Picturesque pickleball in Yountville, Local ballers have played for more than a decade
Most any day of the week, a pickleball game is played in Yountville. The best part is that in this rapidly growing sport, nearly anyone can play.
Barb Larson of Yountville first noticed pickleball while visiting the Palm Desert region of Southern California several years ago, former Yountville resident Verlin Chalmers recalled. There were also several locals nearby who had started playing the game in Napa, Chalmers added. Larson began enthusiastically chatting up the possibility of pickleball to fellow residents, and even stopped Chalmers and his partner Janice on a street in town to talk up the game.
Interest in the game grew rapidly. Soon after, the idea was presented to Yountville Parks and Recreation to create a place to play, and pickleball court lines were painted on the gymnasium floor of the Yountville Community Center for indoor play. Chalmers recalls this happening around 2014, “The sport grew very quickly, from a couple handfuls of people, to people lined up the full length of the gym, waiting to play on the two available courts.” All pickleball in the Napa Valley he said, was played indoors at that time.
Local pickleball enthusiasts had their eye on the rarely used tennis courts at Vineyard Park on Oak Circle, “I mentioned that it was possible to put four pickleball courts on one tennis court,” Chalmers said, “I joined the Park and Rec Advisory Board to help move things forward.” The outdoor courts at the park were completed in 2018, with four permanent pickleball courts and one permanent tennis court.
Pickleball, a cross between ping pong, badminton, and tennis, is a sport that was invented by three vacationers on Bainbridge Island, near Seattle, Washington in 1965. According to Brandon Mackie of Pickleheads, there are an estimated 36.5 million pickleball players in the United States, making it one of the largest participation sports in America, and a sport that has grown by 158.6% over the past three years.
Myrna David has been playing pickleball in Yountville from the start, participates in the Women’s Intermediate Pickleball Group and administrates the group’s Facebook page. “Anyone is welcome to come out for rotational play, there are specific timeslots on the outdoor schedule for Intermediate Women, Advanced Players and Beginners,” David explained, adding that the park is open daily for anyone who wants to grab a court with friends.
The Yountville Pickleball Facebook group according to David, has grown to include nearly 600 members. “The group is made up of current and former players, locals and out-of-towners and visitors,” she reported, “This group page provides updated information about our schedule, helps keep players and community members informed with news, videos and other helpful information about the sport.”
Yountville Parks and Recreation Director Samantha Holland said that Yountville’s four designated public pickleball courts at Vineyard Park are open seven days per week from 8:00 a.m. to dusk. Three of those four courts have designated play times for specific types of players, leaving one court open at all times for drop-in play. Outside of the designated times, the courts are all open for anyone to play.
Open Gym (for pickleball, or basketball), also open to anyone, is offered at the Yountville Community Center. 60% of the open gym members are locals, with the balance coming from outside the Town of Yountville. While indoor play is year-round, outdoor pickleball games happen throughout the year, unless is rains.
Recently, Yountville Parks and Recreation’s Recreation Coordinator Garrett Kuehle had the idea to offer Glow Pickleball. The sessions take place monthly. Players wear neon, and play pickleball in the community center gym beneath black lights.
To get into the game, Holland suggests that players start by joining a beginner time slot at the outdoor courts, join a beginner pickleball clinic or just show up during open play and join a game.
“We have loaner paddles outdoors and indoors, but a basic paddle, tennis shoes and an interest is really all you need,” Holland added for those interested in trying out the sport. Pickleball really is for everyone, and she has witnessed all ages pick up a paddle, “As young as 11 and as old as 88!”
The outdoor pickleball courts at Vineyard Park on Oak Circle, may be some of the most picturesque courts in the country. The view toward the east from the courts reveals vineyards, a portion of Stag’s Leap and the Vaca Mountain Range. It is such a popular spot, that most all of the street parking fills up during the designated play time slots.
For David, she says that the benefits of pickleball include great exercise, a good workout, fun and social connections, but players also have an opportunity to develop friendships.
Registration for open gym and glow pickleball in Yountville can be found at www.yvilleparksandrec.com. For more information visit https://yountvillepickleball.com/ or join Yountville Pickleball on Facebook
