CCHS in a Pickle: To Ball or Not to Ball?
Charlotte Catholic is well known for being a powerhouse in sports like football, basketball, and soccer. These sports are popular and considered staples of high school athletics. Something not just CCHS but most high schools need to add is new, fast-growing sports to their already strong line-up. There are dozens of sports that fall into this category, but by far the most elite choices are pickle ball and esports.
Pickle ball is currently the fastest growing sport in America, and is popular amongst all age groups. A great thing about this new sport is how anyone can learn to play. And though easy to learn, some players have become highly skilled, which would make the sport competitive on a high school level. CCHS, along with other high schools in the area, could easily incorporate these skilled players into junior varsity and varsity teams. Another advantage of pickle ball for CCHS is its affordability, with beginner paddles starting around $20 to $30 and free courts almost everywhere. Pickle ball can be played in singles or doubles, adding even more options for potential high school teams.
Also on the rise are esports. Some might claim esports are not really sports, because the players do not display conventional athletic ability. On the contrary, these athletes must have laser rapid reaction times, quick reflexes, and tactical strategy to compete at the top of their game. Unlike pickle ball, which doesn’t have much of a presence in high schools, esports are already in one out of five high schools in America. If CCHS introduces an esports team, students skilled at gaming but not adept in more traditional, physical sports can show off their unique skill set.
Another advantage of esports is the ease of scheduling matches since players will not have to travel to other schools to compete. Esports are activities that a number of students would join, and would create a new environment for them to connect with each other through competition.
By adding these new sports, CCHS could start a chain reaction, and soon all the schools in the area will have pickle ball and esports teams to compete with ours. CCHS should consider adding these prominent sports to their already competitive selection of state championship-winning teams.
