The Pickleball craze is spreading like wildfire throughout the area

 (Here is my original, highly-detailed pickleball story for West Newsmagazine.  Unbeknownst to me, it was later combined with a writer who added St. Charles County pickleball venues and it appeared meshed together to run in both West and Mid Rivers Newsmagazines.)

Most casual observers would be shocked to learn that pickleball was invented way back in 1965.

That was when Washington State congressman Joel Pritchard returned home from playing golf with businessman buddy Bill Bell. Surprised to find their families sitting around bored, the two gradually and unknowingly converted an old badminton court on the property into the new game. They used ping pong paddles, traded shuttlecocks for whiffle balls, and reduced the net height from 60 inches to just 36.

The following weekend, joined by friend Barney McCallum, they created rules, and the family-friendly game of pickleball was formed.

Per St. Louis Pickleball Hall of Famer John Callahan, the sport was likely named after the pickle boat in rowing.

While it took exactly 25 years for the game to be played in all 50 states, it was roughly 50 years before the real popularity hit St. Louis County around 2015.

Callahan Pickleball Academy instructors and students at the Chesterfield Valley Athletic Complex. (Photo courtesy of Callahan Pickleball Academy)

How popular is the sport? The Callahan Pickleball Academy has over 300 clinics in the St. Louis area. John also wrote the #1 seller book, Pickleball: Tips Strategies Lessons and Myths, available at Amazon & Racketman and has a podcast: https://pickleballfire.com/podcast-2/017-the-10-myths-of-pickleball-with-1-best-selling-author-john-callahan/

“It is so popular that we teach pickleball clinics five days a week at Chesterfield Valley Athletic Center. Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in U.S. with over 10M (some say 30M) players. And St. Louis is ranked as one of the top ten pickleball cities; not surprising given St. Louis’ history as one of the top tennis cities.”

Callahan also noted that the St. Louis Shock is our Major League Pickleball (MLP) professional team. It’s owned by the Chaifetz family and features four of the best players in the world.

No pun intended, but so many totally relish the sport in 2024 at both the recreational and highly competitive level!

One such player is Manchester resident Martha Roper, soon to turn 76, and primarily a tennis player for 30 years.

“Tennis began to hurt my neck as I did the hard, up-and-over serve. What complicates my pickleball involvement is that my husband (Dr. Peter C. Scales), besides being a psychologist, is a tennis teaching pro and coach at Parkway South High School. I was a teacher there, too, and our lives were all about tennis. Suddenly, I felt like I was sneaking off to do something that wasn’t in line with that when I found out there was pickleball at The Pointe (at Ballwin Commons) just 10 minutes from us.  I didn’t tell him I was going. But I fell in love with it the first week, and he adapted well to me being a pickleball player. It was so joyful and it has an underhanded serve.  So, nothing hurts when I play.”

The Pointe offers daily pickleball activities during the school year. During summer hours, courts are mostly given to kids. New Ballwin Park where she teaches, has three courts. She added that Ballwin just converted the upper tennis court to pickleball at Holloway Park.

“So now, there will be eight pickleball courts there with ample parking, restrooms, water fountains, shade,” Roper said. “Bring your own chair and it’s a party every single morning every day when it’s 50 degrees or above!

Roper’s coach referred her to big name pickleball player Mike Chapin who gave her five years of lessons and mentored her into being a teaching pro. The long-time health teacher is now certified at the highest level in the International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association and the Professional Pickleball Registry.

Meanwhile, Ray Slama, former Twin Oaks Mayor and current District 3 rep for the Municipal Park Grant Commission, has been a long-time avid pickleball player and advocate.

Slama first became aware of area pickleball around 2015 after his retirement from coaching lacrosse at Cor Jesu Academy. Being unsure about the welcoming aspect of the pickleball community, Slama didn’t get involved until a neighbor talked him into it in 2019. Covid hit the area in March 2020. So, Slama didn’t return to the sport until the following year. He has no regrets about that decision.

