Pickleball lessons, groups available to join in Jamestown
· Yahoo Sports
Jul. 25—JAMESTOWN — Kerry Boese was not planning on getting hooked on pickleball — he was just doing a friend a favor.
"I was resisting playing actually," Boese said with a chuckle. "I was playing basketball with a friend and there were two elderly friends of his who wanted to play pickleball but they were self-conscious about playing with people who were playing pickleball at TRAC (Two Rivers Activity Center) on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.
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"They asked my friend if he could find someone who would play and they didn't have to feel embarrassed so he asked me if I would join," he said. "I said, 'for the sake of those fellas I will do it.' That's how I got started."
After a couple of times playing, Boese found himself eager to continue.
"The social aspect is really kind of neat," Boese said. "I am not a Jamestown native, so the pickleball group that meets at TRAC on Tuesday and Thursday mornings was really the first social group I got to know. It's a very social sport. There is a wide range of talents and that was very attractive.
"... and I think the sound of the pickleball hitting the paddle has some qualities that are addictive," he said. "Kind of like the sound of those machines at the casino."
When he is not playing himself, Boese is helping others experience the joys of pickleball.
"I was approached by Owen Ost and he heard that TRAC was going to start offering beginners' classes and that they were looking for instructors," Boese said. "He put the word out and I guess I was one of the ones who responded to him, but I didn't go looking for this.
"I really didn't know what it entailed," he said. "I had never taught pickleball, I had never even been to a pickleball lesson. I just kind of picked it up. I didn't know if I was doing things properly, but you learn faster when you teach. I really like working with beginners and introducing them to the game."
Tammy Mewes said the Jamestown Parks and Recreation Department (JPRD) is offering lessons for youth and adult participants. The youth lessons are designed for ages 10 and up. JRPD offers pickleball instruction to help people get started with the basics of the game. Interested parties can register online, at TRAC or through the JPRD app.
"I like to teach just enough skills right up front so that they can play," Boese said. "I have them dink the ball over the net for a while, then we work on the serve, then we play a game. I will stop the game when I see something that might warrant some advice or instruction."
TRAC has indoor and outdoor courts to allow lessons to happen regardless of the weather.
JRPD currently offers pickleball lessons year-round. In addition to lessons, TRAC also offers a family pickleball clinic over Christmas break and a Holiday Doubles Pickleball tournament in December. There is another annual Luck of the Draw St. Paddy's theme tournament in March.
In addition to but separate from the JPRD lessons, there is the Jamestown Area Pickleball Club. Currently, there are 98 members, some of whom joined after taking lessons through JPRD.
"People love pickleball because it's easy to learn, improves flexibility and coordination, and offers a fun option for a physical workout," Jamestown Area Pickleball Club member Judy Hager said. "And then there's also the social aspect of it. We oftentimes have 30-plus people playing together at any one time."
The pickleball club hosted its third annual Meet in the Middle pickleball tournament June 19-20 with 33 doubles teams competing in various divisions from all over the state — including Bismarck, Detroit Lakes, Fargo, Gackle, Grand Forks, Horace, Hunter, Mandan, Minot, Moorhead and Surrey.
"Our hope is to share pickleball with more people in our community and surrounding communities," Mewes said. "Pickleball gets people active and moving in a low-impact sport, making it great for all ages and levels of play. Pickleball gives you opportunities to meet new people not just in Jamestown but wherever you travel and just have fun with a sport for all ages."