More than 80 people participated in a pickleball vacation adventure organized by Guilford resident and pickleball player Melinda Alcosser last month.

Alcosser, a travel advisor with All Travel with Heart, led two groups of 40 players to Club Med in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, in January for daily pickleball drill sessions with professional pickleball player Lane Ethridge and Carpe Dink’em Pickleball.

The groups participated in daily pickleball drill sessions focused on strategy and skill-building. Participants learned where to be on the court to best support one another as doubles partners.

Lane taught participants skills to add to their personal repertoire, including dinks, serve and return, how and where to cover, block shots, hitting out of the air, and moving toward the non-volley zone successfully.

In addition to the time on the courts, participants participated in a “giving exchange” with residents of Punta Cana at the Calasanz Bavaro School, a local pre-K-12 grade school in Punta Cana.

Participants contributed sports equipment as a gift to the students, as requested by the school. Some members of the pickleball group joined in to visit the school.

Alcosser led the Calasanz students and Carpe Dink’em participants in an hour-long physical education class.

For information about upcoming trips with Carpe Dink’em Pickleball and All Travel With Heart, contact Melinda Alcosser 310-903-5107 or email MelindaA@All-Travel.com.