Pop-pop-pop.

The sound of pickleballs striking paddles echoes through parks, recreation centers and indoor courts across Southern Colorado as more seniors turn to the fast-growing sport for exercise, friendship and fun. 

“You don’t have to be a super athlete to play pickleball,” said Bob Snyder, 72, a United States Senior Pickleball ambassador in Colorado Springs. “You just need the desire to play.”

Snyder, a lifelong athlete, first tried pickleball after a grief counselor suggested he and his wife, Pamela, 68, take up the sport following the death of their son five years ago.

“And I thought, ‘That goofy game?’” he said. “Next thing I knew, I went to Springs Pickleball West and I was in the league. I didn’t even own a paddle!”

Today, the Snyders travel, dine, hike and play with a network of more than 200 local players.

Carolyn Engquist, 67, and her husband, Jim, 68, started playing five years ago after hearing people joke about becoming “addicted” to pickleball.

“When we heard about the pickleball addiction, we laughed it off,” she said. “But I’m probably close to [addicted].”

EASY TO START, HARD TO STOP

 Photo courtesy of the Senior Games.

 Often described as a blend of tennis, badminton and Ping-Pong, pickleball is easy to learn and is accessible for a wide range of players. The smaller court, underhand serve and slower-moving plastic ball require less sprinting and overhead motion than many racquet sports, which helped give it an early reputation as a sport for seniors.

Today, pickleball attracts players of all ages and skill levels, while remaining especially popular with older adults looking for exercise, competition and connection. Across Colorado Springs and Pueblo, seniors are filling courts, joining leagues and signing up for lessons, often finding friends along the way.

That social connection is what drew Maureen Logue, 64, to the sport after she moved to Colorado Springs in 2018.

As an interior designer, “I never talked to people,” she said. “I needed something where I’d see people every day.”

While searching for a tennis court with her husband, Logue saw pickleball players at Monument Valley Park and thought the sport might be a good way to meet people. Now it’s part of her daily life, as the manager of Springs Pickleball East. 

At the Pueblo Tennis & Pickleball Center, Margie Hilvitz, 87, plays in a weekly mixed round robin.

“I do play bridge, but I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t play pickleball,” Hilvitz said. “I love the exercise. I love the people.”

Debbie Blickensderfer, 65, a USA Pickleball ambassador in Pueblo—who also runs leagues for the city—started playing after friends kept encouraging her to try it. Now she plays an average of six games a week.

“I realized that I waited way too long to start because it’s so much fun,” Blickensderfer said.

A GAME FOR ALL

 Paula Henson awaits an opponent’s serve at Pueblo Tennis & Pickleball Center. Photo by Anthony Cozzolino

 Today, an estimated 36 million people in the U.S. play pickleball.

The sport was developed in 1965 by then- Congressman Joel Pritchard and his friend Bill Bell on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Using a plastic ball, wooden paddles and an old badminton court, they created a new game for their families to play. 

The origin of the name remains debated. Some say it was named after a family dog.

The USA Pickleball Association was established in 1984, and pickleball was introduced to the Senior Games in 2008. Skill levels are commonly measured through the Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR), which ranges from 1.0 for beginners to 5.5 and above for expert players.

As the sport has grown, so have the ways to play. Players can find games at outdoor parks, recreation centers and indoor pickleball facilities.

In Pueblo, Diane Ratliff, 74, and her late husband, Richard “Doc,” helped introduce the sport locally after seeing it played in Arizona in 2018. They took photos and brought their ideas home, where Doc and other pickleball enthusiasts later talked with city officials about adding courts, including those at Mineral Palace Park.

Games can last 10 to 30 minutes, making pickleball easy to fit into a regular fitness routine. Although the game is beginner-friendly, experienced players say lessons can help new players avoid frustration, bad habits and preventable injuries.

“When I first played, I got my brains beat out because I didn’t know any better,” Snyder said. 

 Pueblo pickleball players bring spirit and fun to the court. Photo courtesy of Don Seidel.

Aside from learning the rules and practicing good court etiquette, Engquist shared one especially important tip for players in her age group: Never run backward.

“It’s easy to trip if you’re backing up and trying to hit the ball at the same time,” she said. “That’s where the injuries come from.”

Reports of pickleball-related injuries have grown as more people take up the sport. Even so, experts note that pickleball generally carries less risk than sports such as tennis.

