The Palm Beach Royals and the Boys and Girls Club of Palm Beach County teamed up at Conniston Middle School to introduce young players to pickleball.

WATCH BELOW: 'Our hope is that we can have a Boys and Girls club championship,' Chelsea Klein tells WPTV

The partnership aims to give kids more than just a casual introduction to the sport, it focuses on building real skills under the guidance of professional players.

"It's really being able to develop a skill set that's a proper you know not necessary going out here just winging it," Boys and Girls Club sports and wellness program manager Terrance Johnson said. "They get to learn from actual professionals and they're really good. I've actually played with them, so I know first hand."

Since their announcement as a professional team, the Palm Beach Royals have made growing the sport a priority.

"Just to grow the game and our hope is that we can have a Boys and Girls club championship and may the best team win," Palm Beach Royals director of operations Chelsea Klein said.

The young participants are already feeling the impact of having professional instruction.

"I feel like it's like really good," Boys and Girls Club member Samantha Perez said. "Before, we really had people who didn't know some of it. But now that we have people who know, I feel like it's better, and we could go faster."

For months the Palm Beach Royals have spent the early part of 2026 making themselves part of the community in Palm Beach County however their latest outing may have been their best yet.

WATCH BELOW: 'This event is for the amateurs and for the community,' Zach Hunter tells WPTV

We got what you call minor league pickleball, its run by the Palm Beach Royals, which is a major league pickleball team," Zach Hunter, Palm Beach Royals owner, said. "This event is for the amateurs and for the community."

A community event that did not disappoint, the two-day event was sold out just days after it was announced.

The minor league pickleball tournament featured over 160 amateur pickleballers ages 12 to 50 and older.

On the final day of action, however, the fans got the surprise of a lifetime:, they were able to finally meet two of the Royals stars.

I think it just says a lot about the sport in general and how inclusive it can be. Just to have all these players here just says a lot about how much its growing, said Royals star Grayson Goldin.

I think its amazing, I love how theyre having so many events here in Palm Beach, I think its awesome. For me to be able to come out and support and see so many people here is just amazing, said fellow Royals star, Sofia Sewing.

Sofia Sewing, who is one of the top females pickleballers nationally, was born and raised right here in South Florida, and playing for the home team is more than a dream.

Its a blessing, I think its been a blessing for me to be on this team. Honestly, it came out of nowhere. I wasnt expecting it, so when it did arise, I jumped on it, said Sewing.

Shes not the only Floridian on the team, either; they have one of the best men's players in the world, too, Grayson Goldin.

Yeah, honestly, its extremely exciting. I just moved over to this area. Im from the west coast of Florida, and my dream was to be a Royal, once I heard about the team," said Goldin. "So, to be one of the guys on the team, means a lot to me."

While the players didnt officially take the court Sunday morning, it was still competitive.

In fact, the team's owner tells us a crazy story of a group of semi-pro 12-year-olds beating 50-year-olds in championship play.

Its by skill level and not by age, so the 12-year-olds got them, but it was a really good match," said Hunter. "There's no other sport where you can go to a competitive tournament and see a group of 12-year-olds playing a group of 50-year-olds.

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the world, and Palm Beach County is one of the areas where the sport has really blossomed.

The county's first pro team, the Palm Beach Royals, is looking to grow the game, and they're starting young. 

WATCH BELOW: Palm Beach Royals hold youth clinic to grow sport of pickleball

On Thursday, pickleball instructors were teaching the game to children at the Boys & Girls Club of Delray Beach.

"It's awesome a lot of these kids have never played pickleball before, and a lot of them seem interested, so to be able to teach them and bring this to life is awesome," said Chelsea Klein, the strategic manager for the Palm Beach Royals.

While the Palm Beach Royals haven't even played their first matches yet, they're staying busy not with opponents but with the youth of Palm Beach County.

Thanks to the Royals' partnership with Transworld Business Advisors in Florida, the two organizations have teamed up with Boys and Girls Clubs throughout Palm Beach County to provide monthly lessons.

"It's great, pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the world, actually, so all of those people that are out there playing pickleball, we want to get the kids involved too," said Andy Cagnetta, the CEO of Transworld Business Advisors in Florida.

