Guilford County has been converting some tennis courts to pickleball courts to meet demand, but right now the county can’t keep up with the popularity of the sport.
“There is a pickleball craze if you haven’t heard,” said Guilford County Commissioner Mary Beth Murphy, who also sits on the county’s Parks and Recreation Commission.
She said Guilford County is working with other local governments across the state to learn the best way to add pickleball courts.
“We are looking into that to support the craze in Guilford County,” she said.
For those unfamiliar with the game, players use balled-up pickles to – well, actually, that’s not true.
More accurately, the game is something of a jumble of badminton, ping pong and tennis. Two or four players compete, using wooden paddles to hit a polymer ball – one that’s kind of like a Wiffle ball – back and forth.
Pickleball was invented in 1965 by dads who were looking for a game for their bored kids to play in the yard. Now, more than a half a century later, it’s one of the fastest growing sports in the country.
The City of Greensboro has both indoor and outdoor pickleball courts – which are like smaller tennis courts with lower nets. There are outdoor pickleball courts at Smith Community Park and Lake Daniel Park and indoor courts at Greensboro’s Sportsplex.
Wikipedia has a view on why the game is becoming so popular. According to the people’s online encyclopedia, “The spread of the sport is attributed to its popularity within community centers, physical education classes, public parks, private health clubs, YMCA facilities and retirement communities.”
There are a significant number of organized pickleball tournaments played each year in the United States as well as internationally.
The Sportscenter Athletic Club in High Point has several beautiful new courts.
The demand is very great all through the Triad area. Here in Kernersville we only have two designated pickleball footprints on tennis courts since the YMCA & WFU/BAPTIST Fitness Closed last year. I have 90 plus local members in our Facebook group KASPE. TRIAD Pickleball has 500plus. You just barely scratched the surface. The game is highly addictive and social yet Covid compliant. B2
What did they ever do withe the tennis courts over at Hester Park? They were in such bad shaped years ago. might be a place for pickle ball courts.
The demand is high. Wether one considers themselves “older” I suggest giving it a try. When an injury from Tennis gives problems with racquet sports like racquetball or tennis, there is an option.
Frankly, regardless of injury, Pickleball is FUN! If one has badminton, squash, tennis, racquetball, or Table Tennis in their background it will equate somewhat naturally.
However, the game is unique in itself. If you like chess as opposed to checkers, the game of pickleball provides mental as well as physical challenges.
If you are in shape, singles in Pickleball makes singles in Tennis look like you were a junior baller.
My take, of course, Chris Russell.