How Refugee Communities Are Embracing Pickleball as a Universal Language

Pickleball as a Second Language: How Refugee Communities Are Adopting the Sport
In the back gymnasium of a middle school in Boise, Idaho, two Somali brothers and a retired schoolteacher from rural Iowa stand together on the same court, paddles in hand. None of them speak the same native language. But after a few minutes of play, they are laughing, calling out shots, and celebrating shared victories. What they have in common isn’t words. It’s rhythm. It’s movement. It’s pickleball.

Across cities with growing refugee populations, a quiet phenomenon is taking place. A sport once associated with retirement communities and suburban rec centers is becoming a bridge for people rebuilding lives in unfamiliar places. With no need for fluent English or expensive gear, pickleball is emerging as an unexpected second language — one of timing, laughter, and belonging.

A Sport That Speaks Without Words
Unlike many traditional team sports, pickleball requires little verbal coordination. Two players can compete on the same side of the net with only minimal communication. The ball dictates the rhythm. The court defines the boundaries. And the rules, once demonstrated physically, can be learned in a matter of minutes.

For newcomers to a country, especially those navigating trauma or displacement, this simplicity offers rare relief. There are no referees shouting instructions, no complex formations to memorize. Instead, there is bounce, hit, return. There is space to observe, learn, and participate without fear of embarrassment.

“Pickleball lets people connect in a way that’s instant,” says Maggie Ruiz, a recreational therapist who coordinates wellness activities at a refugee community center in Salt Lake City. “You can put a paddle in someone’s hand, gesture toward the net, and suddenly they’re part of something. You don’t have to explain every rule in their language. They feel it.”

The Rise of Pickleball in Refugee Integration
Several cities have begun integrating pickleball into refugee programming with remarkable success. In Minneapolis, a nonprofit called Rally Welcome uses pickleball as part of its ESL immersion strategy for middle school students. Children from Ethiopia, Myanmar, and Ukraine meet twice a week in a church gym, rotating between language lessons and court time.

In St. Louis, the International Institute of Missouri introduced pickleball into its wellness schedule for newly arrived Afghan women. These sessions are held in gender-specific settings, with female instructors and participants. Organizers report that the game has lowered social anxiety, fostered peer friendships, and encouraged women to engage in other community services.

Hamilton, Ontario piloted a “Paddles and Pancakes” event that drew over 100 participants, mostly recent arrivals from Syria and Congo. The event combined food, play, and informal conversations between local residents and refugees, leading to follow-up sessions and lasting friendships.

Trauma Recovery Through Structured Play
Beyond social connection, pickleball offers therapeutic value. Psychologists working with refugee youth highlight the game’s structured turn-taking and gentle pace as beneficial for trauma recovery. It encourages cooperation without aggression, competition without contact, and focus without pressure.

For children who have experienced upheaval or violence, sports that involve shouting or physical clashes can be overwhelming. Pickleball’s smaller court size and softer ball reduce the sensory load. It requires coordination, but not speed. It allows for mistakes without consequence.

“Many of these kids have never played organized sports before,” says Dr. Alina Borzak, a child psychologist consulting for an ESL program in Denver. “Pickleball introduces boundaries and rules in a setting that feels safe. There’s structure, but also freedom. That balance is healing.”

Language Through Repetition and Motion
Though words are not required to play, they tend to emerge through repeated motion. Players begin to learn terms like serve, out, line, and ready simply by watching gestures and hearing others say them. This type of context-based vocabulary acquisition is known to be highly effective, especially for kinesthetic learners.

Coaches and volunteers often find that players who were reluctant to speak in class open up after a few games. The court becomes a classroom where no one is graded and everyone is invited to participate.

At a community center in Phoenix, a Congolese teenager who spoke almost no English began attending pickleball sessions three times a week. After a month, he had developed enough vocabulary to teach the rules to a younger cousin. His confidence in class improved. So did his friendships.

Challenges and Community Solutions
Bringing pickleball to refugee populations is not without obstacles. Equipment access, court availability, and cultural unfamiliarity can all stand in the way.

Some programs have addressed these challenges creatively. In Des Moines, volunteers crafted paddles out of salvaged wood and painted them with national flags to create a sense of pride and ownership. In Kansas City, courts were drawn onto school parking lots using chalk and colored tape, allowing students to play during recess and gym periods.

Cultural barriers are more subtle but equally important. In some communities, mixed-gender sports are not the norm. Organizers have responded with women-only play sessions, or by pairing family members on the same side of the net. In all cases, the goal is to preserve dignity and foster trust.

Translated flyers, visual guides, and bilingual instructors help ensure clarity without overwhelming participants. But often, the most effective communication happens on the court — through smiles, eye contact, and the satisfying sound of a clean volley.

A Different Kind of Literacy
Calling pickleball a “second language” may sound poetic, but it is not entirely metaphorical. Language is more than words. It is rhythm, turn-taking, reciprocity, and shared symbols. Pickleball provides all of these, in a format that is physical, joyful, and communal.

For newcomers who feel isolated, overwhelmed, or adrift in a new culture, this kind of literacy matters. It allows them to become visible in a space where they are not being evaluated, but welcomed. They do not have to explain their past or defend their present. They only need to show up and play.

Final Thoughts
In a world increasingly divided by language, background, and experience, pickleball offers something quietly radical: a way to connect without needing to speak. It is not just a pastime. For many, it is a passport into the rhythms of a new life.

Whether in the church gyms of Ontario, the schoolyards of Minnesota, or the refugee centers of Arizona, the sound of the ball echoing across the court is becoming a shared signal — one that says you are welcome here. You do not have to understand the words. You only have to play.