Rob Cahill of Arlington, former national doubles pickleball champion, played Oct. 20 at the Walter Reed Community Center tennis courts with over 45 players from Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Jamaica. Photo by Frank Ruth
The first outdoor doubles pickleball mixer in Arlington was held Saturday, Oct. 20, at the Walter Reed Community Center tennis courts. Nearly 50 players from Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Jamaica, ages 33 to 80, participated. More than half were from Arlington including Rob Cahill, 62, a former national doubles champion (1969) who discussed the history of the pickleball game.
Helen White, also from Arlington and the USA Pickleball Association’s Ambassador for Arlington County, said, “Pickleball is a particularly great sport for adults 50-plus and in many areas, such as Florida, is played mainly outdoors.” White also said the event at Walter Reed was not a competition, “just a group of people, mostly adults 50-plus, who enjoy the game and meeting others.” She said there will be additional events in the future.
For more information, call White at 703-472-1076 or email, hmwhite33@verizon.net. Pickleball is currently played indoors in Arlington at the Thomas Jefferson (703-228-5920) and Walter Reed Community Centers (703-228-0955). One tennis court at Walter Reed is also lined for pickleball. Instruction is available at Walter Reed.