The February physical education unit of Dresden Elementary School featured lessons in pickleball. Pickleball is becoming the fastest growing sport in the U.S. and other parts of the world. If you have never heard of the sport, ask any friend who plays a racquet sport, they will happily and quickly respond to your questions.

Elizabeth Sylvester, a member of the Dresden Recreation Committee, and Kadeem Edge, the physical education teacher, introduced pickleball to the students. The timing was perfect as he had been thinking of creating a unit of pickleball. Lacking a net and official pickleball balls, he had planned to be creative and substitute a volleyball net and fooze balls to start the process. Ms. Sylvester, with help from recreation members, was able to supply two nets, pickleballs and some paddles to the school. 

A week before the unit was to begin, five recreation committee volunteers, after classes, entered the gym with masking and measuring tapes in hand to create the boundary lines for two pickleball courts. Ms. Sylvester, a certified pickleball instructor, assisted Mr. Edge to help all the elementary students learn beginning ball and paddle skills during the four-week unit.

The students will be able to use their newfound skills this summer, playing at the Bridge Academy Library pickleball court. The court was built in 2015 when the selectboard authorized an appropriation from the town’s recreation fund which was funded with cable franchise fees. More than 45 volunteers ranging in age from 7 to 91 helped put in the court.  

Each year, Bridge Academy supports Dresden children with academic scholarship money. They also support the Dresden community by providing the use of the pickleball court to neighboring children as well as the adult population. Please contact Ms. Sylvester if you have any questions about your children or you playing pickleball.Email Silverbirde@gmail.com