Three Fans Pitch Pickleball and Win Support for Local Courts

Here's a unique and interesting way several individuals have gained support for pickleball: The art of the pitch!

In this case we don't mean a 'pitch' as in baseball but through public speaking. In an event called the Vesuvius Coworking Pitch Night Competition, Robin Able, Cheryl McKinney and Jessica Jones won over $4,000 which will be used to bring pickleball to Madison County.

Vesuvius Coworking was started two years ago by Shane Bivens as a program to 'encourage and financially support the work of Central Indiana inventors, creatives and idealists.'

This year the applicants were asked to focus on community engagement and ideas that would create positive impact among many people with only a few thousand dollars.

Bivens stated that, 'We started this as part our programming to allow entrepreneurs a stage for the community to see we have a lot of amazing things going on here that no one knows about.'

Six finalists were asked to present their ideas out of 20 original applicants last Friday, all selected by a group of entrepreneurs and business experts.

It's no surprise to us that the panel found pickleball to be a wise investment for the community's happiness and sense of unity. Congratulations to these brave pickleball advocates!

'We want a large enough facility that we can offer clinics and have space for lots of courts, and then outdoors, weather providing. We've been playing for a year, for free already, and we want to pass that opportunity on not just for learning the sport and the health benefits, but for the community it has provided for us,' says Able.

You can view the contestants' winning presentation below starting at 44:43.

Previous winners have used their winnings to open a restaurant offering whole foods and a Fit2Fly center that uses bungee cords for low-impact exercise routines.

Have you ever had to give a presentation to support pickleball, such as at a city council meeting or contest like this? Let us know about ways you've found unique support for the sport!