WHITEFISH — Two small outdoor courts were filled on a recent Saturday afternoon with rambunctious energy as teams of two played games of pickleball. From an outsider’s perspective, the action looked like a new blend of tennis and ping-pong. But those involved displayed a noticeable familiarity for the sport and camaraderie for everyone.
Rene Wilson and Deb Richter felt right at home. The two women were visiting Northwest Montana for the first time from Asheville, N.C. They never leave home without their pickleball paddles just in case they come across a game. After swinging through Glacier National Park on their vacation, Wilson and Richter checked the website for the U.S.A Pickleball Association (USAPA), which lists places across the nation where games are hosted. Montana only has six listed, but one of them is Donna and Vance Christiansen’s residence in Whitefish.
Rather fortuitously, when Wilson and Richter contacted the Christiansens, there happened to be games scheduled, and of course, they were welcomed with open arms.
“I was very pleased,” Richter said in between action. “It’s always nice to come out and meet other people. It’s a very social game.”
Dubbed one of the fastest-growing sports in America by the USAPA, especially among seniors, pickleball has taken root here. The sport’s local champions are a growing group of retired men and women who spend the warm summer months playing in the Flathead Valley. During summer the Christiansens hosted games twice a week and occasionally on weekends if there was enough interest to play more.
If the weather turns sour, games are hosted at the local armory, where a court was installed after the popularity spiked. The group of regular players has grown to over 20. Most of the men and women are in their 60s or older. The oldest player is 86. The youngest, one of the player’s granddaughters, is 10.
“Anybody can show up. Nobody cares what you’re background is. You’re so accepted here. It’s a game that you don’t have to have great physical or athletic ability but you can still play and have fun,” Donna said. “But probably the best thing about pickleball are the people. You make such great friends and nobody is ever a big grouch.”
The sport originated near Seattle. As the story goes, in 1965 Congressman Joel Pritchard returned to his home on Bainbridge Island and found his family sitting around bored. There was an old badminton court nearby but no racquets, so Pritchard made some out of wood. Using a perforated plastic ball, like those in whiffleball, the family began volleying with each other over the net. But one problem surfaced — whenever someone would hit the ball out of bounds, the family’s Cocker Spaniel, named Pickle, would snatch it and run away.
After all, it was Pickle’s ball.
Both the sport and its name stuck, and almost 50 years later it’s taken off. More than 100,000 people now play the sport, according to ASAPA. There are more than 420 registered places to play in North America, representing 43 states, four Canadian provinces and about 2,000 individual courts. The first national tournament was held in Buckeye, Ariz., in 2009 and drew more than 400 players.
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Vance Christiansen returns the ball while warming up with Owen Klapperich before a pickleball game in Whitefish. Lido Vizzutti | Flathead Beacon |
While living in Arizona, the Christiansens became familiar with pickleball. Vance began playing every day and pretty soon he and Donna were traveling around the West to attend tournaments. But in Northwest Montana, where the Christiansens own a summer home, the word pickleball drew a confused look from most residents. The Christiansens wanted to change that, so they built a court at their home in 2007. Pretty soon other Arizona retirees who spent time in the valley were hearing about local pickleball games, and the group of players grew from there. Last year another court was installed to satisfy the increasing number of players showing up with paddles.
One of those players is Renie Blair. The 81-year-old Connecticut native has spent 19 summers in the Flathead. She had heard about pickleball and always wanted to try it out. Now she’s a regular in the community that gathers regularly during the summer at the Christiansens’.
“I used to play tennis and I’ve just given it up for this because this is so much easier on my body,” Blair said.
Another summer of pickleball is drawing to an end as most of the players are off to warmer weather. Games will still be played at the armory, but the Christiansens’ courts will be closed until next spring. The group is trying to raise interest with the city of Whitefish to add public courts somewhere, which would increase pickleball’s exposure. The group of players would also like to host clinics to teach anyone interested in the sport.
“We want kids to play and we want to be able to teach them.” Donna said. “Most of us are seniors. It’s a great senior game. But it’s definitely good for anybody of any age. It’s just great fun.”
For more information about pickleball, visit www.usapa.org.