The country’s fastest expanding sport, pickleball, is also seeing its popularity grow at a rapid pace right here in the Bronx.
The borough is now home to a total of over 20 pickleball courts, both indoor and outdoor, with that number sure to increase in the near future due to the sport’s growing popularity, particularly in the last few years during the pandemic.
With the borough’s organizations and parks creating more pickleball-based programs to encourage more and more community participation, it seems like the sport will continue to expand in the borough, as it has nationwide.
“Over the past 12-18 months, I have noticed a surge in inquiries regarding pickleball,” said Jonathon Acosta, managing director of fitness, aquatics and wellness for Bronx House, located in the Pelham Parkway neighborhood of the Bronx. “Although many of the requests come from the older adult community, there have been inquiries from people of various ages and physical ability levels.”
Acosta added that he has already secured pickleball nets, paddles and, of course, a solid supply of pickleballs as the fitness and maintenance departments at Bronx House have been coordinating to establish at least two official pickleball courts in their gymnasium.
“One of my New Year’s resolutions is to make Bronx House a beacon for pickleball enthusiasts of all ages and abilities in the Bronx,” Acosta added.
Acosta also said that the rules of pickleball, such as no overhand serves and no spiking within seven feet of the net, make it a “truly universal activity.”
The history of pickleball
A combination of ping pong, badminton and tennis, pickleball was invented in 1965 by the late Joel Pritchard, former lieutenant governor of Washington who also served in U.S. House of Representatives, along with friends Bill Bell and Barney McCallum, when they vacationing on Bainbridge Island, Wash., just outside of Seattle.
As previously reported by the Bronx Times, Pritchard and Bell had…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply