Pickleball Soaring in Popularity Locally

(KNSI) – Pickleball got its start in Washington State but has found a second home in Minnesota.

Pickleheads is a website that helps players reserve courts across the country and organize tournaments. Founder Brandon Mackie says the Twin Cities has pickleball facilities everywhere. That love for the sport has reached the St. Cloud area. Mackie says the growing number of pickleball-specific courts here is the key.

“Whenever we see dedicated courts pop up the sport tends to really take on a new growth rate. Because they’re dedicated for pickleball, they draw attention. You can do lots of programming like open plays and round robins and tournaments and lessons.”

Pickleball is a sport for all ages. Mackie says it can be enjoyed from five to 95 years old, and maybe even beyond that at times. Dedicated outdoor courts are located at Calvary Hill in St. Cloud and Rivers Edge Park in Waite Park.

Mackie says the game can be played on a gym floor or a tennis court but pickleball has unique rules. The game is played using smaller dimensions and a shorter net than tennis, plus there’s a zone called “the kitchen.”

“In that overhead area, you’ll see it as that green section on each side of the net, and what that is it’s a no-volley zone. So you cannot stand in there and hit the ball out of the air.”

The St. Cloud Area YMCA and the Whitney Recreation Center host indoor and outdoor pickleball, so the sport can be enjoyed year-round.

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