by Scott Etkin
In the North Meadow Handball Courts in Central Park on a recent Friday morning, there wasn’t a handball in sight. Instead, a single tennis player hit the wall and, nearby, Listra Balcón finished setting up a pickleball net.
You can find Lystra at the handball courts near Cross 97th Street basically every morning. She is one of the grassroots organizers for a dedicated group of pickballers who come and go informally throughout the day. The busiest gaming hours are around 10 am to 1 pm, and then from 4 pm to 8:30 pm
Pickleball, a paddle sport, is like tennis but smaller. The ball is similar to a Wiffle ball and the action, fast volleys, looks like a cross between ping pong and badminton. Pickleball initially gained popularity in retirement communities, but is now often referred to as the fastest growing sport in America.
“There’s something addictive about it,” said Listra, 55, who lives on 105th Street and bikes to handball courts. A former tennis player, she started playing pickleball three years ago. She was in Central Park to hit the tennis ball against the wall when someone invited her to try pickleball. She had never heard of the game before, but she soon became hooked. “Actually, I haven’t played tennis since then,” she said.
One of his favorite aspects of the sport is how it brings people together. “A lot of the people I play pickleball with, our paths would never have crossed,” he said. Among the regulars are people who work in the media and on Broadway. Most are older adults, but a 10-year-old boy is also part of the group, he said.
The “physical accessibility” of the sport is another reason it is catching on, said Eric Ho, co-founder of the website. New York Pickleball. The site has resources for people to learn about the game and find where to play. It lists the Happy Warrior Playground (Amsterdam between 98th and 99th Streets) and the Gertrude Ederle Recreation Center (232 West 60th Street) as two other pickleball hotspots on the Upper West Side.
“It’s very much about finesse,” Listra said. “It’s not so much about mobility.”
For newcomers, Listra recommends taking a class. “When you pay for classes, you appreciate your time more and you try harder.” She said that the best thing she can do is watch a free tutorial on YouTube.
Eric, who teaches lessons, also emphasized how easy it is to get started. The day we spoke, he had a group session with five people who had never picked up a pickleball racket before. “Within 10-15 minutes of teaching them the rules and basic strokes, they played two full games and everyone had fun,” he said.
Over the course of an average day, Listra estimated that 60 players flock to the courts at 97th Street Central Park. Players sometimes exchange messages using the team scope app (use the code “West26” to join the group). Listra said many people just go to court when it suits them.
On weekends, the courts can be “super crowded,” he said. It is common for players to have to queue to get into a game not only in Central Park, but on courts throughout the city.
“It’s a constant battle for space,” said Eric. Although pickleball is relatively efficient (four pickleball courts can fit in the space of one tennis court), he said Parks Departments have been slow to adjust to increased demand. Listra tries to make room for the handball, paddle tennis and tennis players who are also approaching. “We have to share the space,” he said.
For a fringe sport like pickleball, it’s often volunteers who set up the nets that make it possible for others to play. “It is such a community sport, [so it’s important to be] thankful that it’s here and accessible to people,” said Eric. “Just have fun and don’t take it too seriously.”