We did it! We hosted our first event as Plymouth Pickleball!
We actually did it. We created an open play event at our local community center, PARC, and new players showed up to play! We’re very excited because up to this point, all of our pickleball had been self-taught and with only friends. However, this time was different because we hosted an event with guests who wanted to learn how to play pickleball the first time and have fun doing it!
But, how did it go?
First, we established a date
Before we could host an official event, we needed to lock in a date a time. Working with a community center can be tricky because we found that they are very busy and they only have one or two people working at a time, so patience is key. It took a few attempts but we figured it out, and PARC was helpful at finding us gym-time.
We needed attendees!
My wife had a great suggestion to ask our neighborhood Facebook group if anyone wanted to play. This worked great because we knew some of the neighbors, and they knew us so it made it easier for people to feel comfortable signing up. I choose a tricky first date though since it was the Sunday over Labor Day weekend so a lot of people were already busy.
Pro Tip: If you’re starting a local pickleball community, avoid selecting a holiday weekend to host your first event if you want a stronger turnout!
How many people signed up?
At first, we had five people sign up within ten minutes of posting the event. Several others said they couldn’t make it but want to next time, and a few more signed up a couple of days later. I did not do a good job organizing the posts on Facebook, and I recommend making it short and clear to your audience when you’re playing and where you’re playing, and how to sign up, that’s it. I had way too much information in my post. Good learning opportunity though. In all, over twelve people signed up before the event.
How many people showed up?
You may not be surprised but a few people didn’t show up. Some had actual emergencies which we hope everything is okay, and others had normal life cause them to reprioritize their day, and that’s to be expected. In total, we had two full courts with eight people, four guys and four ladies. Our goal was twelve people so we fell a bit short of our initial goal but there was plenty room for improvement. Honestly, hosting eight people for our first event worked out great because it reduced the complexity of learning how to teach and run a session of games at the same time. Less was more in this instance.
What was the experience of our first open pickleball event?
We hosted a hybrid event where half of the group got started with a doubles match, and the other half focused on learning. Everyone though started off warming up with getting used to hitting the ball back and forth with a parter as this was the first time hitting a pickleball for most players. After fifteen to twenty minutes of some warmup and light learning, the remaining players wanted to play a game.
We covered rules and game mechanics, and I taught on the fly versus teaching the minor details of the game all at once. I learned this coaching technique from my introduction to coaching course at Pickleball Coaching International which is a great place to start if you want to learn how to introduce players to the game.
Then, we played a few games of mixed doubles
I brought the group together to check-in on how everyone was doing and if anyone had any questions. Upon noticing there were four men and four women, I suggested we shuffle teams and play mixed doubles, and we also encourage players to play with someone they didn’t know. Once teams were set, we started to play.
We played three official games in this format where each team played one another. Most of the games were close as the teams were evenly matched. All players were able to hit the ball back and fourth, and all players got to enjoy the game because everyone approached the night in a friendly and open way.
What did we learn at our first open event?
We learned a lot hosting this first session with players we didn’t know.
- First, we learned a lot about scheduling and that we need to be on top of the details so that everyone has the information they need. From the players attending to the community center, everyone needed to know when, where, and how everything was happening. We got a lot of feedback about communication, and we are working on making improvements.
- Adding music was a good call. We brought a bluetooth speaker to add some energy. Since it was early morning, it’s easy to find a big empty gym lacking vibes. Adding tunes to help fill the space and add something to the air was a big it.
- We need multiple ways of accepting payment. Some people didn’t like using Venmo and preferred cash. Others only wanted to use Venmo. Either way, we need multiple forms of payment. If you’re accepting cash, make sure to have bills to break people’s twenties because most people stop at the ATM on the way or the night before, so they won’t have small bills.
- People had fun! It’s always scary to put yourself out there and set up an event like this. You might think no one will show up, or if they do, it won’t be fun for them. It was the exact opposite for us. Everyone was grateful we setup the event, everyone had fun, and everyone wants to come back.
When do we play next?
Plymouth Pickleball will be back at PARC Sunday, September 18th at 10:15am. The building opens at 10am, and we will be ready to play shortly thereafter.
Thanks for reading!
We appreciate your support and hope you enjoy our content. We’re building a pickleball community in Plymouth, and we thank you for reading.
Want to play with us?
Subscribe to the newsletter to find out when we are playing, or check out our Calendly for our next drop-in time. If you live in the Northville, Canton, Livonia, and surrounding Plymouth area, you are always welcomed to join us in the fun! If we don’t have an open time that works for you, stay tuned as we get more times available in the coming months.