“I was never a fan of tennis.  I played some when I first retired. I find tennis doubles much too slow. I have been a ping pong player from an early age. Pickleball and ping pong are much more closely related. The speed of the game and the eye-hand coordination are very similar. Pickleball is the perfect sport for people who played handball and racquetball. Strategies are very similar. That said, we have found that tennis players who take up pickleball learn extremely quickly the nuances of pickleball and are very competitive very quickly.

“About the same time I took up pickleball, I was advised by my health care provider to lose 30 pounds. With a change of diet, pickleball and bicycle riding, I accomplished my goal in under a year. Pickleball may have also saved my life when my endurance and recovery time decreased dramatically. After reporting this to my primary doctor, and a follow up stress test (failed), the cardiologist said I would probably have died in two years.  Two years later (and bypass surgery) this month, I am still playing three to four times a week.”

Slama added that pickleball is suitable for all ages and playing ability, and its community of experienced players readily accepts beginners to their games. He added that many courts have open play and the cost of equipment and play is nominal.

He currently administers a pickleball program for high school girls at Nerinx Hall, Ursuline Academy, Notre Dame and St. Joseph’s Academy.  The numbers have grown from 30 to 80 players at the latter school with plans to expand into Parkway and Rockwood high schools, and eventually add pickleball for boys. Slama also hopes it will someday be a MSHSAA sport.

Mac McKeever is another West St. Louis County pickleball enthusiast. He was first introduced to the sport in 2015 at the Kirkwood Community Center, and started getting deeply involved the following year.

“I had retired in 2015 and had taken up bike riding for exercise.  I wanted something different for two reasons: Riding takes up your whole day, and I realized I was eventually going to be seriously injured since I liked going fast.  The Chesterfield newsletter mentioned they had pickleball in the valley and I decided to give it a try.  I was sold immediately.  I help run a local arts organization that produces old-time barn dances.  Socially, the two are very similar, so I felt right at home.

“Socially, pickleball is like no other sport. You show up alone; no need to make arrangements with others. Everyone mixes it up, so each game is with different people.  Everyone is supportive and new players are helped getting started.  The social aspect is as important as the physical.  The growth has been unbelievable.  Also, there’s age diversity as more and more younger players are involved.”

McKeever said he’s had very few injuries, and none serious. He added that the biggest cause of serious injuries is back peddling to catch up with balls high over your head.  The benefit to him is that it keeps him moving, using all his muscle groups without being too demanding.

“By the way, we have several players in their 80s that I have a hard time keeping up with.  Again, health wise, the social aspect is just as important as the physical.  It just makes you feel good.  I can lose all my games and still go home feeling like I had a wonderful morning.” 

All three noted the tremendous growth of pickleball, adamantly opposing any inclination that the sport is a mere fad. The proof is in the number of pickleball courts that exist throughout West St. Louis County with more in the offing.

                                            Pickleball (Source: Adobe Stock)

Per Director of Recreation Jason Valvero, Creve Coeur has two dedicated pickleball courts in Conway Park and two shared tennis/pickleball courts in Lake School Park.  The city will also soon be adding lines to Conway’s tennis courts to be shared with pickleball players.

Manchester Director of Parks and Recreation Kat Schien added that her city has four such highly popular courts free and open to the public near the entrance of Schroeder Park. There is no current plan to expand that number.

Director of Parks, Recreation and Arts T.W. Dieckmann noted that Chesterfield currently has two concrete courts in Logan Park and four asphalt ones at the Chesterfield Valley Athletic Complex. Despite considerable discussion, no additional courts are planned at this time.

Meanwhile, AnnaBeth Batson, who has served as a Chesterfield Recreational Specialist for more than three years, is amazed at how pickleball has caught on!

“Within these three years, I’ve watched our courts only offer 1-2 days’ worth of clinics to now, offering clinics 4-days a week as well as 4 leagues. Due to the continued growth of the sport, we have goals of bringing more leagues to our courts. I believe the sport is growing so rapidly due to the ability for anyone to participate. Pickleball is a sport that encourages individuals of all skill levels to play and easily groups these skill levels together so you grow with others to become more advanced. The sport has had a steady increase in popularity, and I can see this remaining constant for the next few years to come. For the future, I foresee more younger participants learning the sport, and the game transitioning into schools as a competitive sport instead of a physical education section.

