PICKLEBALL

The fastest growing sport in the U.S. holds court at StillWaters

STORY & PHOTOS BY BETSY ILER

Lines painted in black differentiate the tennis court from boundaries for pickleball, which is played with lightweight paddles and balls

WWhat started as a few folks taping off pickleball lines on the tennis courts at Lake Martin’s StillWaters resort five years ago has grown to a league of more than 50 and at least three players competing at the nationals level later this year.

Jim Laws, a level one referee and avid pickleball player, said while a few people in the neighborhood had played casually prior to 2016, the sport took off when StillWaters residents Charlie and Malinda Pope brought more experience and expertise with them from south Florida, where they spend the winter months. “It’s very popular in south Florida,” Laws said. The fastest-growing sport in the country, it’s easy to see why pickleball is so popular, especially among America’s retirement communities. Easy on the body and simple to learn, the game was developed in the Bainbridge Island, Washington, backyard of Lt. Gov. Joel Pritchard, who invented pickleball to play with his children. It requires only basic, affordable gear and plays on just one third of a tennis court. “At first, we would come down and tape off lines or mark

Gary McBride, Jim Laws, David Gunter and John Tincher play a heated game

Donna Hebson grimaces as she catches the pickleball during a volley them with sidewalk chalk, but that wasn’t durable. We had to redraw the lines every time it rained,” Laws said.

About two-and-a-half years ago, Laws, who was on the residential association committee, petitioned for permanent lines to be painted on the resort’s tennis courts.

“Most of the committee had never heard of pickleball,” he explained.

It’s a fast-paced game that employs elements of tennis and ping-pong (table tennis), allowing players to improve eye-hand coordination and reflex reactions without the weight and size of tennis rackets and balls and the ground coverage of full tennis courts.

The game is played on a 40-foot by 20-foot court, which can be marked out in black lines within existing tennis courts. Players wield paddles that are similar to but larger than table tennis paddles to volley a hole-ridden plastic ball across a net that should be a few inches shorter than that played in tennis.

Scoring differs somewhat from tennis in that only the team serving can make a point, though tournament matches consist of the best two out of three games, similar to a tennis set. Regular play is over when one player or doubles team achieves a score of 11, but a margin of two points is required to declare a win.

Pickleball was a natural progression at retirement for the Popes, who had played tennis in their younger years. When they moved to the StillWaters community, they brought from Florida a history of playing the game in an official capacity. Pickleball has long been a staple at retirement developments in Florida. At The Villages of Florida, residents choose from more than 100 existing courts, and another 50 are slated for construction this year.

“Residents are requesting this amenity when looking to invest,” Laws said.

The sport is growing in Alabama as well. The Opelika sportplex includes 12 dedicated and covered pickleball courts, with another 12 scheduled for construction in 2022. The local club there boasts more than 400 players and next year will host a regional event that is expected to draw up to 1,000 players.

The Popes brought techniques and strategies to the game at StillWaters, and as players learned the official rules and how to control the net, games became more competitive. With 37 men and 24 women now playing, the league uses a cellphone app, groupme, to coordinate use of the courts. Most games are played as doubles, which utilizes four players, and while most players are residents, nonresidents are allowed to play with a sponsoring resident.

As the competition has grown stronger within the StillWaters group, players have ventured to enter tournaments around the region. At a June tournament in Opelika earlier this year, six Lake Martin players won medals, and three qualified for play in the Pickleball National Tournament to be held at Indian Wells, California, in December. Gary McBride, David Gunter and Laws hone their skills for the upcoming national competition by playing four or five days every week at their home courts in StillWaters.

“Most anybody who plays here could go anywhere and play competitively,” Laws said.

He suggested anyone interested in playing be sure to wear good court shoes, comfortable clothing that breathes well and a hat or visor. Paddles can be made from wood, graphite, aluminum or other composite materials, and entry-level equipment could be purchased affordably at local sporting goods stores or from Laws, who is a local paddle dealer. For official rules and regulation equipment descriptions, check out the U.S.A. Pickleball Association at usapickleball.org.

“It’s something social and active to do. You make good friendships, and it’s something you can do with the grandkids when they visit,” explained Malinda Pope.

To join the StillWaters men’s group, call Laws at 205-317-4868. To join the women’s group, call Donna Hebson at 256-872-5172.

The StillWaters Pickleball Club plays early in the day at the resort's pickleball/tennis courts