An aspiring pickleball pro hopes to break barriers with his favorite game and inspire others to start playing.

Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, becoming a staple activity for as many as 48.3 million American adults, according to the Association of Pickleball Players.

Shakira Abdi, a pickleball player from Minnesota, is aiming for a professional career and hopes to expand the player base to include the younger generation.

In collaboration with Harambee Sports, the pair hosted a free camp for sixth- through eighth-grade children on Saturday, teaching them how to play and sharing the joy that sports offers.

“I’m pretty much the only one among my friends who plays pickleball,” said 12-year-old Christian Gust.

Abdi wants to start her own nonprofit called Try Me Pickleball where she hopes to provide similar opportunities and break down barriers.

Abdi, a woman born in Somalia and raised in Kenya, said her culture does not allow women to play sports. She hopes to be a role model for other women like her and show that sports are for everyone.

“In my culture, girls are not allowed to play sports,” Abdi said. “But I still play to show them that I can inspire other girls like me. They can wear their hijab and do more. I just want them to see me and say: If she did it, we can do it too.”