Unique sport catching on locally

When Randy and Debbie Kobbe presented the idea of offering pickleball to Powell residents this summer, Powell Recreation District director Colby Stenerson got on board.

Very quickly, so have a lot of Powell residents.

Pickleball, a unique sport that features aspects of badminton, tennis and ping pong, is being offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays through the Recreation District, and has quickly caught on as participation numbers have backed Stenerson’s support.

“There was that group that was wanting (the sport), and we were just trying to help them out a bit,” Stenerson said. “It seems like it’s growing and pretty popular in other areas, so we wanted to give it a shot.”

Pickleball was started in 1965 in Washington, making 2015 its 50th birthday. The game is usually played on a tennis court or other hard surface, but a pickleball court is much smaller than a tennis court. The playing area for pickleball is usually drawn in with paint or other markings. The game can be played with two to four players, and plays much like tennis and ping pong, only with a few rule changes.

Games are being played at the Rocky Mountain Manor tennis courts (140 N. Cheyenne St.), which Stenerson and various players/volunteers worked together to provide a new net and fix cracks on the cement court.

With the courts in playable condition, games have been offered on Tuesday nights at 6 p.m., and 10 a.m. Thursdays. The games are open to all ages and free to play.

Debbie Kobbe, 59, of Powell, has been playing the sport for two years, and said turnout at the games so far has been promising, as numbers sometimes reach the low 20s.

“We’re just trying to get people to come and try it out,” Kobbe said in between games Thursday. “We’re trying to get people interested because I think we need something else for people who don’t want to go play golf for four hours, or for people who are too old to play softball.

“It’s just a good game; it’s fun and it’s easy to pick up.”

Kobbe and other local players helped organize some pickleball games last year at Westside Elementary School in Powell, and the budding interest inspired a push for more exposure this summer. The summer games have helped draw players like Powell residents Bruce and Diane Wolff, who started playing years ago in Arizona during the winter months.

“It’s fun, it’s competitive and it’s good exercise,” Bruce Wolff, 64, said. “Once you get the game down, you’re running out there.

“It’s really nice. There are a lot of people in Powell that are starting to show up — and a lot of them are beginners — but that’s where everybody’s got to start, and it doesn’t take long for people to catch on and get really good.”

Kobbe urged anyone looking for a fun and easy game to play to join the action.

“This game is fun for everyone,” she said. “We want everyone to feel free to come play with us and have a good time. Young and old are welcome to come out and give it a try.”