Pickleball is coming to Montgomery County high schools as a varsity sport starting this fall.
During the fall of 2023, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) was the first district in the country to offer pickleball as a varsity sport, according to MCPS. It was part of a corollary sports program at 11 schools designed to provide increased access and participation for students with a disability.
With the start of the new school year, the sport will be offered at all 25 high schools through a partnership with the D.C. Pickleball Team and JOOLA, a pickleball equipment company that is headquartered in Rockville. It will be a varsity interscholastic corollary sport.
“We are excited to expand our groundbreaking pickleball program to all 25 MCPS high schools, as we strive to provide additional participation opportunities for our student-athletes,” said Dr. Jeff Sullivan, MCPS’ director of athletics.
“Pickleball is an inclusive sport that fits perfectly with our corollary sports program, which provides additional opportunities for students with and without disabilities. This initiative is directly aligned with our R.A.I.S.E. core values of equity, access and spirited competition, and will provide a foundation of success for pickleball across our county,” Sullivan explained.
