Thirty student-athletes from Maryland's Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) are enjoying their highly anticipated pickleball exchange in China.

Friendly pickleball competitions with local Chinese students were planned in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing, along with a variety of cultural experiences as well.

According to an Apr. 15 story in Bastille Post Global, the American students have also participated in city walks, hands-on work with traditional Chinese handicrafts, and a variety of tours, including a trip to the China Table Tennis Museum.

"It's actually really amazing that even on different sides of the world, we know exactly what we're talking about. And it's like we're one person," said Sheraz Hassan Bashir, a student-athlete from MCPS. "Right now, we're like best friends, like we've known each other for years."  

This exchange goes far beyond hitting the court and scoring points, of course.

It speaks to pickleball's power to unite people.

"Decades ago, ping pong or table tennis was a sport that brought U.S. and China relations together and spearheaded positive relations. So, we see, pickleball is something in the present day now," said Jeffrey Sullivan, Director of Systemwide Athletics for MCPS. "On this tour, our student athlete ambassadors, have an opportunity to bring our countries together."

To prepare for the journey, MCPS students practiced at Dill Dinkers and participated in Chinese cultural engagement sessions.

JOOLA provided paddles and apparel for the delegation.

MCPS was the first school district in the country to offer pickleball as a varsity sport. The program was piloted at 11 high schools in 2023, and expanded to all 25 high schools in 2024.