Tennis vs Pickleball: A Community Showdown
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
A proposal to paint pickleball lines on Girdwood's tennis courts has raised a local racket.
It all started when pickleballers got in position to make a move onto Girdwood's tennis court, intending to paint new lines. A decision was made in a May parks department meeting to disallow the new lines and local pickleball players moved to reverse that ruling. The issue was discussed by the Girdwood Board of Supervisors during a June meeting, but it took no formal action.
GBOS supervisors said they have received many comments and letters on the highly controversial issue with no one quite smashing a tie-breaking ace.
Courts residing in Girdwood Park. Pickleballers got in position to make a move onto Girdwood's tennis court, intending to paint new lines. A decision was made in a May parks department meeting to disallow the new lines and local pickleball players moved to reverse that ruling. The issue was discussed by the Girdwood Board of Supervisors during a June meeting, but it took no formal action. (Photo by Jon Scudder)
A Pickle of a Game
Pickleball, which is played on a smaller court the same size as a badminton court (six pickleball courts can fit into two tennis courts), has been exploding in popularity around the world with athletes such as Lebron James and Tom Brady endorsing the sport.
The game is played with a rectangular paddle instead of an oval racquet and the net is lower than it is in tennis. A white plastic ball makes a popping sound as it hits the paddle.
"With the rise in popularity of pickleball, resource sharing between tennis and pickleball has been playing out all over the country," Kevin Murphy, a local pickleball player wrote in a letter to the Girdwood Board of Supervisors. "It is time for the current tennis only courts to be a true multiuse faciilty."
Tennis Players Swing Back
But local tennis players have not been feeling the love.
Local tennis player Mitch Roth suggested anyone tampering with net height at the Girdwood's local courts be charged with vandalism.
Girdwood's two tennis courts sit near the entrance to Forest Fair park. The community converted two of four courts to a skateboard park and when the remaining courts began to deteriorate a local Tennis Committee formed to raise money for a facelift.
Bob Dugan wrote that he has played tennis at the courts for 45 years and plays almost every day. New lines would "degrade and confuse the tennis experience," Dugan wrote in a letter to GBOS supervisor Brian Burnett. He said pickelball players could tape lines that could be removed when tennis players show up.
"In the meantime, they can lobby and fundraise for their own facility, just like tennis players did."
A Volley
The issue has seen back-and-forth action since at least May when pickleballer Sally Gates wrote the local Tennis Committee saying the tennis courts are rarely used and suggesting they could allow "minor, semi-permanent changes to one of the courts."
Tennis Committee chair and restaurant-owner Frans Weits wrote in a reply that he knows of "many regular players" and pickleball is allowed at the courts so long as "the net remains the same and taped lines are removed at the end of play."
In a rebuttal to Weits' reply, Gates said putting up and removing lines is a hassle and "the current primary use for the tennis courts is being empty."
The letter exchange between Gates and Weits, with opposing views in different colors, elicits a comparison with a colorfully-lined contested court itself.
Deuce
At its July 22 meeting, GBOS took up the issue.
Pickleballers Serve
"Multi-use. What does that mean? In this case it means stretching our tax dollars to multiple user groups," said Kevin Murphy. "... This hasn't been about lines or destroying or degrading the court. Those are all words that have been used. This is about not wanting to share a resource that's out there right now."
Tennis Answers
"Additional lines create a distraction to conventional tennis," said Tyler Cresswell. He cited another resident who said the lines could create a safety hazard since the pickle ball paint is not as abrasive. "I fell on the tennis courts last year even when there was no other hazard. It could be bad."
Cresswell also said he thinks lots of people use the tennis courts. So far there is no data on the amount of traffic the courts get.
Roth swung back with some comments, then a tennis coach gave a mean top-spin saying pickelball lines eliminate the option for "sanctioned, competitive play" in the courts.
Another resident, who'd written a four-page letter, placed a drop shot. "Pickle ball players have three painted courts at the school," he said. "If people can't put down and pick up lined tape on the tennis courts, we've passed the point of reasonableness."
Pickleball Answers
The school courts, with lines on an asphalt parking lot, are "inadequate," said a pickleballer. "I would wonder how the tennis players feel playing on asphalt. We do need a better surface [for pickleball]."
"One of the things that's been really bugging me with the letters I've been reading is the characterization of pickleball players vandalizing things. There's about 30 to 40 community members who play once or twice and most of those people volunteer for the Food Bank, they work at the health clinics, they are strong community members."
He said the discussion needs to be on whether to paint pickleball lines rather than "misrepresenting" the players themselves.
Another pickleballer followed with a backhand slice.
"There's been a lot of discussion about how heavily used the tennis courts are or not, but the thing that stands out is that none of the commenters who are pro-exclusivity are using data," he said. Tennis court players who commented can say how many people are using the court or they are "choosing not to say that" while pickleball players have that data, he said.
After 50 minutes of back-and-forth testimony the board, in 4-0 decision, called:
"GBOS moves to affirm the Girdwood Parks and Recreation decision and to revisit this item this winter."
Game, set and match.