'I got the scholarship and it's gone wild from there'

Charlotte Pressley believes she is the first student in the UK to receive a university pickleball scholarship - and says it has helped transform her game.

The 19-year-old, from near Harlow, Essex, is in her first year studying sports coaching at Canterbury Christ Church University in Kent.

"I wasn't aware pickleball could get a scholarship because it's a new sport in the UK; I got the scholarship and it's gone absolutely wild from there," she said.

She won a bronze medal at the 2025 English Nationals with doubles partner and coach Mollie Knaggs in the autumn.

"The scholarship helps me with my sport, but also stuff like mentoring, nutrition, and helps me financially too," she told Ian Puckey from BBC Essex.

"I've also noticed having a scholarship and being the first person in the UK to have it, all eyes are on me and it's about spreading awareness of the sport."

Pressley said she "got addicted" to the game after the opportunity arose to try it out at her tennis club in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire.

"I'd played tennis since I was six and played at county level until I was 16, and then I got injured, then Covid hit and our coach put pickleball courts down in the mini courts and introduced me," she said.

She has also joined a pickleball club in Canterbury.

Combining elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong, pickleball is played on a badminton-sized open court and with a lower net than tennis.

Players use solid paddles to hit a perforated and hollow ball, with the physics of the equipment limiting them to how hard and far they can whack it.

The smaller court means there is less running and more emphasis on hand skills.

The game was invented in 1965 by US Congressman Joel Pritchard and his friend Bill Bell during a summer vacation on Bainbridge Island, Washington.

Pressley said she was amazed when Knaggs, who had previously also been her tennis coach, asked if she wanted to go to the national competition.

"She said, 'I actually believe you can do this'- and that's the confidence I needed to get myself to the professional side," she explained.

She hopes it will lead to more international tournaments.

Above all, Pressley is keen to encourage more players - especially younger ones - to take up the sport, saying it does not require previous racquet-sport experience.

"There's no real age bracket, so families can do it, generally anybody could do it and a lot of people play it who are retired, it can still keep you in the fitness - but youngsters are starting to come through which is really nice to see," she said.

Jemma Cullen, the university's sports and active health delivery manager, said: "As a university that participates in pickleball, we are delighted to see she is excelling in the game both at regional and national level, and we are incredibly proud to support her continued success."

Its sports scholarship programme, for students excelling in their chosen sport at county level or above, was established nearly 20 years ago.

Previous athletes supported by the university included Newcastle professional footballer Deanna Cooper, Kent cricket captain Megan Belt and long jump Paralympian Desiree Bargiela, she added.

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