Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the entire world. Communities across the globe are picking up on this popular new sport and has become a hit. People of all ages are grabbing a paddle and heading to the court to have a great time with friends and family. You can be next!

What is Pickleball?

Pickleball is a fun new sport that combines many elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong.  Pickleball can be played both indoors and outdoors on a badminton-sized court and a slightly modified tennis net.  Certain rules are in place that are specific to the sport, like not being allowed to step inside a zone seven feet on either side of the net.  Don’t let the rules distract from how fun and exciting the game is. Pickleball was invented in 1965 near Seattle, Washington, but has recently gained much attraction.  The key to pickleball is that it is accessible to all age and skill brackets. It has a fun, social, and friendly vibe with rules that are simple for beginners to learn but can develop into a fast-paced competitive game for the more experienced players. Pickleball can be played with two players (singles) or with four players (doubles). The sport has grown so fast that a professional circuit was created where players can earn prize money.

LaHaye Pickleball Courts

Because of the recent growth in pickleball, LaHaye Recreation and Fitness Center has added two pickleball courts in the multi-purpose center of our facility. The courts are set up in the middle of the gymnasium and are available during our open rec pickleball hours, which can be found at the front desk.

Don’t have any equipment? No worries! We offer both paddles and pickleballs at our equipment checkout desk to be used during our open rec schedule.  Pickleball is a great way to get some exercise in a new low impact way. LaHaye Recreation and Fitness Center is always looking for new and exciting opportunities to offer to their members, and pickleball could become a new favorite hobby to do with friends.

Future Growth

With the recent success of open rec pickleball, LaHaye plans on adding multiple more courts that will be available for our members. This will allow for up to four courts to be playing at one time. Along with more courts, intramural sports will be hosting a pickleball tournament in the Spring 2023 semester. This is a great opportunity for members to play in a more competitive atmosphere with the chance of being an intramural champion.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab your family or friends and head to LaHaye to play some pickleball!