Pickleball is a paddle Sport using a composite paddle to hit a special perforated ball, played on a court smaller than a standard tennis court. Pickleball can be played in singles or doubles.
Training consists of basic pickleball skills with the goal of giving each player the skills that they can use throughout life.
This will be SOMO’s First Year as a competitive Pickleball Team!
Athlete Eligibility & Participation Standard:
| Coaches | Head Coach – Oliver Ou Sport Director – Shelly Bogasky |
| Season Dates & Times | Practices: (Tentative dates) Saturdays, April 4, 11, 18, & 25, May 2, 9, 16, & 30, and June 6 & 13, 2026 State Competition: June 21 or 22, 2026. Final Date to be determined. Signup Opens: Sunday, February 22, 2026, at 6 PM |
| Athlete & Volunteer Registration Expiration Date | Athlete Registration Forms, at Sign-up time, must be valid from the first practice through the State Competition date. The expiration date on an Athlete’s Registration Form, or a Volunteer’s certification, must be after the State Competition Date to participate in the upcoming season. |
SOMO will provide paddles and balls. Athletes should wear tennis shoes and appropriate athletic attire. Athletes should bring a water bottle to practice.
Athletes should wear their yellow SOMO athlete t-shirts to practice.
There are no Qualifiers for this sport.
Plans for the Special Olympics Maryland State Pickleball Championship are not yet finalized. We expect the venue to be The Pickleball House in White Marsh, MD, north of Baltimore. The tentative dates are June 21 or 22, 2026.
Athletes can participate in other SOMO sports so long as the athlete can maintain full practice participation in all of their sports.
