There is enormous potential for Pickleball to bring people together, build bridges, and break down barriers. It is a game where humans operate within a standard of Pickleball etiquette: friendliness.
People rotate in, constantly changing up the “teams” of two, so that at once a person may play against someone, then becomes a doubles partner for the next game. It is a sport that lends itself to building friendships, on and off the court.
As a Pickleball player, certified coach with IPTPA, and now a travel advisor, I organize Carpe Dink’em Pickleball Vacation Adventures with a focus on Pickleball Travel With Heart.
Each group trip includes a “giving exchange,” designed to connect travelers with those who live in that destination. Pickleball With Heart intends to provide immersive experiences, cultural exchange, service-learning, and experiential travel, alongside some awesome Pickleball!
Successfully launched January 2023 with its first group, now known as the Punta Cana Picklers took place at Club Med, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. Its beneficiary was Doctors Without Borders AND included a visit to a local school, the Calasanz Bavaro School in Punta Cana.
Arranged well in advance, through Club Med’s Give Back Program and my pursuit to offer a way to bring the participants out of the resort to meet and work with local people within the destination. I was invited to visit the school on my own, to meet the Principal and other members of staff. They wanted to know I was for real and better understanding what I wanted and why.
Through some conversation using my semi-fluent Spanish, a translator and lots of head nods and smiles, they got it, and I was invited to bring the group with a plan to work with about forty middle-school aged students during their physical education class.
There were eight of us who participated in this first visit. On the drive out of the resort, excitement begins as we passed through small sections of the Bavaro district with its factory buildings along the highway and roads, grocery stores, clothing and hardware shops, apartment buildings, and tightly packed together small dwellings made of cinder blocks or of wood with tin roofs. Stores where we could have stopped to shop, restaurants where we could have stopped to eat, we instead drove past. There were no tourists in sight.
The two story school building was surrounded by a stucco wall that was hand painted with student artwork – the murals ranged from colorful drawings of tropical scenery to math facts to Spanish poetry and quotations.
Punta Cana Picklers arrive, are warmly greeted by staff and students for an opportunity to work directly with students, teaching Pickleball-related skills and team building activities during an afternoon physical education class.
The joy of this interaction was palpable as the travelers connected with students, faculty, and staff, and cameto know one another, had stories to tell, all grateful for the opportunity to share time together.
We engaged with students during a physical education class, leading sports-related games and team-building activities. We gifted the school with a pickleball net, paddles and balls, lined the blacktop with chalk and invited the students to play. Everyone became involved, we shared laughter while students openly encouraged one another for getting the ball in play, working through the game.
It was an amazing time, a real highlight of the entire trip for those who took advantage of this opportunity. This was, as we were told by one of the students, the very first and only time anyone from the U.S.A. ever visited the school.
Now that Pickleball is played throughout the world, travel options expand. The goal of Carpe Dink’em Pickleball With Heart is to allow Pickleball to serve as a force for good, curating opportunities to empower communities through “giving exchange” opportunities that deepen connection between travelers and those in destination by utilizing the elements of both travel and Pickleball to build community, foster friendships, build bridges, and deepen understanding by joining with one another from all different regions.
Upcoming Carpe Dink’em trips:
Treat yourself and join us for November 2025 Carpe Dink’em style for an all-inclusive vacation. In addition to the another school visit, this all-inclusive vacation includes incredible daily pickleball play and coaching with Pickleball Whisperer Michael Niss, of BlockNiss Monsters along with Daniella, Coach Ellen Koreltiz who also offerrs PickleHIT workouts, and a luxury stay at the newly renovated Club Med Punta Cana resort, this time in the Zen Oasis adult-only section.
Sisterhood trip 9- 14 November designed for women players (male companions most welcome to attend for the vacation part) Coed group 14 – 19 November, open to all. Limited openings are still available. Special offer if booked by 30 July.
Find out more – contact Melinda today to save your spot for this amazing adventure – embrace the joy and potential pickleball has to offer – Seize the Dink with us this November 2025 in Punta Cana – yea!
Melinda is a travel advisor and experience builder whose passion is to curate meaningful and memorable journeys that are designed to open hearts and minds and deepen connection with oneself and the world! To find out more about Carpe Dink’em Pickleball and With Heart Travel opportunities of all types, in destinations throughout the world, contact Melinda Alcosser at INFO@TravelandPickleball.com.
