Yes, you heard us. Pickleball. Pickle + ball. You might well not have heard of it in the UK, but you certainly will in the US. In fact, it has taken the old adage “Anyone for tennis?” and given it a thoroughly modern twist.
Because, if there’s one game that has taken whole communities by storm, it is this former children’s garden game that has become THE big sporting sensation across the country. With more than 14 million players across the country and two full professional leagues devoted to it, Pickleball is here to stay. And then some.
OK, let’s start with the basics, because this must sound a bit strange if you’ve never heard of it before (and we promise we are not making this up. It is NOT an early April Fool’s joke!).
Introduced in the state of Washington in 1965, Pickleball is most like a junior version of tennis. It is played on what is basically a half-sized tennis court using a paddle rather than a racquet and a wiffle-ball (a hollow plastic ball with holes in) instead of a tennis ball. Some people call it over-sized table tennis rather than under-sized tennis, but that’s neither here nor there.
The reason it has become so popular and has been the fastest-growing sport in America for the last four years is that it is easy to learn and play, can be played both indoors and outdoors, doesn’t require much space or expensive racquets, and it is open to all age groups, from children to seniors – especially seniors. In fact, the older age groups are probably the biggest drivers of the sport’s growth as it is an ideal activity for the over 50s (and 60s and even 70s!).
Nowadays, it is hard to find somewhere that doesn’t have at least a few pickleball courts for all-comers, and it is firmly established in clubs and resorts as something that is almost as much as a social activity than anything else (although don’t say that to anyone from the United Pickleball Association, with their new World Rankings and tournaments with prize money topping $1million).
So, if that’s what it is, how can you see it or play it? That’s where we come in. Thanks to our own occasional forays into the game, we have been paying close attention to the growth of pickleball in and around Orlando, and we were both delighted and astonished last week to hear of a brand new indoor centre totally devoted to the sport in the heart of tourist Kissimmee.
And not only is Crush Yard Pickleball Club & Restaurant a superb indoor venue for players of all levels and ages, it is also a wonderful indoor activity centre in its own right, with arcade games, big-screen TVs, breakout rooms for birthday parties and other events, and a truly eye-catching bar and restaurant, with an excellent menu.
If we also tell you that the huge 48,000sq-foot space they occupy used to be the Winn-Dixie supermarket on Formosa Gardens Boulevard, you may well remember it as the heart of Highway 192 (W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway), and a section of the area absolutely packed with tourist shops, hotels and restaurants. It is now unrecognisable as anything supermarket-like, and it looks completely at home in this bright, shiny venue, which appeals to both keen locals and our overseas visitors.
To start with, there are fully 10 Pickleball courts, open to all-comers on an hourly basis. You can play singles, but most play doubles, which makes it more cost-effective, as well as easier on the legs! Set in between the courts are two distinct games areas, with the Backyard Games including the likes of cornhole and air hockey and the out-and-out Games Arcade at the back of the building offering the latest video games.
There are also 70 (count them – SEVENTY!) large, flatscreen TVs sprinkled generously throughout the centre, with non-stop coverage of all the regular US sports, so it’s easy to keep tabs on your favourite team if you support the likes of the Miami Dolphins, New York Yankees or Orlando Magic.
The crowning glory, though, is the main bar and restaurant, set right up front and with views to the courts on either side. The bar itself is nearly 50 feet long and the space has a capacity for up to 150 guests at a time. Small it isn’t. But the food is almost equally as enjoyable as the setting, with a menu consisting of Salads, Appetisers, Bowls (with brown rice), Nachos, Sliders, Pizza, various types of fries and two Charcuterie Boards, with prices from $8 to $20.
At last week’s big opening event, we got to sample the Cheeseburger Sliders, Mushroom and Kale Pizza, Dry Rubbed Smoked Wings, Pretzel Bites with Beer Cheese and Sweet Potato Fries (just a bite of each, we promise!). Everything came up fresh and tasty, and we can’t wait to go back and try out some of the other menu items. There is also a full cocktail list, craft beers, specialist sodas, wines, slushies and mocktails, with relatively modest prices for the setting. Several self-pour “Beer Islands” feature dozens of brews on tap, including drinks from our local favourites the Crooked Can and Ivanhoe Park breweries, so customers can fill up on their own.
In its own way, Crush Yard is a bit like the Top Golf driving range centre on Universal Boulevard and Dave & Buster’s indoor bowling and games complexes. The food is a cut above most sports bars, and you could genuinely visit just to check it out for yourself and enjoy a tasty meal at the same time.
Ready to play? Crush Yard is open from 10am to 10pm daily (10am to midnight Fri and Sat) and you can book in advance online at https://crushyard.com/orlando/. Court rental is $48/hour and up to eight people can use one court, while paddles are $6 each (although they are pretty cheap to buy at virtually any major store like Walmart, Target or Dick’s Sporting Goods). Lessons start at $30/hour, and you may well see us there!
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