First Paddle

10/19/2026

The countdown to Thanksgiving week is officially on, which means local schools will be closing and the holiday break will be here before we know it.

For many local families, that extra time at home brings a very familiar worry: How do we stop the holiday break from turning into a non-stop screen marathon?

We have the perfect solution right here in Graniteville! Registration is officially open for our 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞𝗦𝗚𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞 𝗦𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 at the Gregg Park Civic Center gym!

Instead of scrolling through the holidays, give your child a three-day holiday reset packed with active movement, face-to-face coaching, and real-world confidence on the court. We have two distinct levels of instruction running simultaneously to match your child's exact experience level:

1. 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗣𝗔𝗗𝗗𝗟𝗘 𝟭 𝗡𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗘: Designed specifically for beginners to learn the game, build foundational hand-eye coordination, and fall in love with physical play.
2. 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗣𝗔𝗗𝗗𝗟𝗘 𝟮 𝗦𝗞𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗕𝗨𝗜𝗟𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦: Perfect for returning players ready to elevate their consistency, master court movement, and sharpen their strategy.
Both programs place a deep focus on our core values and positive character development throughout the sessions. Spaces are strictly limited to protect our small-group coaching ratios, so claim your child's spot at the net today!

𝗖𝗔𝗠𝗣 𝗟𝗢𝗚𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗦:

• 🗓️ 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗦: November 23rd through November 25th (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday)
• ⏰ 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM each day
• 📍 𝗟𝗢𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡: Gregg Park Civic Center Gym (1001 A Ave., Graniteville SC)
• 🎒 𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗦: Open to youth players ages 9-14
• 🎟️ 𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗣𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧: 100% Provided! We supply all youth loaner paddles and balls on-site.

👉 CLICK THE ZEFFY REGISTRATION LINK PINNED IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW TO SECURE YOUR CHILD'S SLOT TODAY!

10/01/2026

𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗸𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘! 🎖️

Calling all CSRA military families! Next Saturday, October 10th, children of Active Duty Service Members and Veterans can participate in our Junior Pickleball Scramble (Ages 8–15) at zero net cost, thanks to the incredible generosity of more than 30 community supporters!

🏆 Open to Everyone: Please note that this exciting novice tournament is fully open to ALL youth players in our community! If you are not a military family, we would still love to welcome your child to the courts for a fun morning of play, connection, and supporting a great cause.

💵 How the Free Military Spots Work: Simply head to the registration link in the comments below and choose your youth bracket. Select the military-family option when registering and use discount code BigHeart26 at checkout to lower the fee. On tournament morning, drop by the check-in desk, and your registration fee will be fully reimbursed back to you in CASH on the spot! No military ID is required.

⏰ Deadline: Online registration officially closes this Tuesday, October 6th at midnight so we can finalize player brackets and schedules. No walk-ups will be allowed on game day, so please claim your spot today!

📍 Location: Columbia County Racquet Center
🕒 Times: Check-in begins at 8:30 AM | Play begins at 9:00 AM

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿: We have placed the direct sign-up link in the very first comment below. Click it or scan the QR code in our graphic to claim your child's spot and secure their tournament swag!

09/25/2026

First Paddle level 2 happening soon!!

If your child has successfully completed Level 1 this next level is a great fit: it builds on the fundamentals and introduces strategic gameplay.

📅 Sept 28 - Oct 2 (Aiken's Fall Break week), 9-11am
📍 St. John's Methodist gym, downtown Aiken

👥 Just 8 students, so every player gets a week of truly personal instruction from Perry Wong and Caitlin Barry.

Spots are filling up, so sign up here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/first-paddle-fall--2026

Hope to see y'all soon!
First Paddle team

09/22/2026

Still making plans for fall break?

We have a few spots remaining in First Paddle 2!

First Paddle 2 is designed for young players who already have a basic foundation in pickleball and are ready to continue developing their skills through more rallying, gameplay, strategy, and fun challenges. As always, we’ll also use time on the court to reinforce confidence, teamwork, sportsmanship, resilience, and other important life skills.

First Paddle 2 Fall Break Camp
📅 Monday, September 28 – Friday, October 2, 2026
🕘 9:00–11:00 AM
📍 St. John’s Methodist Church Gym
104 Newberry St NW, Aiken, SC 29801

Camp will be led by Perry Wong and Caitlin Barry, along with First Paddle mentors who will provide additional encouragement and individual support throughout the week.

