Pickleball Fans Gain Dedicated Court Space at Capitol City Tennis

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By Tom Rohrer

washington orthopaedic centerA state known for creativity and innovation, it should come to no surprise that Washington is the birthplace of pickleball.  Invented by former State Representative Joel Pritchard and friends on Bainbridge Island in the 1960s, the sport has developed a strong, yet obscure, following in the great Pacific Northwest.

In areas such as Seattle, pickleball leagues and courts are well occupied by the public.  While passion for the game resides in Olympia, there are few places to play.

A mix of tennis and ping pong, pickleball is a popular sport among slower-moving athletes.  The court size is significantly smaller than that of a full sized tennis court.   However, as this writer can attest, younger athletes can find joy in the fast paced and free flowing game that’s easy to pick up.

pickleball courtsSome public tennis courts, like those at Lincoln Elementary have distinct yellow lines to distinguish the pickle ball court from the tennis court.  While some private individuals have built their own courts, Thurston County has had the need for dedicated pickle ball courts for many years.

In stepped in Cheri and John Campbell, the owners of Capitol City Tennis south of Tumwater High School.  Three months ago, CCT added three pickleball courts to their already impressive collection of tennis courts and ping pong tables.

The public can purchase a pickleball specific membership to the tennis center and join a growing collection of local players.  Campbell noted that a female group plays every Monday morning and a small group of men show up several times a week.  She believes more players will play once word is out about the courts.

pickleball courts“We were trying to figure out how to meet demands of the questions we were getting about pickleball,” Cheri Campbell.  “Now that we have the courts, it’s about getting the word out to people.”

Few know the pulse of Thurston County racket sports like the Campbell’s.  Cheri, along with her duties at CCTC, coaches the girls tennis team at North Thurston High School while, John has instructed and coached in the area for years.  Interacting with the racket sports community on the daily basis, Cheri and John know there is passion for pickleball in the area.

“I recognize that there’s even more of an interest than I originally thought,” Cheri commented.  “It’s surprised me because we’ve gotten a lot of questions about pickleball.  That opened my eyes a bit.  But you can tell passion for the sport exists and that people want to play.”

Cheri hopes to organize a league and then tournaments within the coming year.   The graph of activity could be similar to that of the Olympia Table Tennis league that meets throughout the week at the facility.

pickleball courts“We want to get a scheduled drop in time so players can become familiar with one another,” Cheri noted.  “We’ve talked to (USAPA) about helping us set up sanctioned leagues and tournaments.

Pickleball rackets and balls can be purchased at most athletic stores in the Puget Sound area, including the Dickson’s Tennis Services pro shop located inside of Capitol City Tennis.  Beginner rackets are comprised of wood while more advanced paddles are made of a lighter composite material.

Rumored to be named after Pritchard’s dog Pickles, pickleball will likely never go out of style in the Pacific Northwest.  Thanks to these recently constructed courts, that favor may only increase for years to come in Thurston County

For more information on Capitol City Tennis, please visit http://capitolcitytennis.com/ or email info@capitolcitytennis.com.

 

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