Growing Pickleball in Nicaragua: Bringing the Sport to Local Communities
Discover how Palmera Pickleball is helping grow the sport across Nicaragua by bringing pickleball to local communities. From Rivas to San Juan del Sur, see how locals are embracing the game, building community, and creating a new movement that’s reshaping sports culture in the country.
Back in July, about three months ago, Jasson and I sat down to figure out how we could grow pickleball amongst locals in Nicaragua. The sport has already seen lots of growth here, as documented in this blog by my Dad. We wanted to take that same excitement that's been building in the expat communities and bring it to everyday Nicaraguans who've never heard of the game before.
Rivas First
After coming up with a plan, we chose Rivas as our first target city. Since Jasson lives in Rivas, he took the lead on scouting out the city for potential play spots. After some searching, he came across a public sports complex called Polideportivo Modesto Alvarado, a place with a basketball court, a concrete soccer area, and one large empty slab that looked perfect for pickleball.
After a few meetings with the city hall and local officials, Jasson secured permission to tape temporary lines and start organizing pickleball gatherings at the facility. That was the first big win. With approval in hand and a first court taped out, we donated the equipment to help them get started. We gave our portable net, around 80 pickleballs, and 20 old paddles that we weren’t using anymore. It wasn’t fancy, but it was enough to kickstart something new.
From Casual Play to Every Day
Once the court was taped and ready, we started spreading the word. We created an Instagram for the Rivas Pickleball community and put up flyers around town in local businesses. The response was better than we expected.
At first, people came out to play just a couple of evenings each week, which quickly turned into three as word spread and curiosity grew. Before long, mornings started filling up too, and players were showing up whenever the weather permitted. Within just a few months, the energy had snowballed into something much bigger. There are now three active courts at the Polideportivo Modesto Alvarado, each busy with players every day, and the group has grown so much that we’ve donated additional temporary nets and paddles to keep up with the demand.
Building a Local Community
The best part of this whole project has been seeing more people fall in love with the game. There are now dozens of Nicaraguans who had never played a sport before that are getting into pickleball. It’s more than just exercise, it’s community connection. There’s laughter, competition, and a shared sense of pride that something new is growing in their own city.
Just yesterday, the Rivas pickleball community organized their first road trip, driving an hour south to play in San Juan del Sur at the Las Escadas Pickleball Complex, which has three courts. It was the first time many of the players have played outside their city.
This kind of momentum is exactly what we hoped for when we started. Our goal wasn’t just to create another play spot, it was to plant a seed that the people could nurture and grow themselves.
It’s great to see players from pickleball communities across the country meeting up and mixing in together. As the overall level of play gets higher throughout the country, national tournaments could become serious events, with different cities competing for gold.
What’s Next for Pickleball in Nicaragua
After the success we’ve seen with Rivas, Palmera Pickleball is now working with The Pickleball Effect to get more paddles and balls into Nicaragua. With this gear, the plan is to go to more cities, like Estelí, León, or Matagalpa, and do the same thing we did in Rivas. Find a location, set up nets, find a good community organizer, and teach the basic rules to the locals. If you want to help, fill out this form to get involved.
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