Rockford pickleball club unites community for socializing and staying active
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — A rainy spring day did not stop a group of Rockford residents from coming together to socialize and play a game they love.
'You make great friends that you would never meet anywhere else,' said Tom Rondone.
Those who gathered at the UW Health Sports Factory are part of a growing club that organizes and plays Pickleball throughout the year.
'So there's somebody who has all of our emails, you know, we give it to him, and then he says, 'We're going to play this day,' said Allen Steely. 'They also then on birthdays, people bring cookies and things. So it is a social club as well.'
April is National Pickleball Month, and it has been the fastest-growing sport in America for 4 years running.
Steely said the sport's popularity is due to its benefits for those who are retired.
'Right after I retired at age 66, then I started to play,' said Steely. 'You make new friends, and there's many different places to play in town… It's also great exercise for older people to keep your heart [and] your lungs in shape.'
A fellow member feels the same way when it comes to playing the sport.
'You adapt to a certain group of friends, and you become very close,' said Dean Russell.
The health benefits of playing keep Russell on the court.
'I've been diabetic for 38 years. It's to keep moving so I don't get complications from diabetes,' Russel explained. 'It's just expanding, and I will never meet people that good [of] friends from out of town.'
According to USA Pickleball, 4,000 new courts were added nationwide in 2024.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
815 BlackFest celebrates Black culture and tackles issues
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Rockford's Levings Park will host the return of the 815 BlackFest, a summer festival celebrating Black culture. The event will be headlined by Just Fine, a Mary J. Blige tribute act from Pittsburgh. Along with the food, vendors, and music, the stated goal of the event is to address more serious issues in the Black community, including hunger, domestic violence, mental health, education, financial literacy, and homelessness. 'When we look at those six pillars, almost every avenue of those six pillars I've touched at some point in my life. And a lot of people have,' said community advocate Tina Renee. 'But the one thing that has brought me through those pillars, and the struggles, is having those connections and those resources, or having people who surround me that can help me through those.' 815 BlackFest will take place on June 29th, 2025, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Levings Park, 1420 S. Pierpont Ave. Admission is free. Other performers include the Phenomenal Dolls, FAB Dance Team, Yavo, DJ H-Fresh, Trinity Rucker, and a fashion show with Shereese Croft. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Mercyhealth provides interships for the disabled through ‘Project Search'
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Disabled high school students graduated from the 9-month 'Project Search' program on Friday. The program teaches disabled individuals the skills they need to enter the workforce. That includes internships with Mercyhealth, job development, and individual help with certain skills. The 'Project Search' program is a partnership between Mercyhealth, Rockford Public Schools, RAMP, and the Illinois Department of Human Services. 'It really is a life-changing opportunity for a lot of these young adults,' said classroom instructor Libby Wolfgram. 'They do have disabilities. We all know the job market is tough, and it's made even more difficult if you add on a disability. This program really does make all the difference.' Seven students graduated this year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Illinois bill to legalize assisted suicide stalls in Senate
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — A bill that would legally allow doctors to prescribe fatal doses of medication to terminally ill patients has stalled in the Illinois Senate. was introduced as 'sanitary food preparation' legislation, but contained the 'End of Life Options Act,' which would give a mentally sound adult with six months or less to live the option to get medication to die peacefully with the help of a prescription. Under the bill, a physician must first provide information about comfort care, palliative care, and pain control, and the patient must be able to self-ingest the medication. They would have to make two oral requests and a written request, and the request must be witnessed by two people who attest that the patient is acting voluntarily and with a sound mind. This legislation will also require doctors to talk about all end-of-life care options, including medical aid in dying. Life insurance payments cannot be denied to the families of those who use the law. The Illinois House passed the measure, but it did not clear the Senate before the end of the spring legislative session. The Catholic Diocese of Rockford was among the groups opposing the act, with Bishop David Malloy , 'In states with legalized suicide, there are documented cases of insurance companies refusing to pay for the necessary care of the terminally ill while at the same time, they will cover the small cost of the drugs resulting in the end of life.' Malloy also quoted the American Medical Association as saying, 'Physician-assisted suicide is fundamentally incompatible with the physician's role as healer, would be difficult or impossible to control, and would provide serious societal risks.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