Instructors spent Thursday teaching kids the fundamentals of the game and providing mentorship, creating a moment the kids will never forget.

"It's pretty interesting. I like the sport; I might get involved more," said Stevenson Baleus, a member of the Boys and Girls Club.

"It was very cool and a blessing, I like all the things they taught me in pickleball today," said Wadlay Pierre, who is also a member of the club.

It's reactions like that that make the monthly clinics so important to the Royals.

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More than 70 local kids at the Marjorie S. Fisher Boys & Girls Club of West Palm Beach gathered Friday to learn pickleball and blow off some steam during spring break.

Pickleball is the world's fastest-growing sport, and Palm Beach County is ahead of the trend with the Palm Beach Royals, the area's first professional pickleball team. They teamed up with the local Boys and Girls Club to teach the game to the next generation.

WATCH BELOW: Pro pickleball players teach the game to local youngsters

"It's explosive, man, I really think that we can do this, and I feel like they are really a good help," Robert Williams, a member of the Palm Beach County Boys and Girls Club, said.

"Pickleball is amazing. It was very cool, and I like how its played. I like how it was demonstrated," Taylor Smith, a member of the Palm Beach County Boys and Girls Club, said.

With pickleball being one of the most popular sports in the county, the hometown team wanted to teach the game to the kids of Palm Beach County.

"We wanted to bring pickleball to a new generation, so what better way to bring it to the kids of Palm Beach County than the Boys and Girls Club?" Chelsea Klein, the Royals strategic partnership and events manager, said.

The kids loved the day of fun, but the lessons were so much more. They were taught by professional trainers and given free shirts and paddles.

"I feel like it's not a bad sport, and I feel like I could do better with the sport, and I could really improve because in the last 10 to 15 minutes I'm already doing well," Williams said.

"Pickleball is really easy, and it doesn't take that much to learn," Smith said.

When we asked if we could expect to see them play for the Royals one day, the answer was a confident yes.

"We love to get to work with the community, so we picked pickleball as the right sport to get all the kids, parents, and community involved. So with the new team here in Palm Beach County. We thought it was the best thing to get to work together and just get the community involved," said Mariana Pasol, director of marketing for Transworld Business Advisors.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Palm Beach will make history in 2026 as the Palm Beach Royals become the city's first major professional sports franchise, joining Major League Pickleball as its 23rd team.

Hyperspace Ventures, a group of UNC-Chapel Hill alumni and tech entrepreneurs, acquired the team for a record $16 million. The ownership group includes former Tar Heel tennis players Zach Hunter, Taylor Meyer and Alex Rafiee, alongside fellow alumnus Peter Fox.

The star-studded ownership roster also features Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, former UNC basketball stars Tyler Hansbrough and Marvin Williams, Indianapolis Colts Pro Bowler Kenny Moore II, and successful founders Mitch Heath of Teamworks, Jeff Keswin of Lyrical Partners, Lance Pillersdorf of Advertising Week and Scott Scherr of Ultimate Software.

The Royals join Major League Pickleball following a 2025 season that saw record growth in attendance, broadcast reach and sponsorships.

"Palm Beach is ready for its first major pro team," Hunter said.

"We're building the Royals to compete at the highest level and to become a team that defines the next era of Major League Pickleball. Just like Palm Beach itself, the Royals will embody prestige, energy, and a world-class brand that makes this community special," Hunter said.

Hyperspace Ventures brings expertise in both competitive sports and technology. The company has been an active investor in pickleball, including a $5.3 million investment in Pickleball Inc. To date, Hyperspace has invested over $21 million into the sport.

The Royals plan to host matches, youth clinics and community pickleball festivals across Palm Beach County, along with local business partnerships to make pickleball a permanent part of the region's athletic culture.

"We're honored to bring a professional pickleball team to this storied community, and proud to help usher in a new era of championship sport in Palm Beach," Meyer said.

"We want every Palm Beach area resident to feel like they're part of the Royals family, whether they're cheering courtside or picking up a paddle for the first time," Meyer said.

For more information, visit palmbeachroyals.com.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.