LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – It’s a sport that’s taking the country by storm – including right here in Kentuckiana.
Pickle ball is staking its claim at a local state park - and fans are thrilled.
More than 150 fans of the sport gathered Saturday morning at E.P. Tom Sawyer state park for the opening of 16 new pickleball courts that were converted from six tennis courts.
“I am just so proud to see Kentucky put on the map for pickleball,” said Nancy Sutton, USA Pickleball District Ambassador for Kentucky.
Sutton had never tried the sport in her life and took her sister's suggestion to give it a shot.
“I got addicted immediately. I got addicted like most people do,” Sutton told WDRB News.
According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the country.
Sutton, who lives in Paducah, is not surprised by the sports fast fanbase.
“We started out with maybe three or four players and now our area has several hundreds," she said.
Louisville Senator Julie Raque Adams asked Frankfort for $250,000 in park enhancements, including the new pickleball courts. Kentucky State Parks received $100,000 instead which was enough to spearhead the project.
Pickleball is a combination of a giant table tennis game mixed with tennis. Experts say can be learned in less than an hour, played well into your senior years and comes with a ton of health benefits.
“Maybe to lose weight or just to keep in shape, and you don't even know what you are exercising cause a game might last maybe 15 minutes,” said Sutton.
While it maybe good for your body, it’s also been good for cities that have tournaments and sanctioned events.
“They are not playing pickleball all the time so they eat at the restaurants, they visit the attractions, they may go to a Louisville City soccer game tonight, they may find themselves at a certain point at Churchill Downs,” said Mike Berry, Kentucky Secretary of Tourism Arts and Heritage.
And it’s those numbers tourism officials hope serves Louisville and the state well as more and more people learn the game and find a new hobby.
“When I walked up and saw this facility I was in awe. I mean in awe to see 16 courts in a state park. It is open to everybody,” said Sutton. “It's a competitive sport but it's a highly social sport. Lots of fun.”
The closest pickleball facility of similar size is in Middletown, Ohio about 140 miles from Louisville.
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