by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian
Tuesday, August 20th, 2024
Pickleball fever has taken a foothold in Uvalde with at least three locations in town with Pickleball courts. The Uvalde Hesperian visited the Herby Ham Activity Center Thursday night, August 15th. That particular evening there were about a dozen people playing Pickleball.
HHAC has two indoor pickleball courts. HHAC is the only location that has Pickleball courts in an air conditioned, indoor setting. That particular evening there were about a dozen people playing Pickleball.
What is Pickleball?
Pickleball is similar to tennis but played on a smaller court with a xomwhat smaller net. Instead of players using rackets, each player uses a paddle similar to Ping Pong and the ball used is similar to a Wiffle Ball.
Pickleball courts also feature an area nearest to the net referred to as the non-volley area which is sometimes called “the kitchen”. Special rules apply to this area and in general, players try to stay out of that area barring specific circumstances,
According to the people the Hesperian spoke with that evening, Pickleball is easy to play and easy to learn. While there is a good amount of physical movement, there is not as much running involved compared to Tennis.
According to HHAC Director Amy Coleman, some seasonal visitors brought up Pickleball and asked why the Center didn’t offer it. Coleman said she was on board with giving it a try.
HHAC hosts Pickleball nights on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 PM as well as on Tuesdays at 10AM
The cost to pay is $10 per time or $50 each month.
According to the 2024 Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America, having grown 51.8% from 2022 to 2023, and an incredible 223.5% in four years since 2020.
