Pickleball group donates to Isla Montessori Saipan

The Pickleball Federation of the Northern Mariana Islands including Don Dunlop, back, second from right, Dr. Nelson Krum, Donna Krum, Nicky Nichols, Marivic Dunlop, and Rowena Houck donated pickleball equipment to Isla Montessori Saipan and striped a pickleball court at the Dan Dan Homestead Children’s Park last Wednesday. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

The Pickleball Federation of the Northern Mariana Islands and Paradise Dental Spa brought pickleball to young children after their donation of pickleball equipment to the Isla Montessori Saipan last Wednesday at the newly minted pickleball court in the Dan Dan Homestead Children’s Park near the school.

Present on the first day of lessons, striping of the basketball court into a pickleball court, and donation of a net, four paddles, and balls, were PFNMI board members, which include president Dr. Nelson Krum, members Donna Krum, Donn Dunlop, Nicky Nichols, Marivic Dunlop, and Isla Montessori Saipan principal Tatiana Ilmova, elementary teacher Kim Morgan, and their students aged 6 to 11.

Isla Montessori Saipan children are seen playing pickleball with Pickleball Federation of the Northern Mariana Islands Dr. Nelson Krum, second left, and teacher Kim Morgan on the newly striped pickleball court at the Dan Dan Homestead Children’s Park yesterday morning. (LEIGH GASES)

Dr. Krum said that introducing pickleball to young children is easy enough as just in their second day of lessons, they are learning quickly and that two of them are almost ready to start hitting from the baseline.

He also looks forward to hopefully getting some pickleball players on Saipan to play in the 2032 Olympics when pickleball will hopefully be introduced as an Olympic sport. “We want to develop Saipan to hopefully have a player in the Olympics in 2032. And it’ll be a new enough sport that even kids from Saipan who don’t consider themselves as Olympic material can play with the kids from the rest of the world and compete. It’s going to be a fun program and the youth are new blood.”

Kim Morgan, who arrived on Saipan last June, said that she is grateful for the introduction of pickleball to the students. She said they practice on their own in the mornings before class and get lessons from the PFNMI on Wednesdays. “Every day, the children are allowed to go out and practice their skills of hitting the ball against the wall, and practice forehand and backhand bouncing.”

She added, “I love pickleball and the pickleball program for the children. They collaborate, they’re moving, they’re working on gross motor skills, balance. It energizes them before the work day. And it’s just a great program. I just want to thank the coaches for coming out, helping, and contributing the equipment and their time. We are so grateful to them.”

Isla Montessori Saipan children were taught pickleball lessons yesterday at the Dan Dan Homestead Children’s Park. Back from left: Isla Montessori School teacher Kim Morgan, Sam Pangelinan, Dr. Nelson Krum, Alesa Ilmova, Nicky Nichols. Front from left: Honey Thomsen, Dasha Shatskova, Sebastian Banes, Sammy McPhetres, and Roque Camacho, along with their class dog. (LEIGH GASES)

In yesterday morning’s continuation of lessons, the children were excited once again to learn and play the sport. 

Alesa Ilmova, a 9-year-old, said that she liked pickleball right away. “I like pickleball because it’s very energizing. It’s a sport that really fits me because I like moving a lot… talking to a lot of people, and that’s what I like.”

Sam Pangelinan, a 10-year-old, said that he likes pickleball because it’s easier than tennis. “It’s a very fun sport, unlike tennis which is harder. For tennis, you may need to learn for two years to be really good at it but for pickleball, you can just master it in two weeks. Pickleball is a very easy sport. If you’re trying to find something that’s easy to master, easy to do, and fun to do, pickleball is the thing.”

Dasha Shatskova and Sebastian Banes, both 6-year-olds, also said that they like pickleball because it’s fun.

Last November, PFNMI successfully introduced pickleball to Hopwood Middle School with the help of PE teacher and pickleball player Chang Whan Jang.