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Mira Costa Student Leads Campaign for Pickleball Court

Oct 05, 2021 08:25AM ● By Jeanne Fratello

Progress to date on the pickleball court at Mira Costa - Photo via Nathan Staso.

Pickleball - the fast-growing game that's a hybrid of tennis and ping-pong - may soon have a new home at Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, thanks to a determined student.

Mira Costa Nathan Staso is leading a campaign to create a pickleball court at the high school. He has created a GoFundMe account to pay for the pay for paint for the lines and court, and a strong permanent net with wheels to move around if needed. 

At press time, the GoFundMe had reached $3,755 of its $4,500 goal.

Staso, a pickleball fan, said he got the idea to create the court as a way to get other young people like himself to get involved in it because mostly adults play the sport. 

(Local pickleball fans who try to book a pickleball court with Manhattan Beach Parks & Rec know that the high-in-demand court reservations are a hot commodity that fill up almost as soon as they open.)

With the support of the school, Staso scouted out a spot right next to the new gym where the swimming pool is.

"I have the space available and am working with a contractor to help me," said Staso. "We are making a perimeter mesh netting with fence posts to attach it to. It will be a permanent court and net right next to the new gym at the school." (See updated photo below.)

Mira Costa is on board with the new pickleball court, said Mira Costa Principal Karina Gerger. "It has been in the planning stages for a while," she said. 

As to community use of the court, she said, "We have not explored the idea of the outside community use yet, but I know how popular it has become, so I know there will be requests. The logistics will need to be worked out."

Staso said he hopes to make pickleball into a club and maybe even a sport for the school eventually. He is also trying to incorporate this into his Eagle Project for Boy Scouts.



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