You could see it from the top of the Washington Monument and probably hear it from underneath. That familiar sound of a pickleball hitting a paddle, inescapable in some suburbs, was once again on the National Mall in D.C. over the weekend.
It’s called the “National Mall of Pickleball,” and it was played through Sunday afternoon on what are known as the JFK Hockey Fields, across Independence Avenue from the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.
“It’s all to promote health and wellness and healthy activity, and to really showcase an amazing opportunity for this amazing sport … really showcasing it on the National Mall because the National Mall is America’s front yard,” said Catherine Townsend, president and CEO of the Trust for the National Mall, which teamed up with the Humana health insurance agency for this year’s event.
Several pickleball professionals signed up to play, but anyone who signed up ahead of time was allowed to participate. That’s how Eileen Goode, of Madison, Wisconsin, ended up playing on Friday afternoon. The game she was involved in was not part of her itinerary when she got to D.C.
“We started walking down, and Kathy (a friend she’s visiting) spotted it, and of course, we had to come,” said Goode, who said she plays pickleball all the time back at home. “It’s awesome. I want a video of me playing against the monument.”
In fact, she was playing with the Washington Monument just over her shoulder.
“To me, it’s a sign that you’re just trying to make it more public, more available,” said Goode. “Anyone can play. There’s kids, there’s seniors. You don’t have to be that good to have fun.”
Helen White, of Arlington, Virginia, got addicted to the game when she started playing 14 years ago and helped coordinate some of the volunteers running the event over the weekend. She also showed some rangers from the National Park Service how to play.
“Pickleball is my life. I am a pickleball addict,” said White. “This is my fondest dream, to have pickleball being played in America’s backyard.”
By Friday afternoon, about 800 people signed up to play. Those who participated only needed to wear sneakers to participate.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
