Pickleball expands to NH Special Olympics
Apr. 23—Dorothy DiBona created the first Special Olympics pickleball program in New Hampshire through persistence.
After nearly two years of searching for a venue in Exeter, DiBona found a host in the Exeter Area YMCA.
The program began last summer and now runs year-round.
DiBona, who has a master's degree in deaf education and taught in both New York City and Manchester, is the New Hampshire District Ambassador for USA Pickleball, the governing body for the sport in the country.
The 73-year-old Kensington resident said she was encouraged to start the Special Olympics pickleball program in the state by another USA Pickleball ambassador, Theresa Capozzoli, who started a Special Olympics pickleball program in Florida.
"She just said be persistent — because I was having a problem (finding a venue)," DiBona said of Capozzoli. "She said, 'Just be persistent and try to get it going because you'll be rewarded and the athletes will just appreciate it so much,' and they do."
The program runs every Wednesday from 10-11 a.m. at the Exeter Area YMCA and has about 12 members.
DiBona, who is a member of the Exeter Area YMCA, said the club fully embraced the program.
Once she had a venue, DiBona said she had help getting the word out to the area's Special Olympics athletes from former Exeter High School boys hockey coach and boys soccer coach Jim Tufts.
Tufts has been the lead person for Exeter Special Olympics, he said, since the early 1990s. He asked athletes that he works with in bowling and track and field if they'd like to join the new pickleball program and about eight joined right away, he said.
Tufts' oldest son, Matthew, 44, is among the athletes in the program.
DiBona, who has played pickleball for 10 years, and Ann Cloutier help the athletes and Tufts also attends the weekly sessions.
Some have developed into strong players, some are beginners and some receive one-on-one training to advance past the basics, Tufts said.
All of the athletes have improved since the summer, DiBona said.
Every athlete, regardless of skill level, has stayed with the program since they joined, Tufts said.
"I think the biggest draw is one, they get a little exercise and they enjoy hitting the ball and doing that," Tufts said, "and then, I think, like anything else, it's got a social piece to it. The athletes that come ... they come and they do it and I think some friendships have grown out of it."
