47. Meet Karen Mitchell, Co-Founder and Chair of Pickleball England

Karen Mitchell is an absolute star in regard to pickleball in England, and indeed throughout the UK. After starting to play the sport (beware putting your bins out in sleepy Sussex villages!!) she saw the need, together with Frank Arico, to organise pickleball in the country. So they started Pickleball England in 2018 to promote the sport, organised a tournament (with about 320 players) and, as they say, the rest is history. The last English Open (largest tournament outside North America) had 2,350 players - with senior categories in 5-year cohorts from 60+ upwards (Paddy played in the 65+ category in all three events). Hear how the sport is growing in the UK - thanks partly to Karen's efforts - and her views on global growth of the sport. Karen and her colleagues had their greatest victory when they won the right to be the National Governing Body - beating the (English) Lawn Tennis Association in that contest (yes that's right, the folks who organise Wimbledon every year and have millions £££££ !!!) - by putting together a petition of pickleball players (yes, Paddy did sign it!).  Learn about Karen's own pickleball story and about the army of volunteers who are the life-blood of the sport in the UK - including her husband Chris - who work tirelessly behind the scenes. If you live in the UK - PLEASE JOIN YOUR NATIONAL GOVERNING BODY (no cost) - it is important that together we support our pickleball and have a strong voice over the sport. Join Pickleball England here   https://www.pickleballengland.org/individual-membership/ If you live in Scotland join here   https://pickleballscotland.org/ If you live in Wales join here https://www.pickleballwales.org/ If you live in Ireland (incl NI) join here https://pickleballireland.ie/   Check out our (FREE) Academy here ; https://www.skool.com/senior-pickleball-academy-9457/about