Photo: Shari Small/WBZ NewsRadio
MIDDLETON, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — By next winter, pickleball fans in Massachusetts will be getting a brand new facility for playing America's fastest growing sport. The New England Pickleball Club is opening a second location in Middleton.
Owner and Head Pro at the New England Pickleball Club, Dave Velardo, explained that indoor courts are popular for people living in areas like the northeast, where the weather often prevents people from playing outside.
“Some people still play outside in the cold, but now they don’t have to.”
The New England Pickleball Club’s original location is in Rye, New Hampshire, and Velardo said there's a need for more indoor courts north of Boston.
“We know there’s all those pickleball players down there. And they don’t want to go through another winter without playing indoors.”
And so the New England Pickleball Club is constructing a new venue in Middleton, which is about an hour north of Boston.
The Middleton facility will have six indoor fenced courts dedicated to playing pickleball. There will also be viewing areas and a full pro shop for buying equipment.
Velardo said that the facility, located at 329 N Main St., will be open later this year in time for winter, when many pickleball players move inside to avoid the weather.
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The New England Pickleball Club's Rye location opened in 2022, and “we filled up right after we opened” said Velardo. “And we have an 800 player waitlist.”
Velardo added that “we try to run a very premium club, so we have to cap the memberships.”
One member shared how she got into the sport despite her initial skepticism.
“First time we played, I said, ‘I like tennis better.’ Second time, I said, ‘Will I ever play tennis again?’” she said with a laugh.
Over the past few years, pickleball has been America’s fastest growing sport. The number of people who play pickleball doubled in just five years.
“If you’re a super athlete, or if you’re not a super athlete, it’s addicting. And that’s why it’s growing so fast,” said Velardo.
WBZ NewsRadio's Shari Small (@ShariSmallNews) reports.
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