​Pickleball is part exercise, part sport, part social event and – if you ask its devotees – all fun. The Upstate has burgeoning opportunities to participate, no matter your age, ability, time commitment or experience.In addition to the growth of pickleball courts and venues that include food, drinks and more, one organization is making sure everyone has a turn in the kitchen. (If you’re new to the sport, “the kitchen” is the area immediately on both sides of the net.)Adaptive Pickleball is an Upstate nonprofit organization that teaches people with physical, cognitive, and developmental challenges how to play pickleball. Founder and Head Coach Sandy Halkett is an LPGA professional and the head coach of the Greenville Special Olympics Golf Team. She and a committed group of volunteers, including John Moore, a leader in the Upstate Pickleball community, embrace inclusion for all players. “We started this back in 2020 and our whole goal was to offer pickleball play days for people who have a disability,” Moore says. Initially, the idea was to have wheelchair pickleball, but it has become much more, and the program now includes events for military veterans.It started with three play days in 2020. In 2025, the organization held 115 play days and now has hubs in Spartanburg, Blue Ridge and Lexington. Moore says pickleball has grown for many reasons, including the fact that it is easy to learn. “The game has taken off, really, from the secret sauce of the community piece. There’s no doubt about that. But what also has helped is the fact that it is a very easy game to learn, but a hard game to mess up. When people come out to play, they find quick success early, and they get that dopamine hit of ‘I can do this,’ and they smile, and they have fun,” Moore says. “And this game can be as fast or slow as you care to make it and as competitive or as social as you care to make it.” Adaptive Pickleball always needs volunteers and you do not need to know how to play pickleball in order to help. Financial support is always welcome, especially since some players need specialized adaptive equipment, depending on their disability. For details, visit adaptivepickleball.org.Ready to get started? Upstate Pickleball – an online community resource with a playing calendar, clinic and tournament information and more. Greenville Pickleball Academy – Family owned facility with multiple locations including Florida and Georgia. The site offers indoor, climate controlled courts, many different types of programs (round robins, open play and more) and classes for all levels of experience. Kramer Sneed, manager of the Greenville location, says pickleball started in 1965, but the sport really took off since the pandemic. “You play mainly doubles in pickleball – so four people on a court,” he says. “It is a very social and welcoming environment.” PKL Park – Just adjacent to downtown Greenville’s Unity Park, PKL Park offers restaurants, drin