Christine Best

Class of 1979

Posted on April 3, 2023

The name pickleball may cause a giggle or two, but the game has actually experienced a boom in recent years. Some would even say that it is the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. And one of our Heritage graduates is right in the middle of the excitement. Christine Best ('79) is the Event Ambassador for the Amateur Pickleball Association (APA). She was led to this position because of her love for people and passion for the sport.

“I love my position because it gives me the opportunity to use my social skills at pickleball events to create positive, memorable experiences for participants,” she said. Christine credits the well-rounded education she received at Heritage, which included participation in athletics in junior high and high school, with helping her establish and maintain a healthy lifestyle well into her adult life. This healthy lifestyle led to her becoming competent and competitive in pickleball.

One of Christine’s fondest moments at Heritage was a little embarrassing at the time. As a member of the middle school girls basketball team, she recalls that “We didn’t have numbers on our uniforms because they were just our gym clothes. So, we were given felt numbers to sew on our shirts,” she explained. “My number was 33, but my mom sewed it on backwards, so it looked like ‘EE’,” she continued. “At the game, a little Heritage fan came up to me and pointed out the error and I was so embarrassed that when I got the ball, I ran to the wrong basket. Later I fouled someone and the ref called out, “Foul on ‘EE!’,” she added. Although she was mortified at the time, she admits now that it was pretty funny.

Most importantly, Christine is grateful that God has provided this position for her and she plans to do the best she can for the APA. “I look forward to making new pickleball friends wherever I go and seeing all the different pickleball venues around the country. Christine resides in Westfield, Indiana.