“Based on our clinic and league registrations, we have noticed that more females participate in pickleball than males. In terms of the players ages, a large percentage range from 50-65 years old. No matter the age, pickleball is a great way to keep individuals both socially and physically active. Pickleball is played nationwide, and is a great chance to mingle and meet new people when you are traveling or in your hometown. When you play pickleball, you can decide how active you want to be since you can control the pace of the game.”

Ballwin Recreation/Sports Specialist Jacob Briscuso added that his city currently has three courts at New Ballwin Park, eight at Holloway Park and 3-5 inside The Pointe.

Briscuso has also noticed monumental changes in the number of players and the demographics just in the two years he has served in his city.

“What first started out as a retiree game has evolved into something more. Plenty of high school/college-aged kids play on a regular basis now. Our outdoor courts see all ages, while inside are more retirees. I think Covid had a big impact on the game. It was an easy way for people to get outside and play at a distance from each other, but it is easier than tennis to pick up. Most people have grown up playing it in school gym classes at some point as well. Social media and it becoming a professional sport have added to its popularity.”

In addition to the sport becoming more prevalent in city parks and recreational facilities, a good number of community and senior retirement centers have also added a decent number of indoor pickleball courts.

Naturally, the elevated age range of that latter group has led to health questions. But a couple of top EMS personnel haven’t seen much change in their calls since pickleball has expanded.

                                Pickleball equipment (Source: Adobe Stock)

“What’s important for people to remember is the same thing we talk about when shoveling snow,” said Matt Coppin, Captain of External Affairs and Community Health for the Metro West Fire Protection District. “People need to realize their limitations and work inside of those. But a lot of 70-year-olds have a very diverse sense of athletic ability. We have some who still run marathons while others struggle to get the mail at the end of the driveway. It’s kind of a self-assessment of where your abilities lie, and staying inside of those instead of overly stretching your abilities which can be challenging when you’re talking about competitive sports.”

“For older players or those with pre-existing conditions, it’s best to consult with your physician before engaging in any new or rigorous activity,” added Nick Smith, Deputy Chief of EMS for the Monarch Fire Protection District. “If you do choose to play, choose appropriate footwear and be cognizant of your physical limitations. The game can safely be played by most folks as long as we don't get swept up in the competition and forget we aren't 18 anymore. Depending on the venue, be sure to stay hydrated and know when to take a break to avoid leaving yourself vulnerable for heat-related illnesses or unintended falls.” 

Both EMS experts agreed that warming up is vastly important regardless of age, but especially for seniors.  Smith added that players should try to avoid courts that have uneven surfaces or loose gravel that could lead to trips and falls.

Smith also noted that pickleball injuries are similar to other sudden stop and start sports like tennis and racquetball. These include ankle, knee, and shoulder injuries from racing in one direction, stopping abruptly, then racing in another direction, which puts a strain on joints.

“If you’re able to play and have no health restrictions, the benefits to play, being active and those regular cardio activities, are only going to strengthen your heart and make you healthier and more agile,” said Coppin. “The key for older adults is to maintain your mobility to limit the number of falls around the home. Another benefit of pickleball for seniors is to be able to socially interact with many other people. Those interactions are a lot more important to older adults. It’s the ability to have something to look forward to. That’s important to mental health and leads into physical health as well.

“But when it comes to any kind of sport, the primary thing is to know when you need EMS help. If you’re playing and you have a sprain or a strain, or maybe you fall on the court and hurt your arm…knowing that’s in one category, and if you’re having trouble breathing, experience any kind of chest pain, any of the signs of stroke that we talk about, that’s the time to call 911 immediately. Those are the things for which you don’t want to just go home and see what happens in an hour.”

Smith added that pickleball has a low barrier to entry for most active individuals, making it an ideal sport for beginners looking to stay active and not spend a ton of money…or leaving one in a pickle financially!