Let’s make Raleigh a national leader in pickleball

Raleigh needs more pickleball courts.

Pickleball is the fasting growing sport in America. Created back in 1965 in Washington state, it has recently caught fire and will only grow faster in the coming years. The reason? Pickleball is fun! Plus, it’s addictive, social, fast-moving, easy to learn, forgiving on the body, and accessible for all ages — 5 years old to 85 years old.

Pickleball is a racket sport created by combining elements of several other racket sports. Two or four players use solid paddles to hit a perforated polymer ball over a net. The ball is much like a Wiffle ball, with 26 to 40 round holes. A pickleball court is similar in size to badminton, with a net comparable to tennis and paddles like those used in table tennis.

My wife and I play pickleball at North Hills Park. The City of Raleigh recently converted two tennis courts into six pickleball courts. We used to play tennis at North Hills Park, and the place was always empty. It was kind of depressing, with tree branches and leaves accumulating on the court and never anyone there.

Now it’s an entirely different atmosphere. People pack the courts from sunrise to sunset. In addition, people bring leaf blowers in the morning, keeping the surface clean and debris-free.

It is no exaggeration to say that there can be 60 to 80 people at the courts on a weekend afternoon, enjoying “open play” on the courts. Open play is a pickleball concept where you rotate to allow everyone to play. Therefore, you end up meeting new people all the time.

However, North Hills Park will not be able to accommodate the sheer number of new players in the coming months, let alone years. Every week the courts get busier and busier. Unfortunately, there is only one other public court in town, Method Community Park, which is seeing the same increased number of players.

The city needs to take action now to keep up with the demand. Pickleball is good for its citizen;s’ health — physically and emotionally.

The New Yorker magazine recently ran a piece on pickleball saying that this American phenomenon may be the answer to healing the political divide in this country, as it brings everyone together. While we may disagree on politics, we can still come together on the court, playing together respecting one another, and being courteous — all while having a good time.

While North Hills Park converted two underutilized tennis courts, that does not need to be the exclusive model. Remember, pickleball courts are tiny — one-quarter the size of tennis courts. And Raleigh has abundant park land. The city should scope out land in a dozen parks across Raleigh and start building courts. Six courts should be the minimum amount created at any one location. Eight to 16 courts would be better, as they will accommodate future growth.

Raleigh can further consolidate its leadership in the sport by building an arena for competitions, which are growing fast and furious throughout the country. There are currently over 200 professional pickleball tournaments in the United States annually. By hosting state or national tournaments Raleigh could generate revenue to support the local economy and tax base.

As the capital City in North Carolina, Raleigh symbolizes the essential qualities of leadership, forward-thinking, civility and a healthy lifestyle. Pickleball incorporates all of these in abundance. Raleigh needs pickleball courts to solidify its leadership in this influential recreational sector.

Mark Molinoff lives in Raleigh.