Wheeling Pickleball Players Win at Tournament
One of the most popular racquet sports at the Wheeling Park District is Pickleball. And participants of this exciting combination of badminton, tennis, and table tennis are not only having fun but winning tournaments.
At a recent USAPA sanctioned Pickleball Tourney, Tony Cartwright and Sebastian Krzywicki took first in Men's Doubles. Cartwright and his partner Jan Konn came in first in the Mixed Doubles Division while Ben Park and Shin Myungjoo were in second place. In Men's Singles, Park placed first, Krzywicki second, and Cartwright third.
Wheeling Park District offers plenty of practice time for Pickleball enthusiasts. Courts are set up in the Community Recreation Center (CRC) Gymnasium for the drop-in program three times a week. Anytime between 9 AM to 12 PM on Tuesdays and Thursday, and 6:30 PM to 9 PM on Fridays, those 16 years of age and older are invited to bring a friend or come on their own and participate in the game rotation. The cost is $2 a person. Some equipment is provided or you can bring your own.
The drop-in schedule for Pickleball will change starting June 7. For more information, please contact the Wheeling Park District at (847) 465-3333. Or, check the Web site at www.wheelingparkdistrict.com
Wheeling resident and Pickleball Ambassador Dick Larson credits the social and health aspects of the sport with its popularity.
Played on a court with the same dimensions as a doubles badminton court, the net is similar to tennis, but is mounted two inches lower. The game is played with a hard paddle and a polymer Wiffle ball.
Although it appears to be very similar to tennis, there are key differences that make Pickleball more accessible to a wider range of players, particularly children and seniors. Chief among these differences is the speed of the ball which typically moves at one-third of the average speed of a tennis ball. Equally important, however, is the size of the court which is just under one-third of the total area of a tennis court. This smaller area combined with the slower moving ball makes Pickleball easier to play than tennis.
Originally invented as a backyard pastime in 1965, Pickleball is now an organized sport represented by national and international governing bodies including the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA).
The Wheeling Park District CRC is located at 333 W. Dundee Road in Wheeling. For more information, call (847) 465-3333.