The second season of Bulloch County Recreation and Parks’ pickleball league is slated to begin on Thursday, August 24, 2023, and will be held at the Sue Oertley Tennis Courts on Fair Road in Statesboro, near the Honey Bowen Building.The games will take place in the evenings when the balmy August days cool down a bit, and this league will offer competition and comradery for community members. It will start at 7:00pm and run until 8:45pm.
Pickleball is a happy blend of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, making it a fun sport for people of all ages and varying levels of athleticism. It is played on a court sized for badminton with a net a few inches shorter than a tennis net. Like tennis, it can be played in singles (one on one) or doubles (two against two). It is easy to learn to play and understand the rules, yet it challenges the players to think strategically as if they were playing chess.
The first season of pickleball in our area consisted of a 50+ team and took place in the spring of 2023. The fall league is open to anyone ages 18 and over. No prior experience is necessary, as veterans of the game are welcoming and inviting to rookies and will be glad to teach newcomers the ropes.
“It’s more about socializing and trying to grow the sport,” Lenard Robinson, Athletic Program Supervisor at Bulloch Recreation and Parks, explains. “If you haven’t played, people will come and coach you through things and walk you through the scoring system. I’ve seen that every time I’m out there.”
Statesboro joined the national pickleball craze through the enthusiasm of a few avid players who wanted to pass on their love of the sport, and would gather at the tennis courts to practice. Robinson was inspired to create a dedicated court time for these players, which enabled the rec department to eventually add a new sport to their lineup. Robinson found himself initially playing in the spring league to learn more about the sport and to see how to structure the league, and has been playing ever since.
For more information about the upcoming adult pickleball league, please visit Bulloch County Recreation and Parks at https://bullochrec.com/pickleball/.