Boise Area Pickleball News

The Boise Parks and Recreation Department has approved a plan to build Idaho’s largest pickleball dedicated facility.  They will be located at Hobble Creek Park, behind the West YMCA in Boise.  Funds need to be raised in order for the ground breaking to begin.  Please help us make the deadline this November!  We don’t have a lot of time, but if we can do this, the ground breaking will start this spring and be ready for play next fall.  This will be historic for Idaho to have 12 dedicated pickleball courts…  Thank you in advance for your support.  If you would like to donate – please click on the link below the flyer.  The link will take you to a secure site…

http://parks.cityofboise.org/parks-locations/pickleball/

Written by Kathy Getto

I recently visited with and watched a group of up-and-coming pickleball players who are ready to take the game to the next level…

And believe me, these kids have got GAME!

Campers played King and Queen of the Court and showed off their winning crowns!

Earlier this week a Pickleball Camp for Kids was offered by Homecourt YMCA, and eight eager participants attended the four day camp. The camp was taught by Nick and Tami Leach who are well known throughout southwestern Idaho for their dedication to pickleball and their ability to train players at all levels.

The camp offered instruction on how to play, how to keep score, and how to incorporate strategies of the game.

It was amazing how well the kids learned the ins and outs of pickleball in four short days.

They kept score better than some long time playing adults…. 🙂

All the campers showed their good sportsmanship with a congratulatory paddle bump at the end of their games.

The children, whose ages ran from six to 11, were all very enthusiastic about the game.

Ten year old Ethan Fung is going to teach his mom how to play; he’s been talking to her every night about pickleball and can’t wait to teach her.

Even during breaks, the kids couldn’t get enough and were practicing their wall work.

Other campers included siblings Aiden, Skyler and Liam Siemons; Madero Tassi; and siblings Lucas and Hazel Roberts.

All of the children at the camp on the final day have played ping pong, so they already had much of the hand-eye coordination down.

The players learned controlled placement during targeted drills.

But, frankly, I was surprised at how well they played when I watched five of them play on their last day at camp. They were sustaining rallies that lasted almost 20 hits! Incredible!

Brad Foreman, a YMCA employee who worked with Nick and Tami to put on the camp, had never played pickleball before. He has played tennis for many years, even playing competitively in college. He’d first heard about it years ago from his grandparents who winter in Arizona, but he’d never given the game a try until this week.

Players awaiting their turn during skills and drills.

Now, he’s hooked! And hooked hard… As I talked with him a few minutes during a break at the camp his most often used word: “Addicted!” He loves the strategies of the game and can’t get over how fast paced the game can be even as he’s beginning to understand the strength that comes with controlled dinking.

When I asked all the campers and Brad if they would be playing again after the camp ended, the answer was a resounding, “YES!!!!”

So watch out Treasure Valley pickleball players; there’s a bunch of new kids on the court!

Thanks to the efforts of Wayne Larsen and Kevin Johnson, as well as the Meridian’s Parks and Recreation Department’s forward thinking and allowing us, the Pickleball community, to tape two more courts at Settlers Park.  With the help of at least 30 loyal pickleballers the taping was completed in record time and players were on the courts by 10am playing the game we all love.  Due Wayne and Kevin we now have 5 outdoor courts in one location and with them opening the door they may be able to get more in the future.  So if you see Wayne or Kevin give’m a high-five.  Now let’s go play Pickleball.

Did you go to camp when you were a kid? Did your kids go to camp when they were growing up? Or have you ever wondered how much fun it would be to experience going-to-camp yourself? Hey!!! This is your opportunity to participate in the Senior Outing to YMCA Camp at Horsethief Reservoir!.

For more information contact Carol Purcell by email at cpurcell74@gmail.com , by phone at 208-871-6809 or check out the flyer and registration form by clicking on the “Local Activities” tab above.

I hope our local seniors will take advantage of this opportunity and did I mention that they will Pickleball Courts, yes you read it right they are going to have courts available for you pickleball lovers.