Pickleball, a sport originated in the United States and has become increasingly popular in China in recent years, is bringing students from both countries closer together as a group of American students began an exhilarating cultural exchange centered around the game in Shanghai.
American students from Maryland's Montgomery County Public Schools arrived in Shanghai last Friday and met with students from Luwan Senior High School, and friendship quickly blossomed.
The pickleball competition opened on Sunday at a sports center at the iconic Shanghai Bund, with 30 student-athletes from each half competing in an exciting and friendly manner.
"It's more like not a competition, but it's like a communication with other countries," said Chinese student Zheng Quan.
"So, it's actually really amazing that even different sides of the world, we know exactly what we're talking about. And it's like we're one person. Like right now, we're like best friends, like it we know each other for years," said American student Sheraz Hassan Bashir.
Over the past few days, the visiting U.S. students have also enjoyed diverse activities, from city walks and hands-on experiences with traditional Chinese handicrafts to tours, including a trip to the China Table Tennis Museum.
"Decades ago, ping pong or table tennis was a sport that brought U.S. and China relations together and spearheaded positive relations. So, we see, pickleball is something in the present day now. And on this tour to shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing, our delegation, our student athlete ambassadors, have an opportunity to bring our countries together," said Jeffrey Sullivan, director of systemwide athletics at Montgomery County Public Schools.
Born in the U.S. in 1965, pickleball, a paddle sport combining elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis, has exploded in popularity worldwide as a social sport, and China has been riding the wave since 2017.
Pickleball event unites youth from China, US in Shanghai
