Yakima Has A Brand New Pickleball Court at Franklin Park
The sport of Pickleball is fairly new on the sports scene (if you consider 1965* fairly 'new'). The game has been played locally for years at the Yakima Tennis Club and other area spots. Local kids are quickly developing a love of the sport now that it's available to the public (including my 8-year old daughter, Willow, who is considering starting a local Pickleball club for kids). Neighbors in a certain East Valley neigborhood have observed that members of their local Fire Department play Pickleball every day, too (ha, ha)!
A few weeks ago, a sign went up at Franklin Park that teased a new dedicated pickleball court was about to be opened to the public. Pickleball is like a combination of tennis and table tennis and can be played on a regular tennis court or a designated pickleball court.
You can join the Pickleball Club for just $30 for the whole year. The club meets at the new Franklin Park pickleball court on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. If you aren't a member but wish to play during the scheduled club times, there are two separate courts open for public use. Anyone can use the courts for free outside the Club times mentioned above.
Pickleball is a fun (and kind of addicting) sport and you should give it a try! You can buy your own pickleball paddles and whiffle balls at the local sports supply store, Big 5. Paddles start at around $50 each (there are less expensive paddles available online) and you can buy a 3-pack of pickleballs for around $10.
*The inventors of Pickleball are former Seattle-area Congressman Joel Pritchard and his friends, Barney McCallum and Bill Bell on Bainbridge Island.