About Pickleball Cape Town NPC
Pickleball Cape Town Non-Profit Company was founded with the hope that sport could be a vehicle for meaningful change. What began as a passion for a new and exciting sport has quickly grown into a community movement that is impacting the lives of many young people, particularly children from underserved communities. Through pickleball, they have witnessed incredible personal growth - increased confidence, discipline, teamwork, and a renewed sense of hope among the youth they work with. The sport has opened doors not only for the children, but also into their homes and the hearts of their parents, giving them a platform to educate, support, and encourage families as a whole.
Pickleball Cape Town NPC strives to break barriers created by their history, cross divides, broaden horizons, and create opportunities for young people who may otherwise struggle to see a future beyond their current circumstances. By providing access to sport, mentorship, and a supportive community, they aim to inspire belief, purpose, and possibility - showing these young players that their potential reaches far beyond the boundaries of their environment. Through the support of sponsors and partners, they hope to continue expanding this impact and bring the joy and transformative power of pickleball to even more communities.
Introducing Kim Wagner
About
Kim Wagner and her husband Gunther began their journey in community work many years ago when they co-founded an NGO called BeTheChange with a close friend. The organisation focused on working with at-risk youth in children’s homes, places of safety, juvenile detention centres, and community youth groups. Coming from the Cape Flats themselves, Kim and Gunther understand the very real challenges many young people face growing up in these environments. Their passion has always been driven by the belief that every child deserves opportunity, guidance, and hope for a better future.
Kim serves as a Director on the Pickleball Federation of South Africa, working to grow and structure the sport nationally, while also serving as a Director of the World Pickleball Federation (WPF), where she represents Africa and advocates for the expansion of pickleball across the continent. Her vision is to ensure that the joy, health benefits, and life-changing opportunities that come through sport are accessible to everyone.
At the heart of Kim’s work is a belief that sport has the power to break down barriers, build confidence, and create connections across communities. Through pickleball, she is committed to inspiring young people to believe in themselves, broaden their horizons, and discover possibilities beyond the circumstances they were born into. Having witnessed how easily young people can fall through the cracks of society, Kim and Gunther remain deeply determined to ensure that the youth they work with do not become yet another statistic.
Through sport, mentorship, and meaningful engagement, they strive to create pathways that inspire confidence, build resilience, and give young people the belief that their future can be brighter than their current circumstances.
On International Women’s Day 2026, Kim was recently named as one of the five global leaders, who are helping pickleball grow where it truly counts at a grassroots level, across communities.
