I am deep in the throes of a serious addiction. I find myself scheduling my time around this fixation, craving it more and more. My vocabulary has become filled with strange words: dinks, drives, bangers, and poaching. And the contact list on my phone is filled with fellow addicts, all with the last name Pickleball.
Yes, pickleball.
Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably heard of this funny-sounding sport that is taking the world by storm. Make fun of pickleball all you want. I do, with relish, and I’m not just gherkin your chain. Although the running gag is that pickleball is a sport for retired athletes, especially tennis players, some of the world’s best are still in their teens. Anna Leigh Waters is only 16 years old but is one of the top five players in the world, having turned pro at age 12. Top pickleball pros are pulling in some $200,000 a year. You can bet they are laughing all the way to the bank.
Pickleball has infiltrated Aiken in a big way. You can hardly turn a corner without running into a pickleball court. There are public outdoor courts at Eustis Park and Virginia Acres, with more on the way. Several subdivisions have their own outdoor courts: Gem Lakes, Cedar Creek, Houndslake, The Reserve Club and Woodside. Too hot, cold, or rainy to play outdoors? There are indoor courts at Odell Weeks, Smith-Hazel, Riverview Park, and Gregg Park Recreation Centers, not to mention the courts in many church gyms around the area. Still don’t know where to play, or maybe you’re out of town and need a pickleball fix? There’s an app for that. Actually, about ten different apps will help you find a pickleball game no matter where you are.
If you’re new to pickleball in Aiken, you’ll want to check out www.aikenpickleball.com for a one-stop resource center for recreational play. There you’ll find beginner clinics, drop-in play information, and sign-up information to reserve courts. The Odell Weeks Recreation Center is ground central for the Palmetto Doubles Invitational Tournament; other local tournaments are highlighted on their website as well.
There’s nothing better than pickleball people. Amid the laughter and competition, pickleball players give back to their community. In addition to supporting each other through the trials of life, members of the pickleball community have sponsored canned food drives and raffles for Golden Harvest Food Bank and hold an annual event called Dink for Tots to provide gifts through the Toys for Tots program.
Aiken has its share of pickleball power players. Chris Powers is ranked #1 in the world in amateur pickleball for her age category in mixed doubles. In addition to giving lessons, Powers has held clinics with Simone Jardin, a top-ranked pickleball professional. Another Aiken resident, Mo Garcia has started a youth league for several private schools and is the coach of the Tall Pines Charter School pickleball team. He has been instrumental in growing the sport of pickleball in the region and has met with municipalities such as Barnwell to build pickleball courts.
Ben Lacy, a major player in Aiken pickleball, is a professional coach certified by the Professional Pickleball Registry and is a qualified Level 2 USAP Referee and Referee Trainer. Lacy is the founder of the Southern Pickleball Academy, a 501(c)(3) public charity with the mission of “Growing Pickleball in Our Schools and Our Communities.”
This volunteer-run organization is not even a year old but has already made a mark on pickleball in Aiken. The Academy has helped bring pickleball to two different summer camps with over 200 children introduced to the sport through 70 volunteer hours. New Ellenton is starting a pickleball program with the help of the Academy.
rainy weather doesn’t stop the fun!
However, the biggest impact of the Southern Pickleball Academy is in the form of a major fundraising effort to provide area middle and high schools with quality pickleball equipment. Twelve schools have indicated a desire to grow their pickleball program. The Academy has set up a sponsorship program for each school so that potential donors can fund all or part of that school’s pickleball equipment needs. South Aiken and Aiken High Schools have now been fully funded; other schools are still in need of sponsors. The Academy is holding a Triathlon of golf, basketball, and pickleball on October 7 to help with this effort.
The Southern Pickleball Academy’s vision is to turn our fair city into a Southeastern pickleball hotspot. It won’t be long before the youth impacted by these efforts are leading the charge when pickleball becomes an Olympic sport in 2032. Check out the excitement at www.southernpickleballacademy.org. The Southern Pickleball Academy is standing on the cusp of a pickleball explosion!
Call me a pickleball junkie if you will, but the thwack of pickleballs flying through the air gets my heart racing. I’m in better shape today than I’ve ever been, thanks to this sport. I’ve met more people and made more friends in the past few years playing pickleball than I have in a long time. The laughter, shouts, and camaraderie on the courts are truly addictive. Yes, I do have a pickleball problem and it’s a great problem to have. But you better watch out: it’s highly contagious! One practice game and you too will become a pickleball fanatic. Pickleball: it’s a big dill in Aiken!
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