If you haven’t yet found a way to be active while also being social, you can double your gains if you combine the two. We all know moving keeps us healthy, but the social aspects have been proven to make at least as much of a difference in our well-being as exercise. Check out these great ways people are staying active while strengthening social ties: a win-win for overall health.
Pickleball
Pickleball is a sport similar to tennis that uses a small paddle and plastic ball (think a wiffle ball). Players volley the ball back and forth to score points. “Pickleball is a very accessible and multigenerational sport,” says Stephanie Daniels, owner of Pickleball Euphoria. Stephanie sees people of all ages and skill levels take to the courts. Some people pick it up as a social activity, while others get serious and compete.
Pickleball will get you moving, but has other benefits too. “Pickleball boosts your physical health, but also boosts your mental health and wellbeing,” Stephanie says. “It creates connection and community with people you may have never otherwise connected with. It starts with meeting on the court, but it becomes so much more. Some of our groups travel together, celebrate birthdays, and are there for one another through tough times.”
Getting involved is easy. “We’ve tried to keep things simple because we want as many people as possible to get engaged and play on our courts,” Stephanie says. Pickleball Euphoria has two Louisville locations and a third opening soon in Clarksville, Indiana. A membership is free and is required to use the automated system for reserving courts.
Beginner clinics are also offered to allow people to get in the game right away. Since Pickleball Euphoria’s opening in 2021, over four thousand people have been introduced to the sport through their clinics. “We have groups that are always willing to invite a new person in, and we can connect you with them,” Stephanie says.
By Tami Pyles
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