On any given day you can find people waiting for a court to open up at Mid County Park or at Quarterpath Recreation Center in Williamsburg. They aren’t there to play tennis, however; rather, they are waiting with paddles instead of rackets for a game of pickleball.
Pickleball—described as a combination of tennis, ping pong and badminton—began in the 1960s in the state of Washington when some friends wanted to play tennis but did not have enough equipment, so they used ping pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball. The sport is named after Pickles, one of the co-creator’s dogs.
Locally, the sport’s popularity has grown thanks in part to Jeff Anthony, an ambassador for the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) who created the website pickleburg.com as a way to promote game play. Anthony began playing pickleball four years ago.
“I love it,” Anthony says. “I love it because it is high intensity, and there is a lot of movement, hand/eye coordination and strategy. For me, it is the total package.”
Pickleball is typically played outdoors on a tennis court using a smaller court about the size of a badminton court and a lower net. Anthony and other pickleball players worked with James City County to establish pickleball courts at Mid County Park and Jamestown High School. Robbi Hutton, the director for the City of Williamsburg Parks and Recreation, was instrumental in starting indoor play during the winter months on the basketball courts at Quarterpath Recreation Center. Players can also use the basketball courts at James City County Recreation Center.
Maryann Schwab and her brother, Rudy, play multiple times a week.
“I like it because it is low-impact cardio so it is good for my knees and my feet,” Rudy Schwab says. “I also like the competitive aspect to it.”
Maryann Schwab enjoys it because it is a sport that anyone can play regardless of age or skill. She and Rudy play with college students and other seniors.
“It is popular with the seniors,” Maryann Schwab says. “I like it because of the activity, and it is a quick game. It used to be that people our age sat home and did nothing, but pickleball gets us out of the house. It keeps me active and it gets me some fresh air.”
Anthony encourages people to give pickleball a try and offers demonstrations to people through the Pickleburg website.
“It is unique,” he says. “It is a game for your mind, body and spirit. Being outdoors, under the blue sky. Come out and watch people play. Play for fun, play for life. It is that simple.”
- Williamsburg: pickleburg.com
- Virginia Beach: bit.ly/VBPickleball
- Chesapeake: bit.ly/ChesapeakePIckleball
- Newport News: bit.ly/NNPickleball
