Have you heard of pickleball? Had a chance to play it? Well, if you haven’t, you should know that it is proclaimed by many to be the fastest growing sport in America. Player numbers have grown from 2 million to more than 4 million in the last few years. Those statistic are courtesy of Daily Umbrella reader Chuck Golliher who suggested I give pickleball a try — and I will.
I recall playing some form of pickleball in my high school P.E. class, thanks to the ingenuity of Bill Fjetland, who worked to get his students to experience something other than dodgeball during gym class. But, to be honest, I don’t recall all the details.
About 10 years ago, I heard my cousins in Sioux Falls talking to each other about their court times for this pickleball thing. So I inquired, and I listened to them while they passionately shared the ins and outs of this rising sport for the next 30 minutes.
As a youth and into adulthood, I played a lot of tennis. I never had formal lessons but improved a great deal simply from having time on the court. While in college, my friends talked me into playing racquetball. A racquet. A ball. A court. Couldn't be that much different than tennis, I assumed. Boy, was I wrong. With that experience in mind, I don't’ want to assume that my tennis skills will carry over to pickleball. I guess I will find out. But where can I play?
According to Golliher, a club formed in the metro area in 2017, and several other organized groups exist in Mason City, Pella, Boone, Ames, Perry and Ankeny. In addition, facilities in West Des Moines, Clive, Urbandale and Waukee have built, or are building, pickleball courts. Des Moines also added pickleball court lines at its McCollum Waveland Tennis (pickleball) Complex. Leagues have been formed and tournaments are now becoming common in the area.
If you are curious about this sport’s 55-plus year history, check out this link. And if you’d like to learn how to play, Golliher says beginner lessons are offered at the Valley Community Center in West Des Moines. Check out their website to sign up. Have a wonderful Wednesday, and as Golliher says, keep your paddle and your spirits up!
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305 |
