SURPRISE, ARIZ. (Mar. 6, 2018) — To help promote the fastest growing sport in America, the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) along with sports industry companies and organizations have named April “National Pickleball Month.”
Pickleball is a fun, active paddle sport created for all ages and skill levels that combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. It’s played both indoors and outdoors on a badminton-sized court with a slightly modified tennis net. Pickleball uses a paddle and a plastic ball with holes, and is played as both singles and doubles.
According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, the sport has surged in participation over the last five years, with more than 2.8 million players as of 2017, placing pickleball among the fastest growing sports in the U.S.
“Pickleball is just exploding with players and interest,” says USAPA Executive Director Justin Maloof. “Creating National Pickleball Month for the month of April will help us to promote the sport nationwide to people of all ages, and help to get Americans moving, active and enjoying this fun sport.”
Local Ambassador for the US Pickleball Association, Tim Miller, says…”pickleball is so much fun and so easy to learn to play that the ‘Pickleball Craze’ is rapidly spreading across Central Oregon. Bend led the way with 16 pickleball courts at Pine Nursery Park. In 2016, Redmond joined in with 8 new courts at Sam Johnson Park. Pickleball continues to grow in Central Oregon with lots of pickleball activity in Sisters, LaPine, Prineville, Crooked River Ranch, Thousand Trails RV Park, Black Butte, SunRiver, and Eagle Crest Resort.
Free pickleball lessons for adults and kids who have never played before will be available at Sam Johnson Park in Redmond every Sat. afternnon during April. Class size is limited to 10 players and pre-registration is required.
For more information, contact Tim Miller: tennistim2@gmail.com
Date: Sat. April 7, 14, 21 & 28
Time: 1 pm – 2pm
The class on April 7 is for kids only…from 8 – 12 yrs. All other classes are for ages 13 and over.
For more information about pickleball, visit www.USAPA.org.
In addition, here is:
You tube video (30 sec.): https://youtu.be/hGfk7wTBg3E
www.eaglecrestpickleballclub.
www.facebook.com/