Imani Phillips Brings Bermudian Spark to Vietnam’s School Courts

Credits to: The Royal Gazette (https://www.royalgazette.com/general/sport/article/20250910/imani-phillips-showcases-pickleball-skills-in-vietnam/)

Imani Phillips spent three weeks in Ho Chi Minh City and turned a school visit into a full-court cultural exchange—introducing pickleball to coaches and students while raising the sport’s profile in Vietnam.

Invited by Aiyetoro Hinds, a Bermudian footballer who serves as head of extracurricular activities at ESchool International School, Phillips ran sessions with teachers and pupils across the campus’s four pickleball courts. The stopover became a showcase for fundamentals, friendly competition, and plenty of questions about life in Bermuda.

Imami Philips Memorable Experience Coaching in Vietnam

Credits to: The Royal Gazette (https://www.royalgazette.com/general/sport/article/20250910/imani-phillips-showcases-pickleball-skills-in-vietnam/)

Hinds said the impact was immediate, on and off the court. “The experience was fantastic and the students were very excited,” he said. “As a Bermudian, it was a proud moment to see a fellow countrywoman showcasing her talent here. I could see how much both the coaches and students benefited from her visit.”

Phillips had pencilled in the Professional Pickleball Association Vietnam Open but ultimately entered smaller local events instead. She reached the quarter-finals in one draw and mixed in against a field heavy on high-level men, adding mixed doubles, pairing male and female partners to her slate. “I got knocked out in the quarter-finals but it was a cool experience,” she said.

Now, Phillips is back in Bermuda preparing for the Pickleball World Cup (https://www.pickle.asia/blogs/india-gears-up-for-the-pickleball-world-cup-2025) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, scheduled for October 27 to November 2. Her time in Vietnam highlighted the growing influence of pickleball in Asia (https://www.pickle.asia/), with school programs helping to fuel awareness. This grassroots momentum is part of a broader story of how pickleball asia (https://www.pickle.asia/) is expanding across communities, blending sport with cultural exchange.