LEARN TO PLAY

Pueblo Tennis & Pickleball Center will offer free beginner pickleball lessons for those ages 65 and older from 9-10 a.m. June 11, 18 and 25. Equipment is provided, and a social will follow the final lesson from 10 a.m.-noon.

In Colorado Springs, Peak Pickleball offers free beginner lessons and drills, along with Senior Day lunches and senior open play. Springs Pickleball also offers free lessons at both its east and west locations.

 Jim and Carolyn Engquist take a breather at a round robin tournament at Bear Creek Park. Photo by Bill Rose.

 Many Colorado Springs players belong to the Pikes Peak Pickleball Alliance, which offers access to regular round robin tournaments for $30 a year. Pueblo County Pickleball Association offers similar benefits for $25 per year. In round robin play, players rotate through games with different partners and opponents.

“You sign up and show up, and you get to play with 16 to 24 people,” Engquist said.

“You play against better people and you’re going to get better,” Snyder added.

For some players, indoor courts also make the game easier to enjoy year-round.

“I’m an indoor cat now,” said Angie Birchler, 58, noting the benefits of air conditioning and a controlled environment. “You can reserve a court with three other friends for two hours, and you don’t have to worry about somebody pressuring you to get off the court.”

For many seniors, pickleball is less about competition and more about staying healthy and active. After heart bypass surgery two years ago, it changed Snyder’s life.

“I got healthy and changed my life and my diet. Now I’m probably in better shape than I was,” he said. “I expect to play pickleball until I’m in my mid-80s.”  

CONTACTS

WHERE TO PLAY

New to the sport or looking for a court? Find the right location for you in this guide. For days and times, check with local facilities, as schedules may vary by season.

COLORADO SPRINGS

Bear Creek Regional Park
21st Street & Argus Boulevard | Outdoor courts | 719-520-7529

Black Forest Regional Park
4800 Shoup Rd | Outdoor courts | 719-520-7529

 Colorado Springs Senior Center
1514 N. Hancock Ave. | Gym converts to multi-use court | 719-955-3400

 John Venezia Community Park
3555 Briargate Pkwy. | Outdoor courts | 719-385-5940

 Monument Valley Park
170 W. Cache La Poudre St. | Outdoor courts |

 Peak Pickleball
1730 Briargate Blvd. | 24 Indoor courts | 719-377-4725

 Springs Pickleball East
2975 N. New Center Point | Indoor courts | 719-357-5199

 Springs Pickleball West
780 Vondelpark Drive | Indoor courts | 719-357-5454

FALCON

Woodmen Hills Recreation Center East
9205 Meridian Ranch Blvd. | 4 Outdoor courts | 719-495-2009

MONUMENT & PALMER LAKE

Palmer Lake Recreation Area
199 County Line Road | Outdoor courts | 719-481-2953 pickleball club, reservations needed

YMCA - Tri-Lakes
17250 Jackson Creek Pkwy. | Gym converts to multi-use court | 719-481-8728

WOODLAND PARK

Meadow Wood Sports Complex
2000 Evergreen Heights Drive | Outdoor courts | 719-687-5225

CRIPPLE CREEK

Cripple Creek City Park/Mountain View Adventure Park
128 E. Bennett Ave. & 510 County Road 89 | Outdoor courts | 719-689-3514

FOUNTAIN

YMCA - Fountain Valley
326 W. Alabama Ave. | Gym converts to multi-use court | 719-884-2198

PENROSE

Penrose Park & Recreation District Park
401 Park Place | Outdoor courts | 719-458-4669

CAÑON CITY

Rouse Park
1600 Park Ave. | Outdoor courts | 719-275-1578

Centennial Park
221 Griffin Ave. | Outdoor courts | 719-269-9011

PUEBLO

Pueblo Tennis & Pickleball Center
1001 W. 31st St. | Indoor courts | 719-543-0450

Pueblo West Civic Center
61 E. Civic Center Drive | 4 outdoor courts | 719-547-7400

Reps Gym
110 S. Union Ave. | Gym converts to multi-use court | 719-569-5600

St. Charles Mesa Recreation Center
1650 Cooper Place | Gym converts to multi-use court | 719-583-2970

YMCA - Pueblo
3200 E. Spaulding Ave. | Gym converts to multi-use court | 719-543-5151

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