Brighton High School is hosting its first-ever pickleball club, sponsored by World History and AP U.S. Government and Politics teacher Ms. McCann. Pickleball’s popularity continues to increase, and McCann said many people attend the weekly meets. The pickleball club meets every Wednesday from 2:45-4:00 at the Scranton courts. The club hopes to rent indoor courts to continue throughout the wintertime.
The idea came from one of McCann’s past students, Ryan McHugh. Ryan is currently a senior, but he had Ms. McCann during his sophomore year. McCann said that Ryan is the one who does most of the work for the club.
“He reached out, he taught me how to reserve courts, he is very involved and has been running the social media on it,” said McCann. “I knew he was a trustworthy kid, and once I saw him put some things into action, I thought, ‘Let’s do this.’”
McCann played tennis in high school, which is why Ryan came to her with the idea. She compared the sport to ping pong and tennis, describing it as “a great, accessible sport for so many different people, with so many different skill levels. Even if you have no knowledge of the game, it’s easy to pick up.” McCann also said, “It can be weird scoring, but the rules are easy to follow.”
Pickleball club is not just for people with experience playing the game. McCann said, “Pickleball club is open for everyone. Within the last few weeks, we have had people who have not played, people who do play, small groups, large groups. Everyone is welcome.”
The pickleball club is not something to stress out over or fear. McCann said, “It’s not taken too seriously. We don’t have a ranking board, no competition, it’s not cutthroat. If you stink you can stay.” She said that everyone is encouraged to participate in the club.
“If you don’t know how to play, you can go and play with people who do. Also, I know how to play, and I’ll play with anybody,” McCann said. “Genuinely anybody is welcome, and it really isn’t daunting.”
