Selkirk Sport partners with the Parkinson’s Foundation to promote exercise and wellness during Parkinson’s Awareness Month

COEUR D’ALENE, IDAHO — March 21, 2024 — This April, in honor of Parkinson's Disease Awareness Month, Selkirk Sport, a leading name in the pickleball industry, is proud to announce a strategic partnership with the Parkinson's Foundation to encourage individuals living with Parkinson's disease to engage in regular exercise through the sport of pickleball. 

This initiative is inspired by compelling evidence from the Parkinson's Outcomes Project, highlighting the importance of exercise in maintaining and improving mobility, flexibility, balance and easing non-motor symptoms for those living with Parkinson’s disease.

The project notably found that people with Parkinson’s disease who engage in at least 2.5 hours of exercise per week early in their disease course experience a significantly slower decline in quality of life.

“Pickleball is not just about physical activity, it's about connection, enjoyment and community,” said Scott Rider, Parkinson’s Foundation ambassador and pickleball player. “Through this partnership with Selkirk Sport, the Parkinson’s Foundation can offer people living with Parkinson's a fun way to stay active, improve their quality of life and connect with others. On the pickleball court, we're not just playing a game — we're fighting back against Parkinson's, one point at a time."

Throughout Parkinson's Awareness Month, Selkirk Sport will sponsor pickleball events and clinics designed to support people living with Parkinson’s disease. 

Anyone planning to host a pickleball event or clinic in support of Parkinson’s disease can apply for Selkirk Sport sponsorship, which will include pickleball supplies and giveaways. 

"At Selkirk, we are deeply committed to growing the sport of pickleball and leveraging its unique benefits to support different communities,” said co-Founder and co-CEO of Selkirk Sport Mike Barnes. “Our partnership with the Parkinson's Foundation underscores this mission, providing us with a wonderful opportunity to make a positive impact. We believe in the power of pickleball to not only offer a fun and inclusive form of exercise but also to create a sense of belonging and improve the overall quality of life for those affected by Parkinson's."

For more information about the events and how to participate, please visit the dedicated website at Pickleball for Parkinson's.

About the Parkinson’s Foundation

The Parkinson’s Foundation makes life better for people with Parkinson’s disease by improving care and advancing research toward a cure. In everything we do, we build on the energy, experience and passion of our global Parkinson’s community. Since 1957, the Parkinson’s Foundation has invested more than $449 million in Parkinson’s research and clinical care. Connect with us on Parkinson.org, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or call 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636).

About Parkinson’s Disease

Affecting an estimated 1 million Americans, Parkinson’s disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s and is the 14th-leading cause of death in the U.S. It is associated with a progressive loss of motor control (e.g., shaking or tremor at rest and lack of facial expression), as well as non-motor symptoms (e.g., depression and anxiety). There is no cure for Parkinson’s and nearly 90,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the U.S.

About Selkirk Sport

Selkirk Sport, manufacturer of pickleball paddles and accessories, is a family-owned and operated company. Selkirk Sport is based in Hayden, Idaho, in the shadows of its namesake, the Selkirk mountain range. Founded in 2014, Selkirk Sport was born from a passion for sport and the Western outdoor leisure lifestyle that was afforded to the company’s founders, Rob and Mike Barnes, along with their father Jim, who is Selkirk’s production manager. Backed by the philosophy of always pushing the limits, Selkirk Sport is committed to manufacturing products that deliver the highest performance with unmatched quality and service. Selkirk Sport has become one of the industry’s fastest-growing companies, with paddles used by many of the game’s premier players, such as Jack Sock, Catherine Parenteau, Parris Todd, Dylan Frazier, Mary Brascia, Maggie Brascia, James Ignatowich and a host of others premier players and national/regional champions.

Media contacts: 

Kyle Whatnall: Kyle@Selkirk.com

Brynn Grissom: Brynn@Selkirk.com