Pickleball for training and making new friends
Pickleball is growing in popularity in Central Indiana. See and hear people playing the sport.
CARMEL – A world-class pickleball country club has opened in Carmel with a pro shop, eight indoor courts, fancy locker rooms, an on-site pro and an upscale restaurant and 90-seat bar, joining a nationwide trend to expand the sport beyond casual outdoor pickleball courts.
Pickle on Penn, a 23,000-square-foot facility, opened last month at 11575 N. Pennsylvania St. in Carmel and offers memberships aimed at seasoned pros, beginners and players somewhere in between.
In addition to putting the spotlight on sports, Pickle on Penn wants to be known as a gathering place for food and socializing. The club’s culinary venture, The Kitchen, will open in September and will be led by locally known chef Carlesa Smith, who has worked at Harry & Izzy’s on the north side and as sous chef at St. Elmo Steak House.
Pickle on Penn’s second-floor restaurant and bar feature picture windows overlooking the plazas and serve everything from snacks and salads to burgers and pizza to upscale entrees like New York strip, filet mignon and honey-glazed salmon.
Many of the names of the dishes on the menu are inspired by the sport of pickleball.
On the appetizer list is “The Paddle,” which is described on the menu as “a signature charcuterie board with soppressata, capicola, pepperoni, burrata, goat cheese, port, pickles, strawberries, oranges, macaroon almonds, honeycomb and crostini,” and the “Drop Shot Dip,” “a cheese dip made with spinach and artichokes served with tortilla chips.”
Handhelds include the Hotshot Burger, which is laced with cheese and topped with roasted red pepper and poblano spread, topped with parmesan chips, spicy tempura-battered jalapeños, and chipotle ranch on a toasted brioche bun.
The drinks menu also includes draft beers, wine and cocktails with pickleball-inspired names.
There’s the Dink Shot Buck (Makers Mark 46, lemon juice, simple syrup and crushed strawberries), the Pickle Mary (Tito’s vodka, Zing Zang Bloody Mary mix, lime juice, Tabasco, Tajin rim and of course a cucumber skewer) and the Passing Shot Paloma (Casamigos Blanco Tequila, Fever Tree grapefruit foam, lime juice and a salted rim).
Pickleball’s explosive popularity
Pickle on Penn, a private club owned by local entrepreneurs Steve and Kelly Bodner, goes by the short name POP. The Bodners said they wanted to create a club that is casual, enthusiastic and inspiring for its members.
The club’s General Manager and Director of Pickleball is longtime professional coach Ryan Atkinson, who comes from Broadmoor Country Club, where he served as Director of Pickleball, and the Indianapolis Racquet Club, where he is a professional coach.
“I couldn’t be more excited to join the amazing POP team from the start,” Atkinson said in a statement. “Pickleball has changed my life, not to mention it is the fastest growing sport in the United States.”
Over the past three years, pickleball has been named America’s fastest-growing sport by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Since 2020, pickleball has grown 223.5%, including a 51.8% increase in 2023, with 13.6 million people playing the sport.
In 2023, the Association of Pickleball Professionals estimated that 48.3 million adults in the U.S. played pickleball at least once in the last year, representing nearly 19% of the total adult population.
What is pickleball?
Pickleball is played on a badminton-sized court with a net that is 86 cm high in the middle. It is played with a perforated plastic ball and composite or wooden rackets that are about twice the size of table tennis rackets.
Due to its friendly, social nature and cross-generational appeal, the game has developed a passionate following.
Pickleball can be played indoors or outdoors and as singles or doubles. New players can quickly learn the basic rules in a single session. No special clothing is required – just something comfortable and appropriate for a court sport. Equipment is inexpensive and easy to transport.
Source: USA Pickleball, which maintains the rules, promotes the sport, sanctioned tournaments, and provides player ratings.
A dog named Pickles? A small controversy about the name of the sport
Pickleball originated in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, just a short ferry ride from Seattle, and was started by three innovative fathers, Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum, to entertain their children who were tired of the usual summer activities.
The origin of the game’s name is a bit strange, especially because it has nothing to do with pickles. Explanations for the origin of the name vary. According to Pritchard’s wife Joan, she started calling the game pickleball because “the combination of different sports reminded me of the pickle boat, where the rowers were selected from the remains of other boats.”
McCallum argues that the game was officially named after the Pritchards’ dog, Pickles, who would chase the ball and run off with it. According to McCallum, “The Pritchards had a dog named Pickles, and you have fun at a party, right? So what the heck, let’s just call it pickleball,” USA Pickleball writes of its history.
Others claim that both accounts may be true. In the early years, the game was not given an official name. However, a year or two after the game was invented, the Pritchards bought a cocker spaniel and named him Pickles. As the game evolved, an official name was needed and it became “Pickleball.”
Join the Carmel Club
Pickle on Penn plans to host regular tournaments, clinics, leagues and social events. Individual and family memberships, guest passes and free Pickleball 101 experiences are available. All reservations should be made through the Court Reserve app.
More information: Pickle On Penn
Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Benbow on X: @DanaBenbow. You can reach her via email: [email protected]
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