<span class=”s1″><strong>BRIGHAM CITY–</strong> St. George has 63 pickleball courts and a move is underway to construct playing courts in Brigham City to accommodate the more than 100 players in that Box Elder County community.</span>
<p class=”p1″><span class=”s1″>“It is believed to be the fastest growing senior sport in America and it is catching on here,” said Brigham City Recreation Director Kirsty Law.</span>
<p class=”p1″><span class=”s1″>During a December 20, 2012 meeting of the Brigham City Council Kyle Klein and Scott Clayson requested a portion of Brigham City’s Pioneer Park be set aside to build a court complex. </span>
<p class=”p1″><span class=”s1″>“It is a court sport like tennis, but smaller,” said Klein. “It’s almost a combination of what ping pong and tennis would be. One of the beauties of the sport is its simplicity, there are only three main rules.”</span>
<p class=”p1″><span class=”s1″>He said the court is about a third of the size of a tennis court which makes it appealing to seniors.</span>
<p class=”p1″><span class=”s1″>“It is played with a wiffle ball and an oversized ping pong paddle and a tennis net, so the ball moves quite slowly compared to a game of tennis or racquetball. Almost anybody can learn the game within 10 to 15 minutes and be playing it.”</span>
<p class=”p1″><span class=”s1″>Klein said a recent tournament in northern Utah drew 110 participants from four states and seven different counties in Utah.</span>
<p class=”p1″><span class=”s1″>“It is definitely a workout, more than you might think, given the size of the court.”</span>
<p class=”p1″><span class=”s1″>Klein said the history of the sport dates back to the early-1960s and originated in the state of Washington.</span>
<p class=”p1″><span class=”s1″>“Two families were on vacation and they had a ball they used for their dog to throw around and play catch. Well, they took the ball from the dog and started hitting it with paddles out on a tennis court. That’s how it started.</span>
<p class=”p1″><span class=”s1″>“Their dog’s name was Pickles, thus the name of the game.”</span>