Oxford, AL – Michael Harris spoke to the Calhoun Journal and shared about the newly formed Pickleball Club in Oxford. It took a while to catch the eyes of many, but the racquet sport created one summer day 56 years ago – to combat boredom—is sweeping across the United States – and Alabama!
Everywhere we look, pickleball spots are popping up and then filling up – which is great…except, there are not enough courts or places to play to accommodate the craze! Recreation centers, churches, etc. are feeling the pressure to add indoor and outdoor pickleball court lines to existing basketball and tennis courts. Players are also wanting more competition by traveling and playing in tournaments. Tournaments provide a great opportunity to play and compete against people who you typically don’t see and provides opportunities to watch higher skilled players while making new friends.
If you are not currently a crazed pickleball addict, you probably know someone who is. The game is easy to learn and far less physically demanding than tennis, so if you’re reasonably coordinated, you can be playing a competitive game after just a few short lessons.
Because pickleball is played on a smaller badminton-size court, this allows for more chatting among the players – so it’s very easy to make new friends. The smaller court size is also beneficial to players who have trouble covering an entire half of a tennis court because of bad knees and other injuries and eliminates excessing running.
With so many reasons to play pickleball and few drawbacks, why not consider playing? Check out the USA Pickleball website PLACES2PLAY.ORG.
Mr. Harris and Lori Cochran, as well as a dedicated group of enthusiasts have started a club in Calhoun County that competes in many different tournaments and club outings in Alabama. If you are looking for some competition or want to improve your skills please contact them and like their page on Facebook at 256-Pickleball.
The Club travels to several local and out of State tournaments for competition and they are planning a Pickleball Tournament in Oxford about October 15th.
Calhoun County has the following places and times for recreational and league play:
Parker Memorial Baptist Church Gym (2 indoor courts/nets)
1205 Quintard Ave, Anniston AL 36201 / 256-236-5628
Monday and Thursday 10am – 1pm.
Hill Crest Baptist Church Gym (3 indoor courts/nets)
5117 Post Oak Rd, Anniston AL 36206 / 256-236-1464
Monday and Thursday 5pm – 8pm.
Tuesday and Wednesday 10am – 1pm.
YMCA Anniston (2 indoor courts/nets)
$2 for non-members. 29 W 14th Street, Anniston AL 36201 / 256-238-9622
Wednesday and Saturday 11 – 1pm
Friday 4:30 – 6:30pm.
Oxford Lake Pickleball Courts (6 outdoor courts/6 nets)
401 McCullars Ln, Oxford AL 36203 / Facebook notification if playing
Sunday 3 – 8pm. Other times throughout the week posted on Facebook
Jacksonville Community Center (2 indoor courts/nets)
501 Alexandria Rd SW, Jacksonville AL 36265 / 256-435-8115
Days of the week pending
For more information about Calhoun County Pickleball please contact our Pickleball Ambassadors: Michael Harris 256-689-8603 or Kip Chappell 256-343-8017