We would love to have your child join us!

Register here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/first-paddle-fall--2026

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions about the camp or whether First Paddle 2 is the right fit for your child.

We hope to see them back on the court!

Caitlin Barry
First Paddle Program Director
✉️ [email protected]
🌐 firstpaddle.org

09/11/2026

🚨 FIRST PADDLE FALL CAMP IS HERE! 🚨

Parents… this one is for YOUR KIDS. 👊

What if a pickleball camp was about more than just learning how to dink, drive and serve?

What if they also learned how to communicate. Respect others. Persevere when things get hard. Take responsibility. Show integrity. Become a better teammate.

THAT is First Paddle™. 💛

We’re bringing the FUN of pickleball together with the LIFE SKILLS that help kids become confident, capable humans—on the court AND off it.

And yes… there will be plenty of:
🏓 Pickleball
😂 Laughing
🔥 Learning
🤝 New friendships
💪 Confidence-building
❤️ Character development
…and probably a little bit of friendly competition, too!

Because our goal isn’t simply to create better pickleball players.

We’re building stronger kids. Stronger families. Stronger communities.

Southern Pickleball Academy believes every kid deserves a place to belong, a chance to grow, and someone in their corner cheering them on. First Paddle was created to help make that happen. (Southern Pickleball Academy⁠)

🍂 FIRST PADDLE FALL CAMP — 2026

Spots are OPEN, and we want to see those paddles out there!

👉 REGISTER HERE:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/first-paddle-fall–2026

Tag a parent who needs to know about this! 👇

If you had fun, you won! 🏓💛



Sign up here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/first-paddle-fall--2026

First Paddle is a youth-focused pickleball training program that not only teaches the fundamentals of the sport but also incorporates character development.…

08/06/2026

👟 Help Us Build a Shoe Library for First Paddle! 👟

Last March, we had to turn away three boys from a First Paddle camp because all they had to wear were Crocs. Pickleball is a fast-moving sport, and the right footwear isn't optional — it's what keeps kids safe and on their feet.

So we're building a Shoe Library: a set of loaner athletic shoes in kids' sizes that will be worn during First Paddle sessions, cleaned, and passed on to the next camper. No child should be turned away from their first game because of what's on their feet.

Here's how you can help: rather than asking for used or hand-me-down shoes, we're raising funds to buy new shoes — so every pair is the right style, properly sized, and ready to go. $25 buys one new pair for the Shoe Library.

We're already off to a great start. Just lastweek, two generous supporters walked up and handed us cash on the spot to buy shoes for kids they'll never even meet. That's the spirit of this program, and we'd love for more of you to join them.

💛 Donate $25 (or more!) to help a kid get on the court.
👉 https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/summer-serve-giving-campaign

👉 www.firstpaddle.org

Every pair we buy means one more kid gets to play their first game of pickleball — the way it's meant to be played. Thank you for helping us make sure no camper is ever turned away.

First Paddle™ is a youth development program operated by the Southern Pickleball Academy.

06/05/2026

Perry Wong and Caitlin Rogers Barry pouring into the next generation of little picklers.

Future champions are built by those willing to pour into them! Perry and Caitlin have years of experience growing the game and mentoring players of all ages throughout the Augusta area.

Watching these little paddlers learn, laugh, compete, and grow reminds us why First Paddle exists. 💛

The future of pickleball is bright because leaders like Perry and Caitlin are helping light the way, one serve, one smile, and one young player at a time.

06/04/2026

06/04/2026

GROVETOWEN, Ga. (WJBF)- Southern Pickleball Academy began four years ago in Aiken County, helping keep the youth and communities healthy through pickleball. Over the years they have donated pickleb…

06/03/2026

✨ Midweek Preview from First Paddle at Fermata ✨

What an incredible week it’s been already!

We wanted to share a few photos from camp as a little midweek preview of all the fun, laughter, learning, and new friendships happening on the courts. Seeing players pick up a paddle, build confidence, and discover a love for the game never gets old.

These moments are exactly why we do what we do. Pickleball has a way of bringing people together, creating community, and reminding us that it’s never too late to learn something new.

Take a peek at some of the highlights so far, and stay tuned there’s more to come! 💛

Special shout out to our junior mentors: Hayden McCarthy and Izzy Aycox