Pickleball, Anyone?

[pennyg]

According to Wikipedia, pickleball is a racquet sport that combines elements of badminton, tennis and table tennis. Two to four players use solid paddles, made of wood or composite materials, to hit a polymer perforated ball over a net.

The sport shares features of other racquet sports, such as the dimensions and layout of a badminton court, and a net and rules similar to tennis.

One of the fastest-growing sports in America, pickleball was invented in the mid-1960s as a children's backyard pastime but quickly became popular among adults as a game fun for players of all skill levels.

How many of you are pickleball fans? Do you play Pickleball?

Are you interested in starting a pickleball chapter for FMCA? Contact chapters@fmca.com.

Here's a video about pickleball and its growing popularity:

http://youtu.be/g2KNhIgOkXM

More pickleball info: http://www.usapa.org | http://pickleball.com | http://www.youtube.com/user/usapickleball2

[desertdeals69]

Pickle ball is quite popular at the Thousand Trails campgrounds. My wife and I have played it and will do so again.

[zorro2kita]

Just was introduced to this game last week while staying at Fortuna De Oro RV resort in Yuma AZ - great husband/wife sport = great exercise and social mixer - also bought rackets so we are committed to playing more !!

[pennyg]

Arizona RV Parks are FANitical about Pickleball.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Jo Ann Mickelson

Arizona Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds

(623) 551-1577

arizonaarvc@aol.com

www.gocampinginarizona.com

PICKLEBALL CRAZE SPARKS A BUILDING BOOM AT RV RESORTS

IN ARIZONA AND ACROSS THE SUNBELT

Pueblo El Mirage RV & Golf Resort, which added 16 pickleball courts two years ago, is hosting the Grand Canyon State Games Wednesday through Sunday, the third largest pickleball tournament in the world

PHOENIX, Ariz., Feb. 17, 2014 — Is tennis going by the wayside?

Probably not.

But at RV parks and resorts across the Sunbelt, empty nesters and retirees are abandoning tennis in favor of pickleball, an easy to learn, senior-friendly sport that requires hitting the ball over a net, but in a small court that doesn’t require nearly as much running around.

“Pickleball is amazingly popular,” said Vickie Jepperson, manager of Pueblo El Mirage RV & Golf Resort in El Mirage, Ariz. “In all of my years working in the RV resort business, I’ve never a sport, other than golf, that is this popular.”

So popular, in fact, that RV parks and resorts in Arizona and across the Sunbelt are converting some of their tennis courts into pickleball courts and building new pickleball courts to accommodate the rapidly increasing numbers of pickleball enthusiasts, said Jo Ann Mickelson, executive director of the Arizona Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds.

“We put in our first two pickleball courts in 2011. Then we added two more in 2013. And this summer we’re putting in two more,” said Cherie Suddarth, manager of the 754-site Gold Canyon RV and Golf Resort in Gold Canyon, Ariz.

Demand for pickleball courts has become so intense that RV parks and resorts that don’t have pickleball are losing snowbird business to other parks that do. Even parks that don’t have enough pickleball courts are at risk.

Pueblo El Mirage RV & Golf Resort installed its first two pickleball courts six years ago. But so many snowbirds took an interest in pickleball that lines started to develop and the resort ended up losing some of its snowbirds to other parks that had more pickleball courts.

“We didn’t have enough pickleball courts, so we lost people,” Jepperson said.

But not for long.

Pueblo El Mirage RV & Golf Resort responded to demand by adding 16 more pickleball courts, which were completed two years ago.

And the park’s facilities are so highly regarding that the 1,284-site resort will be hosting the Grand Canyon State Games, the third largest pickleball tournament in the world, from Wednesday, Feb. 19, through Sunday, Feb. 23.

Jepperson said pickleball has become a big business that draws players from all over the country.

And RV parks and resorts that have the largest and highest quality pickleball facilities often wind up hosting pickleball tournaments that bring in more guests.

Palm Creek Golf & RV Resort in Casa Grande will have an in-house tournament today, Feb. 17, through Wednesday, Feb. 19, which involves the park’s guests. But March 7 to 9 the resort will have its annual open tournament, which will draw hundreds of pickleball enthusiasts, said Wendell Johnson, Palm Creek’s general manager.

“We have had several people come in RVs for the tournament and then come back to stay with us during the following winter season. We have also had many non RVers come for the tournament and later rent or buy a home. Our 24 pickleball courts have been a great marketing tool for Palm Creek.”

Indeed, pickleball is so popular it’s not just popular with snowbirds, but people of all ages.

“We’ve even converted some of our tennis courts into pickleball courts,” said Mickelson of the Arizona Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds, who owns JH RV Park in Flagstaff.

Suddarth of Gold Canyon RV & Golf Resort said pickleball is also easy to learn, so it’s a sport that anyone can learn quickly. “It’s a great activity for people to meet each other and have fun,” she said.

For more information on the rising popularity of pickleball and other trends involving the RV parks, campgrounds and resorts in Arizona, please contact Jo Ann Mickelson at (623) 551-1577 and visit www.gocampinginarizona.com.

Following is contact information for RV resort sources referenced in this release:

— Vickie Jepperson, Pueblo El Mirage RV & Golf Resort, El Mirage, Ariz., (800) 445-4115 or vickie.jepperson@robertsresorts.com

— Wendell Johnson, Palm Creek Golf & RV Resort, Casa Grande, Ariz., (520) 421-7000 or WJohnson1@suncommunities.com

– Cherie Suddarth, Gold Canyon RV & Golf Resort, (877) 465-3226 or cherie@robertsresorts.com

Here are other RV parks and resorts in Arizona that have pickleball courts:

— Canyon Vistas RV Resort, Gold Canyon, Ariz., (480) 288-8844 or www.canyonvistasrv.com

— Casa Grande RV Resort, Casa Grande, Ariz., (520) 421-0401 or www.casagrandervresort.com

— Fortuna de Oro RV Resort, Yuma, Ariz., (928) 342-5051 or http://www.cal-am.com/resorts/resorts_details.php?resorts_id=31&search=quick

— Good Life RV Resort, Mesa, Ariz., (480) 832-4990 or http://www.cal-am.com/resorts/resorts_details.php?resorts_id=26&search=quick

— La Hacienda RV Resort, Mesa, Ariz., (480) 964-5058 or www.lahaciendarv.com

— Mesa Regal RV Resort, Mesa, Ariz., (480) 830-2821 or http://www.cal-am.com/resorts/resorts_details.php?resorts_id=15&search=quick

— Monte Vista RV Resort, Mesa, Ariz. (877) 570-2267 or http://www.rvonthego.com/arizona/monte-vista-rv-resort/

— Paradise RV Resort, Sun City, Ariz., (877) 570-2267 or http://www.rvonthego.com/arizona/paradise-rv-resort/

— Rincon Country RV Resorts, Tuscon, Ariz., (520) 294-5608 or www.rinconcountry.com

— Sunflower RV Resort, Surprise, Ariz., (623) 583-0100 or http://www.cal-am.com/resorts/resorts_details.php?resorts_id=14&search=quick

— Sun Life RV Resort, Mesa, Ariz., (481) 981-9500 or http://www.cal-am.com/resorts/resorts_details.php?resorts_id=17&search=quick

— Superstition Sunrise RV Resort, Apache Junction, (800) 624-7027 or www.superstitionsunrise.com

— Viewpoint RV and Golf Resort, Mesa, Ariz., (480) 373-8700 or www.viewpointrv.com

— Voyager RV Resort, Tucson, Ariz., (800) 424-9191 or www.voyagerrv.com