Sport
25 February, 2024
Making one hell of a racket
INSPIRED by tennis legend Ash Barty’s book, a local group of young people with disabilities and their dedicated support workers discovered a new passion for sport after holding a pickleball afternoon with the support of the Mission Beach Pickleball Club.
The social group for young people with disabilities, the All Abilities Social Crew has been gathering for over a year every Monday, to connect isolated NDIS participants and explore a vast array of fun activities across the Far North.
The crew is also a part of the Cassowary Coast book club The Next Chapter, and after reading The Amazing Ash Barty, crew member Cody Hansen pitched the idea to the group to try out pickleball.
With the help of Cassowary Coast division 3 councillor Trudy Tschui and president of the Mission Beach Pickleball Club Jenny Flegler, eight group members and their eight support workers, gathered at the JP Byrne Indoor Sports Club on February 5 to make Ash Barty proud.
Co-founder of the All-Abilities Social Crew and support worker Fiona Fowles said it had been an exciting afternoon for all.
“With the support of Trudy Tschui we approached the Tully/Mission Beach Pickleball Club and asked them if they could accommodate our crew and they said yes,” Ms Fowles said.
“They were very excited to learn all these things that Ash Barty was talking about on her book.
“They absolutely loved it. Jenny Flegler and two other members of the pickleball club taught us how to play, and they stayed with us all afternoon, everybody was having a ball.
“Some of our crew members have mobility issues but the ladies from the club helped so everyone was able to join.
“Our community just goes above and beyond, we weren’t charged a fee and the club was so welcoming. They took the time to teach our participants and were so patient. It was lovely.”
Ms Flegler said hosting the All-Abilities Social Crew had been a wonderful experience.
“We had them playing on three courts and some of the ones with mobility issues said they were not going to play at all.
“I convinced them to just hit against the wall and one of them was so excited she wouldn’t leave the wall,” Ms Flegler said.
“Some of them could hit the ball, some couldn’t, but everyone was having a lot of fun learning.
“It was very exciting and the carers did an amazing job running up and down and picking up balls but everyone was laughing and enjoying themselves.
“We would absolutely love to have them back. It made us so happy to see them enjoy sport.”
Ms Fowles said the crew were looking forward to future sessions of pickleball.
