By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Pickleball, which has become increasingly popular in the United States, has been around since 1965, and more courts continue to be added, including in Hays.
Pickleball was invented on Bainbridge Island, near Seattle, Wash., by three dads whose kids were bored with their usual summertime activities, according to the USA Pickleball website.
In Hays, pickleball players can enjoy their sport indoors on public courts at the Hays Recreation Center and outdoors in Municipal Park.
"I think the reason it's popular is because people of all ages can play it," said Roger Bixenman, Hays Recreation Commission superintendent.
"It's good exercise, especially for seniors 55 and older. It's pretty popular with retired folks.
"It's not like basketball, where as you get a little older, you can't really run up and down the court and keep up with the young guys and gals.
"It's a lot easier on the body to play, and fun, obviously."
The number of players nationwide has jumped from 3.9 million players in 2019 to 8.9 million players, according to the most recent figures, Bixenman said.
"It's also a social thing, get out socially and play, get a little bit of exercise."
Or you can get a lot of exercise, as Kelli Karlin of Hays does. She's been playing about four years.
Some friends of Karlin's in an exercise class she attended regularly at the Rec Center convinced her to try pickleball.
Karlin tried it out with another friend and "we absolutely loved it. It's like we were addicted right away. We went to Wichita that weekend and bought ourselves paddles, pickleball shoes, the whole nine yards."
Karlin wanted the high end-specialty equipment. The court shoes help prevent injuries.
"Probably because of the age that plays pickleball. We're all older. A lot of falls can occur. We've had a broken hip. We've had broken wrists," she said.
"It is a very competitive game."
But it doesn't have to be super competitive. There are all levels of players at the recreation center.
Micki Armstrong, Hays, has been playing since the first of the year, a "newbie" according to pickleball rules.
Armstrong's friend in Topeka finally convinced her to pick up the game.
"I retired, my schedule kind of freed up so I decided to try it."
She plays on the center's open courts on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, sometimes Fridays, "with whoever is here."
"It's a social thing for me," said the former high school tennis player.
Bixenman describes pickleball as a combination of tennis, ping pong and badminton, played on a 40 by 20-foot court.
"It's kind of lined out like a tennis court but it's a lot smaller," he said.
The plastic ball resembles a wiffle ball, which is perforated. There are all types of paddles available for purchase, resembling a racquetball paddle.
The equipment "is pretty inexpensive. I think that's also why people like playing pickleball because you don't have a whole lot of money invested in it."
There is a total of six pickleball courts in the Hays Recreation Center's three gyms.
Most games are played during open gym hours between 8:30 and 11 a.m. with other groups coming in the afternoon.
Drop-in pickleball is offered from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesdays with a charge of $1 per player.
Sunday morning drop-in pickleball from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. was started recently with all six courts available for use at a cost of $2 per player.
The Hays Recreation Commission has also hosted tournament play.
Teams can be women-only, men-only or co-ed.
"Gym space is not always ideal," Karlin said, "because there are so many people that enjoy the game of pickleball that we wish we had more pickleball courts available in our community."
Karlin prefers playing outdoors at the city's courts but the weather doesn't always cooperate.
A request from local players for more courts in Municipal Park prompted the Hays City Commission to add the expense of restriping another tennis court into two temporary pickleball courts next year. The $8,000 will come from the special parks and recreation fund.
Across the country, there are nationally sanctioned professional events with play aired on ESPN television. Kansas City and Wichita host sanctioned tournaments.
"They're teaching it in schools at a younger age," Bixenman said. "I think pickleball is here to stay just because of the wide variety of ages that can play it."