Pickleball tournament draws enthusiasts

Standing on the southwest corner of Larry Maxam Memorial Park Monday morning, one would think that it was just another quiet day at one of Burbank’s parks.

There was the occasional laughter from children at the jungle gym and the sound of basketballs being dribbled at the basketball court. However, at the tennis court, the sound of hollow balls being smacked by paddles filled the air.

That morning, a group called Burbank Pickleball hosted its first Red, White and Blue Tournament and Picnic at the park, where about 16 pairs of pickleball players from Burbank, Glendale and surrounding cities had a friendly competition.

“We decided this would be fun to do before the holiday, and we’re always looking for things to do,” said Burbank resident Debbie Ludwig, who organizes the group with her husband Don.

Pickleball has been around since 1965, blending three racket sports — tennis, badminton and table tennis.

The sport is played on a badminton-sized court but uses a 3-foot-tall net. Players use composite paddles and hit a plastic ball, usually one with holes.

Founded by then U.S. Rep. Joel Pritchard and two friends on Bainbridge Island, Wash., pickleball was named after Pritchard’s dog, Pickles, who chased the game ball as they played, according to the USA Pickleball Assn.’s website.

While many people have not heard of the sport, pickleball has become one of the fastest growing activities in the United States. There are an estimated 2.5 million people in the country playing the sport, either as a regular participant or someone who plays only a few times a year, according to the association.

In 2013, there were an estimated 103,000 people playing pickleball in the United States.

Debbie Ludwig, who has been playing for about a year and a half, said pickleball has become popular among seniors in Burbank. She said the group started playing at the Olive Recreation Center but had to change locations because of the growing number of players.

The Burbank Parks and Recreation Department recently painted four regulation-sized pickleball courts at Maxam Memorial Park, which is where the group has been meeting every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

For Debbie Ludwig, 66, pickleball has been a way for her, her husband and other seniors who play the sport to remain active. However, she added that it has also become a new activity for younger adults and children.

“I’m surprised that P.E. teachers haven’t brought it into their curriculum because it’s great practice for eye-hand coordination,” Debbie Ludwig said.

Glendale resident Relinda Beesemyer, 70, said playing pickleball was a great alternative to playing tennis, which is a sport she had been playing for about 40 years.

“It’s not as hard on the elbows or the knees,” she said. “It’s really a lot of fun.”

It wasn’t only seniors playing in the tournament, though. Burbank resident Adam Hendershott, 34, said that he just started playing about five weeks ago after a friend had mentioned the sport to him.

Looking for something active to do in his spare time, Hendershott gave pickleball a chance and has been hooked ever since.

“It sounded like a joke at first because the name is so silly, and when I first showed up, it was just old people playing and thought it would be a breeze,” he said. “But then I started playing them, and those old guys can move.”

While the tournament was competitive, all the participants had smiles on their faces and there were no rackets smashed.

Burbank resident Jim Sartoris, 72, a former athletic director at Glendale Community College, said he plays the game because he enjoys the camaraderie with others in the group.

“This tournament is just a fun tournament and it doesn’t matter,” he said. “What matters is that we get to play with people that we see three to four times a week. It’s a great community event, especially for us older people.”

anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Twitter: @acocarpio