SAN ANTONIO \u2013 The sharp \u201cpop\u201d echoing through a local pickleball facility isn\u2019t coming from the kitchen.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the sound of veterans and first responders trading shots, working up a sweat and, for many of them, finding a new sense of community through a growing sport that has become as much about mental health as competition.<\/p>\n
Dizzy Benliro, a Navy veteran, said he plays three to five times a week.<\/p>\n
\u201cI missed out when I was in the service,\u201d Benliro said. \u201cThe people, just a small community \u2014 it doesn\u2019t matter what background you came from. Everybody, come here and just have a good time.\u201d<\/p>\n
That welcoming environment is what Tony Rowe, a 19-year Army veteran, said he was looking for after leaving the military. <\/p>\n
Rowe is the founder of Paddles for Warriors, a new nonprofit that organizes games and events for veterans and first responders in the San Antonio area.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou kind of catch the pickleball bug is what happens,\u201d Rowe said. \u201cAnd I caught the bug and I wanted to give that to other people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rowe said the transition to civilian life did not come easily. He began to notice other veterans experiencing similar struggles, including stress, burnout and isolation. Pickleball, he said, can help.<\/p>\n
\u201cI found that a lot of people were going through similar things that I went through being a military member,\u201d Rowe said. \u201cThe stress, the burnout, the isolation. Pickleball being so accessible and welcoming makes it a powerful tool for connection and healing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rowe said veterans and first responders were already playing together informally. Paddles for Warriors grew out of an effort to organize that community and make it easier for others to join in.<\/p>\n