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 returned to Pritchard’s summer home after a day of golf and found his family “sitting around with nothing to do” before improvising the game and showing it to McCallum. The trio is credited with inventing the sport.
USA Pickleball (USAP), pickleball’s national governing body, was formed in 1984, originally as the United States Amateur Pickleball Association (USAPA), in attempts to grow the sport of pickleball on a national level.
Pickleball arrives in the Bronx
In 2014, NYC Parks Department began transforming old tennis courts and handball courts for pickleball use. However, the first official courts were not opened across the boroughs until 2022, after the sport had exploded during the pandemic.
“The popularity of pickleball has skyrocketed across New York City, and the Bronx is no exception,” said NYC Parks Bronx Borough Commissioner Jessenia Aponte. “In addition to offering the sport at indoor recreation centers, we are proud to have added several outdoor pickleball courts in the borough in response to community demand.”
According to NYC Parks, the borough is currently home to a total of nine outdoor pickleball courts at five locations, including Crotona Park, Pelham Bay Park, Riverdale Playground, Van Cortlandt Park and Williamsbridge Oval.
“It’s an easy-to-learn sport that’s accessible for players of all ages and abilities and we will continue to look for opportunities to add more pickleball courts and opportunities wherever possible,” Aponte said.
According to NYC Parks, pickleball is very active at Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center during the spring, summer and fall programming cycles, when Parks recreation staff conducts learn-to-play and competitive play sessions for a variety of age grounds.
Seniors from the center also participate in the annual “Senior Games” competition during the summer.
NYC Parks is now offering indoor pickleball every Wednesday at Kwame Ture Recreation Center, located at 1527 Jesup Ave. in the Mt. Eden neighborhood of the borough, from 8 to 9 a.m., as well as every Monday and Wednesday at Hunts Point Recreation Center, located at 765 Manida St., until March 27.
‘People are very devoted to this sport’
Kermit Dingle, a Northeast Bronx YMCA member, said that he stumbled upon a new passion when he first heard about pickleball and began playing the sport.
Dingle, along with fellow Northeast Bronx YMCA member Ruth Sharma, started an open play pickleball program at the facility. The program has about 30 members.
“People are really devoted to this sport,” said Dingle, who used to play basketball and paddleball before various injuries limited his mobility. “When I started playing pickleball, I just wanted to keep playing more and more. It’s one of those things that grows on you and it’s an activity that both young and old can participate in and enjoy.
Dingle added that he has lost 20 pounds since he started playing the sport.
The Northeast Bronx YMCA held a pickleball tournament in September 2023 which included 15 teams along with T-shirts that read “Bronx Pickleballers.” Currently, the Northeast Bronx YMCA, located at 1250 E. 229th St., in the Edenwald neighborhood of the borough, hosts open play pickleball on Thursday nights from 7 to 8:45 p.m.
Pickleheads also noted other pickleball court locations in the Bronx, including courts at Lehman College, the Club of Riverdale (TCR), Herbert H. Lehman High School, Bronx House, Midnex, and the Northeast Bronx YMCA.
“Pickleball is a social activity as much as it is a sport,” said Brandon Mackie, co-founder of Pickleheads, the top online destination for pickleball players which has nearly 100,000 members. “It’s commonly played in an open-play format where 50 or even more players show up and rotate games and partners, which leaves many opportunities to socialize and meet players.”
Mackie added that a report released by the Professional Pickleball Association estimated that nearly 37 million people played the sport in 2022.
“Pickleball’s popularity really exploded during the pandemic, when many Americans were looking for responsible ways to socialize and stay active,” Mackie added. “But that was only the beginning. The growth of pickleball has continued even as lockdowns have ended and normal life has resumed.”
Pickleball is most popular in California and Florida, with each state home to at least 750 pickleball locations. New York ranks in the top five, with over 575 locations statewide, according to Pickleheads. The Bronx is also the seventh most popular city/borough in New York for playing pickleball.
“The magic of pickleball is that it’s easy to learn, but hard to master,” Mackie said. “Beginners can go out their first time, learn the game, have fun and even win a few games, but advanced players stay challenged and keep coming back for more, and this dynamic is a big reason why pickleball continues to grow like crazy.”
Reach Steven Goodstein at sgoodstein@schnepsmedia.com or (718) 260–8326. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
