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John Stokes, (202) 288-7275, [email protected]
(WASHINGTON, DC) – The fastest growing adult sport in the nation has arrived in DC. The “thwack” of a paddle on a pickleball is now being heard by new and experienced players at three DC Department of Parks Recreation (DPR) sites as a result of a new program. The first reaction is usually, “what is pickleball, and why should I be interested in learning to play?”
Pickleball is a racquet sport that combines elements of tennis, table tennis, and badminton. The court is smaller than a tennis court; it is the size of a doubles badminton court, and therefore easier for senior adults to play than traditional tennis.
Typically, four players use solid paddles made of wood or composite materials to hit a perforated polymer ball, which looks like a wiffle ball, over a net. The game was invented in the mid-1960s as a backyard pastime, but it has become very popular among adults as a fun game for players of all levels, particularly active seniors. The game is great exercise, but it doesn’t require the speed and range of tennis. It’s a gentler game that is both social and competitive.
This exciting new program is offered at three pilot sites on three different days of the week:
- King Greenleaf Recreation Center at 201 N Street SW from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm every Tuesday.
- Emery Recreation Center at 5701 Georgia Avenue NW from 10:30 am to 1 pm every Wednesday.
- Sherwood Recreation Center at 640 10th Street NE from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm every Thursday.
Free instruction and demonstrations are available, thanks to the seven volunteers who staff the program, and there is equipment to borrow. Come on out! You will be delighted by the experience and encouraged to play more as you learn.
About DPR
The DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) provides quality urban recreation and leisure services for residents and visitors to the District of Columbia. DPR supervises and maintains area parks, community facilities, swimming pools and spray parks, and neighborhood recreation centers. The agency also coordinates a wide variety of recreation and educational programs including sports leagues, youth development, therapeutic recreation, aquatic programming, outdoor adventure, camping, and senior citizen activities. Adaptive programs and facilities are available for persons with disabilities.
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