Words Kathleen Assaf
Photo inGIRLS CLUB
Twelve-year-old Rosie isn’t the kid you usually see racing into the gym at UVic. Her family describes themselves as more artsy than sporty, and as a child on the autism spectrum, Rosie has fine-motor challenges that can make everyday tasks tricky. But for five weeks this spring, Rosie wanted to play pickleball.
Traditional group sports can be difficult for some children. This past spring, the inGIRLS pickleball program gave the girls the chance to discover the sport in a small group with a professional coach, volunteer support, equipment provided for everyone, and five weeks to learn instead of a one-off experience. “Their joy was contagious! The girls were engaged, enthusiastic and eager to learn,” said Lindsey Melvin, certified coach. “I focused on emphasizing ability, breaking skills into manageable steps, and making sure there were lots of touches on the
ball so everyone could experience success.”
What does inclusion look like in a gym setting? Coach Lindsey made learning real skills playful – turning pinwheels, hula hoops and even volunteers into targets. Strong volunteer support from Victoria’s pickleball community made it possible to have two girls for every adult, giving each girl plenty of help and support as she learned. High-fives, paddle taps and positive reinforcement kept the focus on fun. Inclusion extended beyond the court too. Parents, siblings and other family members showed up each week to cheer the girls on and learn the game themselves. Some even got paddles so they could play together after the program ended.
inGIRLS Club wants girls with neurological/developmental differences to feel celebrated, included and connected and to make and enjoy friends. With 98 members in the South Island chapter, pickleball has been the most structured sports program so far, and it introduced the girls to a sport they can continue to enjoy.
“My hope was that the series of sessions would offer consistency and familiarity for our group,” said Kathy George, inGIRLS South Island chapter leader. “It was amazing to watch their confidence grow each week. Trying new activities and interacting with new people can be tough, but by the end of the program, they were all at ease with the group and having so much fun!”
Creating a low-barrier program takes more than good intentions. South Island inGIRLS Club was grateful that Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities funding covered equipment, coaching and program costs. “The low ratio of coach to child was especially important for this group,” said Tina van der Lee, pickleball program founder. For families whose kids can face extra barriers to joining sports, that kind of support can make the difference between being sidelined or getting on the court.
At the end of five weeks of pickleball, the clearest sign of success was from the girls themselves. One girl “is officially hooked and can’t wait to keep playing.” Another was “excited to attend pickleball each week.” Coach Lindsey shared that: “One of my favourite moments was seeing a participant attend a community pickleball event afterward and jump right into play with her mom.”
And for Emma, the clearest sign the program worked was simple. As her mom said: “she kept asking to come back.”
Want to learn more about inGIRLS Club? Membership is free! Find out about upcoming activities, volunteer opportunities and ways to support the South Island chapter at ingirlsclub.com.
