In May 2023 my husband and I started playing pickleball and we love it! I describe it as a cross between tennis and ping pong. The court is a little more than half of a tennis court. The paddle has a hard surface and is a bit smaller than a racquetball racquet. The ball reminds me of a whiffle ball, so the wind can make the outdoor game challenging. I used to play racquetball, so I picked up pretty quickly. It can be played singles or doubles. I love that my husband and I can play together! We have outdoor courts in Avenbury Lakes where we live, so we can meet up with other homeowners to play. 

Here's a LINK to the history, rules and more about the sport. 

WHERE TO PLAY Pickleball courts are popping up all over! There's an app called Team Reach where you can find dates and times for open play, just show up!

• If you'd like to join the Westside Outdoor Pickleball Group on the Team Reach app, the Group Code is WOPG. There you'll find dates and times for open play at Clague Park in Westlake. 
• The code for the North Ridgeville Pickleball Group is NRPG. In this group there are a few locations in Avon, Avon Lake and North Ridgeville.

Here are more places to play in Cleveland's western suburbs:

• Rocky River - Tri-City Park on Westwood Rd. The park, which borders Westlake, Fairview Park and Rocky River, offers six pickleball courts. 
• Westlake - Clague Park at the Northwest corner of Clague Road and Hilliard Boulevard. The park offers four outdoor courts with permanent lines. 
• Lakewood - Studio West 117, 1384 Hird Avenue. Studio West 117th has options for individuals to compete in social leagues and competitive leagues. The Fieldhouse also offers a four-week instruction session for adults as well as open pickleball sessions.
• Avon Lake - Bleser Park, 32800 Electric Boulevard. Bleser Park offers four lighted pickleball courts and plays home to the Cleveland Pickleball Classic, which takes place on Saturday, July 22. 

I love this hilarious video about the five stages of pickleball! We're in stage four!