Pickleball, Anyone? Players Make Case For New Courts In Greenwich

GREENWICH, CT — The public had a chance to weigh-in on Greenwich's proposed $464 million budget on Monday night ahead of the Board of Estimate and Taxation's vote to approve, which is now expected to take place April 19.

Among the many budget items discussed included a plea from a group of enthusiastic residents who asked the BET to keep funds in place for new, dedicated pickleball courts in order to keep up with demand for the growing sport.

Read more on Monday's budget public hearing

There are currently outdoor pickleball courts at Loughlin Park in Cos Cob and Christiano Park in Chickahominy. Residents can also play on weekends only outdoors at Western Middle School. Lined courts are also available at the Eastern and Western civic centers.

Play at Eastern will be halted once construction on a new facility begins.

Pickleball combines many elements of tennis, badminton and ping pong, and can be played both indoors or outdoors on a badminton-sized court with a slightly modified tennis net.

Players play in doubles or singles with paddles and a plastic ball with holes.

According to the USA Pickleball Association, the game was invented by three dads — Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum — in 1965 on Bainbridge Island in Seattle, Wash. The men came up with the game for their children, who were bored with their regular summertime activities.

Coincidentally, pickleball became Washington's official sport on Monday after Gov. Jay Inslee signed a new bill into law, according to the Seattle Times.

The game has since evolved over the years and has gained popularity around the world and in the U.S., and locally in Greenwich.

Betsy Underhill, the former Greenwich High School girls varsity tennis coach, was introduced to pickleball in Ridgefield several years ago. She immediately became hooked.

"I really didn't need another sport in my life," she told the BET Monday night. "I thought I'd play it once... I ended up going up to Ridgefield twice a week. I got hooked in, which is easy to do with this sport."

Underhill bought four paddles and a net, and secured gym space at the Bendheim Western Greenwich Civic Center, but she had no one to play with.

"Fast forward to 2022, we now have the problem of we have too many people. So many people are playing this game, and we need more courts," said Underhill, who became an ambassador for the sport and helps promote it. "There's a place on Bible Street we were hoping the allotted funds that were set aside two years ago can be used to give us more courts. We're kind of dying for more courts."

The Greenwich Time reported that the space on Bible Street would be used for three new courts.

Pickleball player Candace Garthwaite urged the BET to keep the funds in place.

"Public access to tennis, golf, water sports and beaches makes Greenwich a top place to live,' she said. "Parks and Rec. needs funds to build dedicated pickleball courts and to set up hybrid courts."

Garthwaite said more than 140 residents have signed an online petition calling for more courts around town.

"Town-sponsored pickleball clinics run by Betsy and open play supported by the town require at least 4-6 courts to really segregate the beginner, intermediate and advanced players," she said. "These programs fill up so quickly that they crash the system. Those who are left out have very few court options to organize a private game."

Many Connecticut towns have invested funds to create new courts and convert tennis surfaces, Garthwaite said, noting that Wallingford spent $60,000 for tennis court conversions, New Canaan is spending $300,000 on five new courts, and Norwalk is spending $427,000 on four courts.

"Towns and cities across the country recognize the large payoff for their residents with relatively small investments in pickleball. The need is fair. The number of $116,000 will yield a big payoff," Garthwaite said.

Private clubs are also building and converting courts for pickleball, but Garthwaite wants access for people who don't belong to a club.

"The great attraction of pickleball is it cuts across age, gender and socioeconomic status. It makes us healthy in so many ways," she said.

Another pickleball player, Jodi Stuart, highlighted the many physical and mental health benefits of the sport, which she called "the best healer of all."

"You have to move for vitality. It's a smaller court, less strenuous than tennis. It regenerates your muscles and your bones. Bones need to be jarred to prevent bone loss. A quick volley return will do the trick," she said.

"It enhances brain function, reduces anxiety and depression. When you have a joyful time, and pickleball is so much fun, your brain releases dopamine serotonin and endorphins," Stuart added. "Serotonin is an antidepressant, a feel good hormone that elevates your mood."

She said having a like-minded community combats loneliness and enhances one's well-being.

"The only stress there is in Greenwich in pickleball is finding a court," she said.

Should the full BET approve the budget with the funds in place, the Representative Town Meeting will have the final say when they convene to approve the budget in May. The RTM can only make cuts to the proposed spending plan.

For more on pickleball in Greenwich, click here.