US pickleball trip inspired by history

Judy Louise Hoarfrost, a participant in the Ping-Pong Diplomacy between China and the United States 55 years ago, is building a new bridge for bilateral friendship through pickleball.

When the US Table Tennis Team visited China in 1971, the now 70-year-old was the youngest member.

The icebreaking tour helped bring the two countries closer together and led the way to the normalization of their diplomatic relations.

In recent years, Hoarfrost has turned her competitive passion to pickleball — an emerging sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis — and has achieved outstanding results in US national championships.

In a recent friendly pickleball match in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, Hoarfrost quickly found her rhythm with a young Chinese partner, moving smoothly between offense and defense.

After each point, she gently tapped her partner's paddle to show encouragement. Between games, she cheered for players from both countries from the sidelines.

To further promote grassroots sports exchanges and mutual understanding between the two peoples, she led a 10-member pickleball delegation from Oregon, US, to China between May 6-18, visiting Beijing, Ganzhou in Jiangxi province and Guizhou province, before arriving at their final stop, Chengdu. "Pickleball is fun and easy to learn, and anyone can pick up a paddle and play," Hoarfrost said. Like table tennis, she believes the sport serves as a perfect way to connect people from the two countries.

Watching young people from Oregon play with their Chinese peers, Hoarfrost felt deeply touched.

"This is their first time in China. There are so many moments where they're surprised, enchanted and amazed," she said, adding that it's also exciting for her to see China through their eyes.