 The Academy in ACTIONHealthy Youth and Communities Through Pickleball June 2026 Issue No. 12 First Paddle Hits the Courts...and the News!  It was the first week of summer break. Kids everywhere were sleeping late, scrolling through reels of dancing dogs, or hunched over their favorite video games. But this was not the case for 35 youth participating in our First Paddle Summer Camps. Instead of the click of controllers or keypads, the courts were alive with the thwack of balls and the shouts and laughter of kids having fun.  The Southern Pickleball Academy held two First Paddle camps the first week of June. In Aiken, Coach Eric Erlandsen led his campers through games and drills as they learned the fundamentals of pickleball on the courts at the Fermata Club. Academy Co-director Bob Fogle served as Lead Mentor, guiding these young minds through discussions on core values such as respect and integrity while serving as an extra pair of hands on the court. Junior Mentors Izzy Aycox and Haidyn McCarthy, both graduates of First Paddle, added even more support to Coach Eric and Mr. Bob.  Across the river in Grovetown, an equally energetic scene was unfolding at the Patriots Park gym. Under the direction of Lead Instructor Perry Wong, Program Director Caitlin Barry, and a dedicated team of Mentors, the campers were running, swinging paddles, and sending balls flying –and filling the air with laughter. And during water breaks, these campers enthusiastically “tattled” on each other as they called out teammates caught exhibiting our core values.  These young people were actively engaged in learning pickleball, making new friends, and training their minds in practical life lessons they could use on and off the court. And our First Paddle mantra rang true: “If you had fun, you won!”   Did you know that a gift of....
  This July 3rd, we're celebrating patriotism the best way we know how — by serving our community! Join us at Virginia Acres Outdoor Pickleball Courts from 7:00–8:30pm for an evening of pickleball, patriotic refreshments, and giving back to those who need it most. We're collecting supplies to benefit The Bridge 2 Home, a local non-profit providing safe housing and support for survivors of child sex trafficking. True patriotism means caring for our neighbors — and these young survivors are part of our community. Every donation you bring earns you a raffle ticket for a chance to win a tee shirt or a Friday paddle! Most needed items include:
Please — NO products containing alcohol. CAN YOU HELP? WE NEED REFRESHMENTS AS WELL AS FEET ON THE GROUND. CLICK THE LINK TO SIGN UP. https://volunteersignup.org/HJJPJ  Still wondering if you should wear eye protection? Maybe Paul can convince you... Click on the photo for Paul's story.   How Pickleball Gave Tony Kemper a New Life and a New Family A NEW LIFE IN 7 YEARS Seven years ago, Tony Kemper moved from Queens, NY to Aiken, SC. Shortly thereafter, he was introduced to pickleball. It didn’t take long for him to be hooked. He was soon a fixture on the courts at the Odell Weeks Activity Center where he says the people were “so, so nice…like family to me.” Seven years later, Tony has lost almost 100 pounds. He’s not on any regimented diet plan. He’s not taking any weight-loss drugs. His diet plan and his drug of choice are one and the same: pickleball, played five days a week, hours at a time. And it’s doctor-approved! His cardiologist loves what pickleball has done for his health, telling him, “Whatever you’re doing, keep on doing it!” Tony says the best part is that with pickleball, “you can lose weight having fun.”  TONY'S HAPPY PLACE So for Tony, fun is the hook and better health is a benefit, but that’s not all that drives his passion for this sport. The social network gained through pickleball is huge. Aiken is his happy place, where people so friendly. “I should have come here years and years ago,” he says, “Playing pickleball is what I wake up for.”    Then...........and NOW!  PASSING IT ON Tony loves the strategy of the game, the camaraderie, and the competition: “All the stuff that comes with pickleball.” And he thrives on teaching beginners, seeing their eyes brighten up as they learn they can play. His students may start out shy and insecure about their athletic abilities. Soon enough, though, they find something inside themselves that they didn’t know they had, a new confidence in their abilities. “Have fun first,” he tells his students, “The rest will come.”  FAMILY TIES Tony is often the first one at the courts for Pickleball & Pizza nights, with a huge welcoming smile on his face as he greets newcomers and old friends alike. It’s a new Tony, a healthier Tony, a cardiologist-approved Tony. This Tony is happy he found pickleball, and we’re so, so glad to be a part of his family. Are you enjoying the effect of the Academy as much as we are? Leave us a review on Google or Facebook!  Want your own pickleball court? Got an old cracked court? Terra Athletics specializes in high-quality athletic construction and site development. Whether it's new court construction, court conversions, renovations, or ongoing maintenance services, they have you covered! Check out their work at the pickleball courts at the Cedar Creek, Woodbine West, and West Lake subdivisions! And if you've ever played at Chris Power's farm, you know the quality of work provided by Terra Athletics!  Contact owner Tonya Yost-Hodges in Augusta, GA 706-831-8913 Email: tyosthodges@terraathletics.net Website: terraathlethics.net  Our Sponsors make it possible for us to do what we do!
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