Pickleball club celebrate new courts

Members of perhaps the fastest-growing recreational group in Green Valley gathered Sunday for a ribbon-cutting followed by a party celebrating their new courts at East Center.

The Pickleball Club, recognized by GVR, has grown from a few dozen members only a couple years ago to more than a hundred now. The club is attracting retirees each day to the sport that combines features from paddleball and table tennis.

Not long ago, both male and female former tennis players converted then flocked — along with fellow seniors who were just wondering what all the fun was about — to one small court, waiting patiently with paddle in hand for a chance to get into the game.

Played with a large wiffle ball, the game is competitive, social, easy to pick up, and permits people of different levels to play together.

Ages here range from 50 to 90, evenly split between men and women, with former tennis players looking for a similar game easier on aging bodies blending with beginners and players who still participate in both sports.

It was obvious after so many got hooked on the game that one court wasn’t enough, so club members, led by their unofficial pickleball guru Gary Beatty, who gave lessons and organized play, pushed for additional space and the GVR Board came through with two more courts adjacent to the south parking lot at East Center.

Big money

The group raised approximately $7,100 on their own to contribute to the project. With that support, GVR was much more willing to approve the $50,000 cost to build the two new courts and refurbish the old one, explained social chair and spokesperson Cheri Smith.

Beth Patterson, Saddlebrook’s pickleball ambassador, was invited to speak at the grand opening, outlining the similar success of their group’s efforts to fund and install new courts that opened in September of last year.

That success in promoting this unique pastime in Robson’s north Tucson retirement community mirrors the trend across the country in getting seniors hooked on what was a relatively unknown game. Pickleball was invented in Seattle in 1965, when three neighborhood fathers couldn’t keep the family dog named Pickles from running off with the shuttlecock on their badminton court, so they lowered the net and improvised with wooden paddles and a wiffle ball.

Gary Finke, the first Pickleball Club president, was instrumental in promoting the sport in Green Valley before Gary Beatty took over as the group’s ambassador. He brought his musical group in to play for the social hour prior to the dinner celebration.

“I consider myself fortunate to be able to play pickleball on our new courts,” said club Vice President Phyllis Zuehlke. “We not only have a great time playing pickleball, but watching from the sidelines is just as much fun as playing. Our new courts are a wonderful asset to Green Valley, and my thanks goes out to GVR for having the courts built in our community.”

Anxious to show them the basics and get them out on the court right away, club members welcome any GVR member who just wants to drop by.

Getting hooked

“Be careful about peeking through the fence and asking about the game,” warned club Secretary Lilly Shelley, “or before you know it, you will be a new recruit.”

She took it up for the first time about a year ago, and picked up a bronze medal in last year’s Green Valley Senior Games.

Thirty-eight pickleball teams participated in the 2008 Games, compared to just nine the year before.

“I am delighted that we have the additional two courts,” added new club President Bud Heller. “I have to thank GVR for the quick and decisive decision to make this possible, and without the efforts of Gary Beatty, I am sure we would not have come so far in so little time.”

“The club currently plans to offer primarily walk-on open play,” explained club treasurer Gary Stephens, “but as the club develops and we expand our club’s volunteer base, we will likely expand activities to include lessons, clinics, inter and intra club activities, and competitive tournaments.”

Annual dues are $10, used for periodic social activities, as well as providing the balls for play, he said.

“Pickleball is a very social unisex sports activity that revolves around a mixing of doubles play that includes lots of socializing, exercise, fun and laughter,” he continued. “We are all very excited and appreciative that help from our club members and GVR was able to provide the necessary facilities we needed so quickly.”

Mike Touzeau is a freelance writer for the Green Valley News.