A child playing pickleball.
Lifelong youth advocate, Mark Miller, taught kids some key fundamentals. Shutterstock

Chicago suburb hosts 'unofficial' world-record attempt for largest pickleball lesson

Located in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, Danny Cunniff Park was jam-packed with youngsters on Monday eager to hone their pickleball skills.

Over 440 summer camp kids, ages 5 through 13, participated in an "unofficial" world-record attempt to stage the largest pickleball lesson ever.

Spearheading the initiative was instructor, Mark Miller, who taught fundamentals like controlling a paddle and hitting a pickleball correctly.

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The event was a joint project between Miller's Munchkin Programs, the Park District of Highland Park, and MLP's Chicago Slice.


Munchkin Programs provides accessible, high-energy sports programming for children, with a special focus on underserved communities. The program brings sports directly to the kids who need them most, at no cost to families.

A lifelong youth advocate, Miller actually set the previous mark of 300 participants in 2023 in Arizona.

"I incorporate self-esteem through sports," Miller told Chicago Tribune reporter, Joseph States. "It's all about giving back to the kids."


While the lesson wasn't recognized by Guinness World Records, it's unofficially recognized online.

States reports that an indoor pickleball facility will soon open in the area.

Club Pickle & Padel will offer 10 pickleball courts and 4 padel courts.