SJM_Pickle Ball Lifestyle Dept_0423FINAL.qxp_Dept 4 / 25 / 23 4 : 38 PM Page 2 ry Hill Health & Racquet Club . Nicholas Puschak of Longport agrees . “ Pickleball is the rare sport that can be played by almost anyone — from some - one who’s never played a sport in their life , to an amazing athlete , ” he says . Most pickleball players say it only takes one time and you’re hooked on the game . Dean Tridente grew up in Ocean City and resides there currently . He says pick - leball was a popular physical education class in high school . “ We would even do teacher - vs . - student pickleball tourna - ments a few nights throughout the year , ” Tridente says . Since graduating in 2003 , pickleball was no more than a high school memory until the summer of 2019 when he was driving past 18th Street and saw a friend walking with a paddle in his hand . “ I rolled down the Pro pickleball player Kristen Clemmer and husband Troy held a pickleball - themed wedding in Ocean City . window and asked him what he was do - ing . When he said , ‘ I’m playing pickle - ball , ’ I said , ‘ That’s a real thing ? ’ He invit - Chang squared off against each other . community in South Jersey was bol - ed me to play , handed me a paddle and I According to a report from Yahoo Sports , stered by these signs of support . The was instantly hooked . ” the Sunday afternoon event averaged most popular way to organize games It’s a similar story for Marlton’s Kris - 669,000 viewers , and was a top - 10 pro - was through the website Meetup.com , ten Clemmer . She first played down the gram in the key 18 - 49 demos . Not to where Donald manages the South Jersey Shore after buying her dad paddles for mention the other big - name athletes Pickleball group . She says there are Father’s Day . “ We just thought we’d try it who are invested in Major League Pickle - about 1,800 active members , although because we saw other people playing , ” ball — Tom Brady , LeBron James , Kevin there are a total of 5,500 in the group it - she recalls . “ We went out as a family and Durant , Patrick Mahomes and Naomi self . Having courts to use meant more just absolutely loved it . ” Osaka , to name a few . It’s safe to assume meetups , and that’s when the issues Four years later Clemmer’s a pro / 5.0 + the sport will be gaining even more started . tournament player who has earned steam in the years to come . A top complaint from communities more than 30 medals . Not only was she regarding pickleball is the noise . “ You able to turn her passion for the game A Place to Play don’t want to live next to a large pickle - into a full - time instructing career , she For years , pickleball players have felt like ball ball facility , ” says Puschak . “ The also met her husband playing pickleball . the black sheep of the sports world , tak - paddles are a hard plastic material , so Their shared love for the game made the ing a back seat to tennis . Denise Donald when the plastic ball hits the plastic pad - perfect wedding theme , too , as guests of Cherry Hill , who has been playing dle , it’s a decent sound in terms of vol - were invited to wear their finest “ pickle - pickleball since 2011 , says she’d travel to ume . And if there’s multiple courts with ball formal ” attire and spent the recep - tennis courts with a roll of masking tape multiple games going on , it’s going to be tion playing the game . to map out the lines . loud . ” The pickleball community says there Cherry Hill Neighbors near the Lion’s Den was one of the first towns pickle - have been misconceptions about the to embrace it , says Donald . “ They found ball courts took issue with the noise level sport , one of the biggest being that play - out we were using the courts at Carusi and the constant stream of traffic due to ers skew a bit older . [ Middle School ] and reached out to me . I large groups meeting up to play . Donald “ The stigma that this is a sport just thought they were going to tell us to says she sympathized with the residents . for retirees is completely false , ” says Tri - stop , but they actually told us they were “ Some of these houses were very close to dente . “ I have a buddy who wears a going to add the pickleball lines for us . I the courts , and games would be going on health tracker and in three hours of pick - was so amazed and asked them if they from 8 a.m . to 8 p.m . , so it was just this leball he burned 3,100 calories . You’re could do the courts at Kilmer Elemen - constant noise , ” she says . lo definitely moving a lot more than people tary too . And they agreed , ” she says . Dunne was also a regular player at nge think . Anyone who thinks it’s an older Then , in 2016 , with the funds from a Lion’s Den . “ This isn’t going to be a pop - A im person’s sport should go on YouTube and recreation grant , Cherry Hill turned bas - ular opinion with other pickleball play - K of watch some professional pickleball ketball courts at Lion’s Den Park into the ers , but I do feel really bad for people esy games . ” first exclusive pickleball courts in South who live next to a pickleball court . ourtNot For anyone who doubts pickleball’s Jersey . Donald says then - Mayor Chuck only is the game loud with the use of a c ht entertainment value , ESPN recently Cahn was enthusiastic about the sport , plastic ball and paddle , but pickleball is rig p hosted its inaugural Pickleball Slam and six more courts were added to De - very social . We yell , we holler , we play to o where tennis legends Andre Agassi , John Cou Park . music . It’s one thing if you buy a hothouse McEnroe , Andy Roddick and Michael Donald explains that the pickleball next to an existing pickleball court , Pbut SOUTH JERSEY MAGAZINE volume 20 issue 1 SouthJerseyMagazine.com | 27