What happens when you take 15 sporty and curious Rotarians and friends, hand them a paddle, and tell them to hit the court? You get a whole lot of laughter, friendly competition—and a newfound love for one of the world’s fastest-growing sports.

Last weekend, a group from the Rotary Club of Shanghai traded their usual meeting room at the Hualuxe for the vibrant courts of Sportspal in Jingan. The mission? To discover what all the pickleball buzz is about.

For the uninitiated, pickleball is a dynamic and accessible paddle sport that blends the best of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. Played on a smaller court with a perforated ball and solid paddles, it’s fast-paced yet low-impact—making it fun and engaging for players of all ages and skill levels.

Thanks to Jack Liu and his fantastic team, we got a dedicated and patient introduction to the sport. Their enthusiasm and guidance ensured that even the most paddle-shy among us were soon rallying like pros (well… almost).

The session was a hit in every sense—full of laughs, light-hearted competition, and plenty of new moves (some more graceful than others). Huge thanks also go to Sarah Kochling for organizing this unforgettable afternoon and inspiring us to try something new.

And for those who missed it? Rumour has it there will be another session soon—especially since a few left-out Rotarians have already started nudging us to get the next one on the calendar.

And to introduce myself to you all, I am Ioana, the new Fellowships Chair. I want to give a big thank you to my predecessor, Tracy, for all her hard work. I am excited to take on this role because I believe that informal gatherings are a wonderful way to build stronger connections within our club—especially while enjoying two of my favorite things: staying active and discovering new restaurants. We have some great fellowships coming up, such as dinners at Senso and MONA, yoga, archery, a bingo night and more. If you have any ideas for other fellowships, please don’t hesitate to let me know.