A delegation of 31 Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) student-athletes will participate in a pickleball exchange trip to China April 9-21. The students will visit Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing. In each city, students will participate in a friendly pickleball competition. The trip will use pickleball as a means of bringing students together, building positive relations and sharing cultural experiences.
MCPS is the first school district in the country to offer pickleball as a varsity sport. The MCPS pickleball program was piloted at 11 MCPS high schools in the fall of 2023 and expanded to all 25 high schools in the fall of 2024. The program was founded on the mantra “Pickleball for ALL,” as the sport is fully inclusive and brings all ability levels together to enjoy an activity that can last a lifetime. (Read more)