SUN CITY – Floating volleys and careless banter quickly became overhead slams and targeted taunts as Sun City’s Pickleball Club met Wednesday afternoon in Huntley’s REC Center.
Now in its fifth year, Sun City’s Pickleball Club boasts 98 members who play on Sun City’s tennis courts and in the Huntley REC Center through the winter or during bad weather.
Currently, there are no divisions or ranks of players in the Pickleball Club, but Club President George Michaels, N.25, said he would like to create divisions to better match players.
“We want to get two levels, a fun level and a competitive level, and see what we can do so we don’t get discouragement from either side,” he said.
The Pickleball Club is holding its second annual tournament from September 11 to 12. Michaels said the first was a success and also a learning process. He hopes to make this year’s flow more smoothly between matches.
Joel Pritchard, a Washington State congressman, is considered the godfather of pickleball and is credited for creating the game in 1965.
While on a family vacation, Pritchard wanted to play on a badminton court but found himself without a birdie. He opted instead for a Wiffle Ball, but this required larger paddles. After fashioning large wooden paddles and lowering the net to three feet, the game was born.
After the family dog, Pickles, continued to steal the Wiffle Ball, (it was after all, Pickle’s ball) the game was named.
Today, pickleball is played in doubles, with partners taking turns serving underhanded. Like tennis, the ball can bounce off the court, but can only be volleyed outside the non-volley zone.
The first team to reach 11 points wins.
Michaels said the game’s accessibility makes it popular in Sun City.
“It’s mildly strenuous, it’s fairly good exercise, and it’s good mentally too. You have to watch the ball and get your hand-eye coordination going, and it’s a fun thing,” he said. “Our Pickleball Club is very social, as well as playing the game just to play the game.”
Michaels started playing pickleball a couple of years ago and found that the skills he learned playing racquetball transferred easily.
“There’s a good bit of racquetball in this game, and it stirs up the memories from years ago, but it’s a lot easier than doing racquetball,” he said.
Sun City residents interested in playing pickleball are encouraged to contact George Michaels at 224-330-8361.
