Cookeville Pickleball Clinic For All Levels Of Athlete

Anyone interested in finding out exactly what pickleball is has a chance to try it out on Saturday at the Cane Creek Gymnasium.

Clinic Instructor Tyler Johnson said pickleball is a larger game of ping-pong mixed with a smaller version of tennis. Johnson said no one should worry about being in shape before trying it out.

“I put it as a good way to get in shape,” Johnson said. “I’ve seen people who can move all over the place to those to those who can’t move particularly well, maybe only a few feet at a time.”

Johnson said that participants can be paired up with people at their same athletic level. Johnson said he would like to see a pickleball tournament in the future, as interest grows.

“We’ve seen a tremendous amount of growth over at the Cane Creek Gymnasium over the past months and even years,” Johnson said. “Pickleball itself is a growing sport. Right now, we provide three indoor courts and provide some courts that can be set up over at West End Park with a proper net.”

Johnson said there’s a demand from players for more courts.

“I think hopefully down the line, I would love to see some outdoor courts that are put out that are dedicated to pickleball,” Johnson said. “They’ve been asking for them, so hopefully we can deliver in the years to come.”

The cost is $5 for the pickleball clinic Saturday and people can either pre-register or pay the same day. The clinic will be held from 9:00 AM until 1:00 PM.