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It is just before 7 a.m. on a Wednesday morning at the YMCA at the Austin Community Recreation Center in Austin and the familiar routine has begun.

The pickleball nets are slid to their spots, formalities are exchanged, teams are selected and play begins with a round robin format. After a few minutes, the action heats up, but the banter is always friendly and there are plenty of laughs to be shared.

“I would be sitting on my couch drinking coffee and watching ‘Leave it to Beaver’ if I didn’t have this,” said Bob Rosel. “I enjoy the social aspect of playing with people you like to play with. There is also a little bit of athletic competitiveness to it where you get a little bit of aerobic exercise back and forth. There is always the challenge of getting better.”

Rosel is one of a group of about 30 area residents, who are mostly retired, who have taken up the game of pickleball on a regular basis. The core group started playing together around the time the new YMCA building opened and there are groups that play throughout the day at different times.

Some players showed up and found a group and others were invited to play, but all of them share a desire to compete and socialize.

Lisa Lamp said the rounds of pickleball have helped fill a gap in her life after she retired in 2020.

“I was worried about what I was going to do with all of my time. I got in with a group over here and it fulfills the physical aspect of exercise, but more importantly is the social aspect. I’ve met so many people and friends that I probably would never have met if it weren’t for this silly game,” Lamp said. “It’s early to get up, but I would much rather do that and spend time with friends than to just sit at home. Winter is the hardest time to get up and move and this is a great way to do that.”

Regular players range from as young as 50 to old as 78 and Lamp has also brought here children, who are in their 20s, into play. The draw of pickleball is that any player can step on the court and play a role, especially in doubles.

“It’s a family thing too. My daughter, son and husband all play too and any age can play together,” Lamp said. “It’s basically an even playing field. When you put my son and my son against my daughter and I, they don’t blow us out. It’s not all about power, it’s about placement as well. It’s a great game for everyone.”

While easy to play, the sport is also affordable as one can purchase a paddle and six pickleballs for around $30. There are also outdoor opportunities to play at Paulson Courts, but the indoor facility at the YMCA provides a year-long place to play, no matter what the weather is like outside.

As the sport has grown in Austin, it has also grown more organized and the players in the process of creating a Pickleball Association, which is hoping to get more people playing and create more opportunities for pickleball in town.

“We would encourage anyone to come on up (to the Y) and if they happen to see us playing, I’m sure one of us would help them out and teach the game,” Rosel said. “The long goal is to have some pickle ball courts and we’re working with the city of Austin for that.”