Austin serving up pickleball league
Published 10:59 am Thursday, April 30, 2015
Denny Boik volleys the ball in a pickleball game Tuesday at the YMCA in Austin. The city of Austin’s parks and recreation department will line several tennis courts for pickleball use and organize a league this summer. – Trey Mewes/trey.mewes@austindailyherald.com
A sport is growing to Austin.
The city’s parks and recreation department will soon start a pickleball league after similar leagues have sprung up across the state.
“It’s always nice to give citizens an opportunity to try something new,” Parks and Recreation Director Kim Underwood said.
Pickleball is a cross between tennis, table tennis and badminton. Invented in 1965, it’s played with a paddle and plastic ball with similar rules to tennis. It’s been played at the Austin YMCA for several years.
It has gained popularity throughout the region, which is why Underwood and other parks and recreation officials decided to bring it to Austin.
Parks and rec workers will partner with Austin Public Schools to line three tennis courts at Neveln Elementary School at some point this spring, along with another tennis court at South Grove Park.
Underwood said once the city gets those courts ready, the parks and rec department will organize a summer league.
The YMCA converts its gym to pickleball from 10 to 11:30 a.m. weekdays, but these will be the first outdoor courts in town.
Scott Simmons hits a volley in a pickleball game Tuesday at the YMCA in Austin. The city of Austin’s parks and recreation department will line several tennis courts for pickleball use and organize a league this summer.
What is pickleball?
•Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island by three dads on a ferry ride from Seattle, Washington. They were looking for activities for their children, who were bored with their typical summer activities.
•The sport combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong.
•It’s played both indoors or outdoors on a badminton-sized court with a slightly modified tennis net.
•It’s played with a paddle and a plastic ball.
•It’s estimated more than 400,000 people play pickleball.
•A pickleball court is the same size as a doubles badminton court and measures 20-by-44 feet. The net is 3 feet hight and the court is striped similarly to a tennis court.
—Source USA Pickleball Association, www.usapa.org
