You may be familiar with what pickleball is…a combination of tennis, ping pong and badminton. The uniqueness of pickleball is what brings so many to the sport. The sport’s ability to attract the non-athletic and the athletic person alike, the young and the old, the mobile and those that struggle with mobility has contributed to its growth the past 5 years. USA Pickleball says 36.5 million people are playing pickleball. Each year the average age of pickleball players continue to get younger.

‌The sport is built on friendliness and fun. Over the last 20 years our society has chosen to connect with people through social media and let our thumbs do the talking. Our connection to people has been through a 3”x5” filtered screen. Pickleball brings people together on a 20’x40’ court. On the court, you greet your partner and opponents by introducing yourself and tapping paddles (instead of a handshake). The paddle tap happens throughout the game, in celebration of a good shot and as an encouragement when your game isn’t going so well. In no other sport I’ve participated in, except for pickleball, do you compliment your opponent for getting a great shot off and winning a point against you. What other sport does that!

‌Pickleball is fun. When was the last time you had fun? When I started playing pickleball 2.5 years ago, I realized I had gone years without having fun. I passed the years working hard, getting the kids where they needed to be and lived just to get through my list of what I needed to do each day. The fun I’m having now keeps me coming back for more. I never could have anticipated the friendships that pickleball has brought me. There is a joke in the pickleball community that says your phone contacts list is filled with people’s last name of Pickleball. My phone has 100+ people with the last name of Pickleball.

‌The city of Deer Park needs public pickleball courts. We have none. To play pickleball now you have to travel to the surrounding communities of Spokane, Loon Lake, Springdale, Newport, Chewelah, Colville or Colbert. Recently, I started a conversation with Deer Park’s city leaders about bringing public pickleball courts to town. I found our city leaders to be open and welcoming of the idea. Please join me in encouraging our city leaders to move forward with funding pickleball courts in the 2025 budget. For updates and ways for you to help bring pickleball courts to Deer Park please join our facebook page, Deer Park Pickleball.

Angie McBride
Deer Park