PICKLEBALL:
The game Some say pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in America. There were an estimated 2.8 million pickleball players in 2017, an 11.3 percent increase from the year before, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association.
The game is a combination of badminton, ping pong and tennis. It can be played head-to-head or in teams of two. Each player holds a paddle and attempts to score by hitting a perforated plastic ball (similar to a Wiffle ball) over the net to the other team’s side of the court without them returning it. One team wins once they score 11 points, but a team can only score on their own serve.
The USA Pickleball Association (WWW.USAPA. org) governs the sport. Barrette said the best way to learn is by getting out on a court with someone who knows the game and learning as you go, or by watching a tutorial on Youtube. Games typically last 15 minutes or so, he said.
“It’s a very social game,” he said. “It’s not really about winning and losing, but more about having a good time and getting some exercise. I would say it’s a gentleman’s game like golf because people call their own lines and can referee their own match.”
Plans for facility A few club members spent Saturday painting lines on the current tennis courts to serve as temporary pickleball courts until the city completely converts the facility.
Barrette said the plan is for the Sam Brannan Court Restoration and Conversion project to go out to bid soon, likely this month.
From there, the city would award a contract by spring or summer. Construction would go through the summer, with project completion expected in late summer or early fall.
In exchange for the city pitching in on the project, the pickleball club’s commitment would require at least two tournaments a year, with the proceeds going to offset maintenance costs, he said. The club would also set up an account to help pay for a new shade structure that will run the length of the chain-link fence around the facility, with space for logos of the donors and the club.
“We cannot wait for things to start picking up,” Barrette said. “We would like to see it grow like it has in some of the larger cities that have 200+ members and two to three tournaments a year.”
Barrette said anyone interested in joining the club or learning more about the game should go to the club’s website, www.yspickleball.com or Facebook (@yspickleball).