Popularity of Pickleball prospering

BY VANCE CARLSON Park Rapids Enterprise

The Heartland Lakes area is a prime example that the popularity of people playing pickleball is projecting in a positive direction.

Court time is at a premium during the summer months at the six courts at Heartland Park. Those courts were converted from two tennis courts in Sept. 2019. Hubbard County Parks and Recreation built and maintains the new courts.

Since then, the sport has prospered in the area with 135 members now comprising the Park Rapids Pickleball Club. That’s up from 60 members two years ago, including 36 new members this summer.

That’s a trend across the U.S. According to the Association of Pickleball Professionals, an estimated 36.5 million people are playing pickleball. That’s up from 4.8 million in 2021.

There are plenty of reasons for the popularity of the sport (which is a combination of tennis, badminton and ping pong played on a badminton-size court with a slightly modified tennis net). Players say the sport is easy to pick up, no matter your age or skill level. You can play singles or doubles and it is relatively inexpensive with a quality paddle costing between $100 and $200.

“You can go anywhere in the country and just show up and play. I like the social part. I’ve made so many friends through pickleball. The camaraderie

PICKLEBALL: Page 12

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