Why Huntsville can't stop playing pickleball
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Judy Hayes teaches classes around Huntsville, including at Rocket City Pickleball Club. Photo: Derek Lacey/Axios
Pickleball is surging in popularity in Huntsville and around the country.
Why it matters: Pickleball has a low barrier of entry: easy to learn, accessible, social, and is a way to stay active and work off the stress of the day, pickleball coach Judy Hayes tells Axios Huntsville.
- It's also driving investment in public and private facilities.
Catch up quick: The modern pickleball era in Huntsville dates back to 2010, when five people approached the Huntsville/Madison County Senior Center about playing pickleball there.
- According to the Huntsville Pickleball Club, the senior center provided a court, a net and four paddles for an initial seven players.
- By 2013, there were 24 members of an informal club, officially formed the next year. By 2015, it boasted 182 members, and today has more than 300.
What they're saying: "(Pickleball) bonds people together that would not normally ever cross paths," Hayes, a former club president, said. "It's multi-generational. It's an easy sport to learn. It's harder to get really good at."
- Huntsville Pickleball Club, focused on growing the community, differs from private clubs like Rocket City Pickleball Club on Leeman Ferry Road, which offer organized play, classes, leagues and more in one location.
State of play: Huntsville is bullish on pickleball as it looks to provide opportunities for residents and draw in sports tourism dollars.
- Last year, the city launched a project at John Hunt Park to construct a facility with 25 dedicated, lighted pickleball courts, and plans are in the works to include a couple at the renovated Goldsmith-Schiffman field.
- Four new courts will open with the West Huntsville Recreation Center and the Sandra Moon Community Complex has 12, Parks and Recreation director James Gossett tells Axios Huntsville.
- Gossett said pickleball hasn't yet peaked, and the city gets a good return on its investment because of the sport's popularity.
Context: Any time the city invests in John Hunt, it's aimed at quality of life and sports tourism, Gossett said.
- Hayes points to Opelika as the gold standard, where a large canopy-covered facility offers 24 courts that draw thousands to the city for tournaments.
- "I get messages all the time, like, 'Hey, I'm coming into town, is there a place to play in Huntsville?'" she said. "People travel here, and they will bring their paddle."
💠My thought bubble: I joined Hayes for a quick intro to the sport Monday and saw the appeal.
- After work, I got a paddle and am making plans to get some court time ASAP.
How it works: Pickleball is a mash-up of tennis, badminton and table tennis, using solid paddles (not rackets) and a plastic whiffle ball-esque ball, dating to the 1960s.
- Here's USA Pickleball's video on how to play.
Want to give it a try? The Huntsville Pickleball Club offers beginner classes Mondays and Wednesdays at Max Luther Community Center.