LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Pickleball pro, Hercillio Cabieses, has been sharing his love of the wildly popular sport with anyone who listens.

The Peru native is often found instructing players on their technique.

“Pickleball has taken me to many different places. I’ve met really nice people, and just [enjoy] spreading the love of pickleball,” Cabieses said. 

Cabieses came to Kentucky for the Bourbon City Pickleball day camp—helping to spread his expertise of the sport. It’s a mission he started to make pickleball more accessible, both in the U.S. and abroad.

“We realized that some Hispanic countries were having trouble learning how to understand the rules because of the language barrier, so Pickleball Peru translates all the rulebooks, handbooks, referee rulebooks and donated them to all the South America region,” he said.

They provide the equipment needed and give the players wooden paddles so they can continue to play after the camp is over.

“[Pickleball is] such a welcoming sport. The community is so nice,” Cabieses said. “We want to make pickleball not a country club sport, not an exclusive sport. We want pickleball for everyone.”

Like Cabieses, one group of friends is sharing the sport with players in Jefferson County. They hosted the first Bourbon Pickleball Camp at Tom Sawyer Park.

“They don’t have the travel expense, and they don’t have the lodging and the car rental and the pros being able to stay at our house,” Janet Hayden said. 

She believes you can’t go wrong with playing pickleball.

“It’s great exercise, it’s great cardio, and it’s also social, so it checks all the boxes for good health,” Hayden explained.

USA Pickleball says there are about 380 Pickleball courts in the Commonwealth.

For Cabieses, who played tennis at Campbellsville University, Kentucky has a profound significance to him.

“Having the opportunity to come back to Kentucky with the sport, I mean, is just a blessing and I love the people here,” Cabieses said.