Serving Up the Future: How One Cuban School is Pioneering Grassroots Pickleball
By Carlos Lopez, Cuba correspondent
Pickleball is experiencing a global surge, and the vibrant island nation of Cuba is no exception. At the heart of this growth is a grassroots movement taking root in the most fundamental of community spaces: the local schoolyard. At the Nguyen Van Troi School, located in the Havana municipality of Diez de Octubre, a dedicated father-son coaching duo—Carlos López and Carlos López Jr.—is laying the foundation for a nationwide pickleball revolution.
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From the Ground Up: Preschool to Sixth Grade
The López coaches have committed themselves to bringing pickleball directly into the educational environment, progressively introducing the sport to children from preschool all the way through the sixth grade. However, their mission extends far beyond simply teaching the mechanics of a paddle sport. They view pickleball as a vital tool for early childhood development, utilising the game to foster fundamental motor skills, improve coordination, and encourage teamwork. Along the way, these young athletes are also learning essential core values, such as respect and discipline, from an early age.
The Schoolyard as a Learning Laboratory
One of the most inspiring aspects of this initiative is its resourcefulness. The schoolyard itself has been transformed into a perfect “learning laboratory” for the students. The coaches have proven that large, expensive infrastructure is not a prerequisite for getting a successful program off the ground; rather, all it takes is organisation, creativity, and commitment. By adapting to their environment, they teach basic skills and implement games specifically designed for small spaces. Their progressive instruction methods include creative activities performed entirely without a net to facilitate early learning, before graduating students to an adapted 3-meter net and, finally, the official pickleball net.
A Blueprint for a National Program
The vision shared by Carlos López and Carlos López Jr. goes well beyond the walls of a single school. Their ultimate purpose is to establish the Nguyen Van Troi School as a national reference centre for the sport. Here, they are meticulously documenting their teaching methods, logging grade-specific games, and outlining progressive exercises that are perfectly adapted to the Cuban context and the specific ages of the children. Armed with this practical, hands-on experience, their objective is to design a comprehensive “Cuban School Pickleball Program” that can be rolled out to primary schools nationwide.
Empowering Educators and Expanding the Reach
To make this nationwide expansion a reality, the next phase of the program is heavily focused on educator empowerment. This includes calling upon and training physical education teachers, providing them with ongoing methodological support, and creating a robust network of participating schools. The founders believe that schools are the bedrock of any solid sports initiative. By installing portable nets in these schoolyards, communities can easily organise internal tournaments, educational talks, workshops, and clinics. Furthermore, this network will eventually pave the way for exciting inter-school tournaments, fostering healthy competition and deep community integration.
Building a Sustainable Future
Introducing pickleball into Cuban schools is much more than just a fun recreational activity; it serves as a highly sustainable, long-term sports development strategy. By firmly establishing the sport at the primary education level, Cuba is cultivating a new generation of players who are both technically and personally prepared to take the game to new heights. As this grassroots blueprint continues to unfold, it is clear that the bright future of Cuban pickleball begins right there in the schoolyard.
More development stories: Read the latest pickleball news, explore tournament coverage, and follow regional growth across Latin America.
Chris Beaumont is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of World Pickleball Magazine. Chris follows the global game closely, reporting on the latest news, developments, stories and tournaments from all five continents. He also hosts the World Pickleball Podcast, interviewing people at all levels of pickleball. Chris is also an avid player, currently struggling to make the breakthrough from 4.0 to 4.5.