MERIDIAN, Idaho (CBS2) — Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States. According to the Association of Pickleball Professionals, 48.3 million adults have played at least one game in the last 12 months. During the colder months, Idahoans typically fall behind in their pickleball game due to limited access to temperature controlled courts. That all changes with the opening of Idaho's largest indoor pickleball club, The Flying Pickle!
Nick Petterson, one of the owners of The Flying Pickle, says the new facility is state of the art.
"No corners have been cut," said Petterson. "We've hired lighting engineers, acoustic engineers, we have layers of rubber under the courts to help with joint problems. We have a full kitchen with a chef who knows what he's doing and makes fantastic food, he was on the show Hell's Kitchen, like, when I say we have a legit chef, we have a legit chef. It's just a fun place to play, to socialize and hang out."
The Flying Pickle has 18 courts for people to enjoy from 5 a.m. to midnight every day of the week. There are also lounge areas where players can relax after their games.
"Pickleball is a social sport and we're trying to feed into that a little bit more," said Petterson. "We're not just a facility where people just come play and then leave, we offer amenities such as food and drinks. We want people to socialize after they play."
Pickleball is a very active sport and Petterson wants people to know it isn't as easy as it looks.
"A lot of tennis players come over, they hit the ball hard, they think, 'Wow this is easy,' but it is more difficult than you would think," said Petterson. "I would challenge any of you out there to come play somebody who knows what they're doing on the pickleball court and see if you can hang."
As a former tennis player, I was up to the challenge! Petterson gave me a lesson and I couldn't believe how much fun I had. It became abundantly clear to me why pickleball has become such a phenomenon and I went back a few days later with some friends to play again!
"If people want to learn pickleball I would first ask, 'How much free time do you have?' Because once people play they get hooked and it becomes a time commitment," said Petterson.
The Flying Pickle offers various memberships that you can view here. If you'd just like to try it out, non-members are welcome to rent courts and even demo paddles.
Ryan Myhre, a Flying Pickle Club member, says the sport has allowed him to socialize with other people that share a similar passion.
"I spend over 15 hours a week playing pickleball," said Myhre. "You meet people that you hang around with on the courts, and then you do a little bit outside of that, and you have potlucks and it's undeniable, that community really brings us together, an environment like this is perfect for it."
Susannah Barr, an owner of The Flying Pickle and a professional pickleballer, says all skill levels are welcome.
"The great thing about pickleball is just that it's fun for everyone, everyone's laughing, everyone's having fun. You can play with your grandparents. You can play with your best friends. You can go anywhere in the country and find people to play with, it's very inclusive," said Barr. "We just really want to invite people to come and learn the sport. Come have fun. We do offer a lot of clinics. We have learn to play classes happening multiple times a week that you can just come and learn and you don't need to have any prior experience or any equipment."
The Flying Pickle is located at 1135 N Hickory Ave STE 110, Meridian.
"This is definitely the largest indoor facility in the Pacific Northwest, and it is the first only pickleball facility here in the Treasure Valley," said Barr. "We're excited to be the first."
