Get Moving: Why join a club anyway?

At this particular moment in time, when political polarization rips the social fabric of our communities, I believe people are desperate for opportunities to unify for a common cause.

I believe those opportunities are all around us, but we just have to keep an open mind. In fact, I think something as seemingly innocuous as a social/athletic club can serve as one of these unifying factors and can have community-transformative power.

As I said in my last article, pickleball is truly a sport for everyone, a "universal" sport. It is also a social sport, which provides a time and space for the fostering of relationships and camaraderie. The relationships and social bonds that are built comprise the social capital of our community. This is capital that can be drawn upon in times of stress or conflict, when we must come together for a cause greater than ourselves.

We saw the benefit of these relationships recently as people came together to aid in recovery from the tornado and flooding.

The Jefferson City Pickleball Club (JCPC) aims to facilitate the development of and nurture the sustainability these fundamental relationships in our community, and we invite others to join us in this effort. Being a club member comes with a list of benefits, which include tangible things like T-shirts and discounts, but it's the unstated benefits of club membership that stretch beyond the individual person that make it a worthwhile investment.

The Jefferson City Pickleball Club is a fledgling organization, but it is quickly taking flight. Formed in February 2019, our vision/mission statement guides our work to be a positive influence in the community.

"The Jefferson City Pickleball Club is organized to facilitate the growth of Pickleball in Jefferson City, Missouri, and surrounding areas. The JCPC will work to cultivate a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere for the enjoyment, health and social engagement of players at all skill levels. To this end, all players are offered opportunities for recreational and competitive play, instruction and education, special events, league play and tournament play. The JCPC will work to coordinate, communicate and promote community Pickleball programs and to expand play opportunities and facilities as needed. In addition, the JCPC may offer support to community organizations who work with children or adults in the greater Jefferson City, Missouri, area."

Since February, JCPC has grown to over 40 active members, hosted a successful tournament with over 60 participants and raised over $2,000 for the Special Olympics of Missouri, created a formal organizational structure and website, and volunteered at the Special Olympics summer camp to introduce their athletes to the joy of pickleball. We also host new players nights to introduce new people to the sport, and our next community event is a fundraiser and memorial pickleball tournament for one of our club members who recently passed away.

As a resident of this community who wants to see it flourish, I am asking you to watch for opportunities to strengthen relationships with our neighbors. If you are interested in experiencing firsthand the benefits of JCPC, join us on the courts. Information about play times and locations and membership information can be found on our Jefferson City Pickleball Club's Facebook page or website, jcpbc.org.

We look forward to meeting you!

Kurt Dudenhoeffer works for StormPro and is the field coordinator for the Safer Homes Collaborative. Kurt is the president of the Jefferson City Pickleball Club, which began as an effort to advocate for wider support of the sport locally. When Kurt is not playing pickleball, he's enjoying life with his wife, five daughters and three grandchildren.