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SARAH CAVACINI/Palatka Daily News. Pickleball players take to the new courts in Palatka on Thursday morning. -
SARAH CAVACINI/Palatka Daily News. Pickleball players take to the new courts in Palatka on Thursday morning.
Players swung their pickleball paddles and batted wiffle balls Thursday across the blue courts at the John Theobold Sports Complex.
That day marked the new courts’ opening and players from the St. Johns River Pickleball Group packed the complex, located at 120 Carter Road in Palatka.
Kevin McNickle, chairman of the St. Johns River Pickleball board, said he started playing the sport in 2015. He said he likes the sport because he’s 72 years old and he can still play.
“I’ve always been sports-inclined,” McNickle said. “I can’t play basketball no more. There’s not enough people my age that are playing, so it’s a way to stay active. If you have arthritis, motion is lotion.”
The group hosts open play on the courts every Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. and even if someone is a beginner, they are still invited to come out and play. Beginners can learn on the tennis courts next to the pickleball courts at the complex.
Plans for new pickleball courts have been ongoing since at least 2020 when, according to county documents, the Putnam County Recreation Advisory Committee first heard the request for permanent pickleball courts.
In February 2021, the Port Authority Board approved giving $100,000 to complete the project but supply costs increased. In November, the group and the county Parks & Recreation Department received $20,000 from county leaders to finish building four permanent courts. While most of the St. Johns River group are adults, the group’s youngest player is 14 and they said that member will come out to practice before school starts, as he did Thursday. Another member, Richard Bayne, is 19 and from Palatka. He started playing with the pickleball group two years ago and now competes in pickleball tournaments nationwide.
“They grew up with me in it,” he said. “They taught me everything I know.”
Bayne said he plans to compete in a Texas tournament in May and was out Thursday practicing with the group.
“I was getting my butt whooped whenever I was first starting and now I just love coming out here as a pro just to enjoy all the play and stuff,” he said.
Many players enjoy the pickleball community in Putnam County and not just the sport.
Salt Springs resident Barb Crill, who is known to local pickleballers as “Bandanna Barb” drives from her area just to be here.
“I just love these people,” she said while between games Thursday morning. “I’m so happy for them. They deserve (the courts).”
People can visit the group’s Facebook page, St. Johns River Pickleball Group, for tournament and schedule information but anyone is welcome at the courts anytime the group is playing, McNickle added.