Community Corner
VIDEO: What in the World Is Pickleball?
A popular Florida sport moves into Minnesota.
"It's like tennis with a whiffleball," said Nick Thompson, the recreation coordinator for the Inver Grove Heights Park and Recreation Department. This one-sentence description gives a good idea what the game of pickleball looks like, but there are other differences. The court is about the half the size of tennis court, it is played with paddles similar to a ping-pong paddle and game play is a bit slower.
According to Jim Classen, USA Pickleball Association Ambassador, the game is very popular in Florida and other southern states. The majority of adult players are retirees who enjoy the exercise but don't want the physical stress of a tennis match. The sport is also appealing because a court can be made ad-hoc in a two car driveway with little preparation.
Inver Grove Heights Parks and Recreation will be hosting additional demostrations of the sport and may develop a local league if the interest is strong enough.