This pickle's particularly sweet

By BRIAN WALKER

Staff Writer

COEUR d'ALENE — John Rodrigues was working on a scaffolding in Mullan about 10 years ago when he peeked inside a gym and saw kids playing an odd game.

"I thought, 'That's stupid — they're playing with wooden paddles and whiffle balls," the Coeur d'Alene man said.

Today, Rodrigues is eating those words with a bitter smile. He and his wife, Letha, are ambassadors to that game — pickleball.

They promote the sport that combines many elements of badminton, tennis and ping pong and has exploded in popularity in recent years, including in North Idaho. They teach others about the game. And, when they take trips, their agenda includes finding the local pickleball courts for outings in the mornings and nights.

Letha tried the sport first, about seven years ago at the Kroc Center, when it had the only two public courts in the area. Today, there are 27 public courts in Coeur d'Alene.

"She said to me one day, 'You've got to try this,'" John said, referring to the sport he made fun of a few years earlier.

Pickleball is played with a paddle, net and plastic ball with holes similar to a whiffle ball on a doubles-badminton-sized (20-by-44 feet) court.

The game, played as doubles or singles, was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island near Seattle. Three dads — former Congressman Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum — created the game after their kids were bored with their usual summertime activities.

The name of the game came about when Joan Pritchard, Joel's wife — who was a competitive rower on the island — said it reminded her of the "pickle boat," the slowest vessel in a race.

While the game has a funny name, its rise in North Idaho has been no joke.

The North Idaho Pickleball Association has grown to 120 members in its first three years. The Coeur d'Alene Classic, a local tournament, had 150 players in its first year, 285 last year and 345 are registered for this year's event Aug. 17-20 at Cherry Hill Park.

Coeur d'Alene is also drawing the sport's best players in the country. This year's tournament has 30 pro level players and, on Tuesday, two of the best players in the sport, San Diego's Jennifer Lucore and Yakima's Tyson McGuffin, put on a clinic for local players at the Northshire Courts.

Pat Hoon, president of the local association, said many of the local players are 60 and older. Jess Glouser is the association's oldest member at 95.

"It's such a social game," said Hoon, referring to the camaraderie of the sport and adding it's easier on the body than tennis and most other sports. "The court is only a third the size of a tennis court. It's kept me healthy."

Coeur d'Alene 74-year-old Rob Crockett first became intrigued by the sport when he drove by courts in Post Falls about four years ago and saw folks playing. Curiosity finally got the best of him, so he pulled over on another day when he saw a game.

"I saw people enjoying themselves, so I said, 'Can I try?'" said Crockett, who is now in his third year of playing. "They just accept you. You can't meet a better group of people. This has been a group that has pulled me in."

Crockett tuned in to the pointers given by Lucore and McGuffin.

"Even if I don't want to change, I can have the information to," he said with a smile.

While pickleball has been a hit with Baby Boomers, more young players like McGuffin are now playing the sport, many transitioning from tennis.

"It's soulful and easy to play," said McGuffin, who is sponsored by Selkirk Sport, a Hayden pickleball paddle manufacturer. "It's also the perfect outlet for someone who has blown out a knee."

Lucore, 51, added: "Pickleball is for all ages. It gets you out of the house, is a social fix and gives you exercise to be healthier."

Crockett treasures the activity and doesn't like to think about an alternative pastime.

"I play to get off of the couch," he said. "The couch is deadly for a certain personality like me."

For more information about local association, visit nipba.org or email pathoon@hotmail.com.