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Photos by Erin Nelson.
Larry Beaury returns the ball as he and Tony Pace play a game of pickleball against Gail Furtner and Greg Hart at the Chelsea Community Center on March 30. Plans for more pickleball courts are in the works at the center. Outdoor courts will be added, and even more courts will be available when the second gym is constructed.
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Greg Hart returns the ball as he and Gail Furtner play a game of pickleball against Larry Beaury and Tony Pace.
When the doors open at 8 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the Chelsea Community Center, there are usually people waiting to get inside the gym. What they are there for may come as a surprise: They head to the pickleball courts to play America’s fastest growing indoor sport.
Described as a blend of tennis, badminton and table tennis, pickleball has grown so much that Shelby County officials are adding more space to play the game, both indoors and outdoors.
The Chelsea Community Center has three pickleball courts, which are set up in the gymnasium, where three teams of four will play five times each week. Courts typically are 20 feet wide and 44 feet long — about one-fourth the size of a tennis court.
According to the USA Pickleball Association, the governing and rule-setting body for the sport in this country, 4.2 million Americans were playing pickleball in 2020, an increase of 21.3% from 2019.
Participation in tournaments is growing, new leagues are forming, and communities, country clubs and fitness centers across the country are converting hard-court surfaces for pickleball use and building new courts dedicated to the sport.
A game for all ages
Jane Ann Mueller said many of the players who come to Chelsea are retirees, but a good number of them are parents and still working. She said some build their day around it.
While it has some similarities to tennis, there are some differences. Just as the court is smaller, the paddles are smaller than tennis rackets (more like large ping-pong paddles), and the ball is plastic with holes in it like a wiffle ball and therefore doesn’t bounce as much.
People from all age groups come to play at Chelsea Community Center. They have a variety of skill levels, and game times for advanced players and beginners/novice players are separate.
Each game typically takes about 25 minutes, and the courts stay pretty full from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, along with Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings.
Meeting demand
The demand for pickleball has grown so much that Shelby County has plans to add more courts at Veterans Park in Hoover.
Planning has already begun to add the outdoor courts at Veterans Park. The project is a joint 50-50 project between the city of Hoover and Shelby County. The budget is $600,000, but may not cost that much according to County Manager Chad Scroggins.
While the exact location hasn’t been decided, the idea is to put it close to the parking area without interfering with other activities that take place at the park, such as cross-country meets.
“There is pretty substantial interest in the sport for sure,” Shelby County Manager Chad Scroggins said. “We are trying to meet the demand of our residents and provide recreation opportunities for all ages.
Meanwhile at Chelsea Community Center, plans for more courts are in the works there. Outdoor courts will be added, and even more courts will be available when the second gym is constructed.
Where to play
Mueller said most of the participants are residents of Chelsea and surrounding areas in Shelby County. Some players do drive to Chelsea on days they are offering play, and on the days Chelsea doesn’t offer pickleball (Sundays and Fridays), players will find somewhere they can play, following the pickleball cycle.
“People know about it now and they’re hungry to know more,” she said. “The ones who love the sport will search it out.”
Mueller added that the pickleball players are a great group and said she loves having them at the community center.
In Shelby County, you can find pickleball courts at places including Heardmont Park, the Greystone YMCA, Joe Tucker Park in Helena, Pelham Recreation Center, Valleydale Church and Brook Highland Racquet Club. Other spots around the area include Sicard Hollow Athletic Complex in Vestavia Hills, Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church, Lifetime Fitness in Vestavia Hills, Homewood Community Center, Levite Jewish Community Center, Mountain Brook YMCA and Trussville mall.
To learn more about pickleball, visit usapickleball.org.
