Meet the new PHIT America PLAY PICKLEBALL Program Expert
- Feb 21, 2024
- 1 min read
KaSandra Gehrke, Professional Pickleball Tour Player and former PE Teacher, is the new program expert for PHIT America’s PLAY PICKLEBALL program offered in schools throughout the U.S.
KaSandra taught middle school/high school PE classes at Wisconsin Heights School District where she also coached volleyball before discovering her talent for pickleball. In 2018, she pursued her dream to turn pro and one year later, she was ranked in the top 10 females in the country and is currently ranked among the top 30 players. She holds several titles including 2021 National Indoor 2x champion, 2020 Regional 2x Champion and 2019 US Open Medalist.
She also founded EmpowHer Pickleball, a women’s-only pickleball community focused on events and experiences to help women elevate their games, themselves, find camaraderie and build a supportive community around pickleball.
In addition to her background in P.E. & Health, KaSandra is also a certified pickleball instructor and will share her expertise with PHIT America schools to help them get the most out of their PLAY PICKLEBALL program, getting students engaged and on the pathway to the lifetime sport of pickleball.
You can reach KaSandra at pickleball@phitamerica.org.
This is really inspiring to see KaSandra Gehrke turn her passion into a professional pickleball career and now help students through the PLAY PICKLEBALL program. Her journey is truly motivating and shows the power of sports in building confidence and a healthy lifestyle. It also reminds me how a Chitwan National Park jungle safari in Nepal offers a similar spirit of adventure, activity, and connection with nature.
This is a great update! It’s inspiring to see KaSandra Gehrke bring her experience and passion into helping students stay active through pickleball. Just like hiking the Mardi Himal Trail builds strength, focus, and resilience in nature, programs like this help students develop confidence and a lifelong love for staying active.
It’s exciting to see pickleball gaining momentum in schools. With KaSandra Gehrke bringing her passion and experience, students are sure to stay active while building confidence along the way. In many ways, it mirrors the journey of the Everest Three Passes Trek—a path where each challenge strengthens you, patience becomes your guide, and the reward is deep personal growth.
It’s great to see pickleball expanding in schools like this. KaSandra Gehrke’s experience and energy will surely make a strong impact, helping students stay active and grow in confidence. It also reminds me of a journey to Upper Mustang, where every step teaches patience, builds strength, and leads to meaningful personal growth.
This is an exciting step for growing pickleball in schools. KaSandra Gehrke brings great experience and passion, and it’s inspiring to see her helping students stay active while building confidence and community through sports—much like the journey to Mardi Himal, where persistence, learning, and self-growth lead to rewarding experiences.