Central Oregon a pickleball hot spot
April is NATIONAL PICKLEBALL MONTH. In Central Oregon, that matters. Haven’t heard of pickleball yet? Well, you should have! Pickleball currently boasts over 2.8 million players. It is among the fastest growing sports in the US, and Central Oregon happens to be a pickleball hotspot.
What is pickleball? Pickleball is an intensely fun, active paddle sport created for ALL ages and skill levels. It combines the elements of tennis, badminton and ping pong. It is played on a small court (44×20 ft) and uses a paddle and whiffle style ball.
Why is Central Oregon a pickleball hotspot?
Here are a few interesting facts about the sport in our area; the local Bend pickleball club has over 650 members, Bend Parks and Recreation summer program has served 2,965 people in pickleball instruction since 2014. Lisa Palcic and Lee Whitwell, both local pro players and IPTPA certified full time pickleball professionals, have taught more than 10,000 people since 2013. Bend boasts a premier outdoor pickleball facility with 16 public courts. All the tennis clubs in the Central Oregon area offer pickleball as well.
Additional growth in Central Oregon pickleball can be found with the construction of a new 8-court indoor facility called Pickleball Zone. This new, state-of-the-art facility is scheduled to open later this spring. Pickleball Zone is also the future home to the prestigious Oregon Pickleball Academy. Bend is the host of 2 major tournaments that boasts hundreds of players in each. Both tournaments had many of the top 10 players in the world playing here in our backyard.
How can you learn more about the sport of Pickleball? The Bend Pickleball Club is a great local resource and can be reached via (www.bendpickleballclub.com). As well as Pickleball Zone Bend (www.pzbend.com) Pickleball Edge Instruction (www.pickleballedge.com). The United States Pickleball Association (www.usapa.org) and the IPTPA (www.IPTPA.com) are also good resources to learn about this growing sport.
