Blazing heat not stopping Little Rock pickleball players

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. –  A central Arkansas high of 103 degrees on Friday didn’t stop people from heading out to Kanis Park to play pickleball.

“It’s hot, it’s humid,” Arianna Shojaee described. “It’s really the humidity, but once you start sweating it’s kind of like you got to lean into it.”

Shojaee said she has noticed that the hotter it gets, the smaller the number of people at the courts, which is something she isn’t complaining about.

“You get to play more,” she said. “It’s nice.”

Jaxson Allen said although he is an inside person; he’ll go outside for something fun like pickleball.

“You just got to put your mind to the game and honestly the heat just goes away,” Allen said.

Pickleball is one of America’s fastest-growing sports. Shojaee and Allen said they both started playing about two months ago.

“I was very bad a month and a half ago and now I’m less bad,” Shojaee said.

No matter how hot your skills are, Allen said the best part about the sport is the connections you make.

“I think it’s just who you bring with you and who you meet here,” Allen said.

Make sure you are aware and not ignoring the signs that could mean you are suffering from dehydration.

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