Pickleball craze in Will County shows no sign of fading: ‘It’s here to stay’

Kelly Melone, owner of Servpro of Joliet, said she is “addicted” to pickleball and plays several times a week with friends.

Melone said pickleball is more than just “great exercise.”

“I’ve never done an exercise where I’m burning calories and having fun. We laugh the entire time,” Melone said. “It doesn’t feel like working out. It’s just fun.”

What is pickleball?

According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, “pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America.” The sport, often called a cross between tennis and ping-pong, can be played indoors or outdoors and is easy to learn, said Chris Caldwell, a manager at GameChangers in Channahon.

“I like to tell people it’s similar to ping-pong except you’re standing on the table,” Caldwell said.

Pickleball balls are plastic and perforated, and the paddles are double the size of ping-pong paddles, according to USA Pickleball, which governs pickleball in the U.S.

Venues are in each U.S. state and all Canadian provinces, such as at community recreation centers, parks, schools, senior residence communities and YMCAs, according to USA Pickleball.

I kind of look at it as the modern-day bowling.”

—  Chris Caldwell, a manager at GameChangers in Channahon

In Will County, places to find pickleball courts include the Four Seasons Park in Shorewood and at facilities run by the Joliet Park District, Lockport Township Park District and Plainfield Park District.

The Plainfield Community Sportsplex and Event Center associated with the Plainfield campus of Community Christian also has indoor pickleball courts.

Marc Fry, Sportsplex and event center director, said the center hosts open-gym events and added pickleball about two years ago. Fry said pickleball typically is available at the Sportsplex during select hours from October through April.

“It was an opportunity for people to play indoors either during the offseason or when the weather was looking a little rough,” he said.

Why older adults love it

Pickleball is popular among older adults for several reasons. It’s a very social game, typically played in groups of four (doubles) and on a court half the size of a tennis court, Caldwell said. GameChangers has six indoor courts.

“When you put four people on that, it’s not a whole lot of ground to cover,” Caldwell said. “So it’s very easy to play.”

Players can participate in leagues or open play, he said.

People who previous played other racquet sports “probably make up 70% of the folks who play,” Caldwell said. He said the owners of GameChangers – Keith and Ken Minor, as well as himself – previously played competitive racquetball, and they all transitioned to pickleball five years ago.

“The other 30% are new people that want to play and have a social activity,” Caldwell said. “I kind of look at it as the modern-day bowling.”

In addition to pickleball, GameChangers offers two golf simulators, an outdoor patio, sand volleyball, a bar and food by Wyler BBQ, Caldwell said.

“So on those rainy days in the summer, we fill up pretty fast,” Caldwell said.

Mike O’Connell, 72, who is a former head basketball coach in Joliet Township High School District 204, said he started playing pickleball when he moved to Shorewood Glen in 2016.

Like all athletic activity, injuries can be a part of pickleball. Common injuries that Caldwell has seen include those related to the Achilles tendon and muscle strain, but players should stretch before playing and then “play within your means,” he said.

Caldwell said the key to playing safely as an older adult is to remember “you can’t do what you did when you were 30 years old.”

O’Connell said he stretches every morning and before each game.

“I remind people that you’re not the same as you were in high school, and you don’t move quite like you did in high school,” he said. “So you’ve got to be careful.”

Courts with open play are great options for people just starting out, especially if they don’t have friends who play, O’Connell said. The only downside is that players might not be matched in skill during open play.

“You might have someone on the court who’s really good with someone who can barely get the ball over the net,” O’Connell said.

Although pickleball’s current popularity appears to be highest among seniors, O’Connell said high schools are getting interested in the sport, and he envisions pickleball may be included in the Olympics one day.

“I think it’s here to stay,” O’Connell said.