Pickleball Club Tournament Winners
by Bea Peterson
Last week, February 24 to 27, the Hoosick Falls Pickleball Club held a members-only tournament in the Armory. Fifty men and women participated in the double elimination games. In the Men’s doubles matches on Monday winners were Jason Hale and Ken Stevens. Runners-up were Derek Carbin and Phil Pappas.
In Tuesday’s Women’s matches winners were Pam Brownell and Heather Wysocki. Runners-up were Cailin Davendonis and Madison Sprague. Wednesday was mixed doubles. Winners were Jason Hale and Buffy Race. Runners-up were Paul Malinowski and Anne Schram.
What began with a small group of people interested in learning a new sport 15 months ago, playing in the Youth Center with one court, has blossomed into the hottest game in town. Not long after starting, the Club moved to the Armory where three courts are set up allowing 12 people to play at one time. To date the Club has 95 members, plus 27 day players. Members with skill levels from beginners to exceptional range in age from eight to 80+. Players are from Hoosick, Hoosick Falls, Bennington, Cambridge, Grafton, Petersburgh, Shushan and Stephentown.
Pickleball is a paddleball sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping pong. Two or four players use solid paddles made of wood or composite materials to hit a wiffle ball over a net. The sport has the dimensions and layout of a badminton court and a net and rules similar to tennis, with several modifications.
The game was invented in the summer of 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington when three fathers found their families bored one Saturday afternoon. They attempted to set up badminton, but no one could find the shuttlecock. They improvised with a wiffle ball, lowered the badminton net and fabricated paddles of plywood. Pickleball has been popular on the West Coast and in Southern states for years, only recently becoming extremely popular in the Northeast. Older folks picked up the sport first, but all ages are enjoying it today. It is the fastest growing sport in the US and is played in more than 22 countries.
According to the wife of one of the inventors, “The name of the game became Pickle Ball, after I said it reminded me of the Pickle Boat in crew where oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of other boats.”
Pickleball is played in the Armory Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday mornings from 9 am until noon and Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday evenings from 6 to 9 pm. New members and beginners are always welcome. For more information go to Hoosick Falls Pickleball Club on Facebook.