, and then communicate with them – the einvironment is often loud, echoey, air-con, not conducive to learning. This was no different – other than a different way of getting their attention.”
Suggesting that signing the score during a match – rather than saying it – actually aids clarity, as it reduces the chance of misunderstanding, and that basic BSL would be a good asset for all, he added: “Pickleball Leaders Certification is the most important course we deliver. The people that come out of that course are the first touching point for many people in pickleball, so if we get that wrong, then their journey is wrong – so we need to get this absolutely nailed down!”
