Pickleball?!?! Yup! Right Here In Guilford.

By CAROLYN MILAZZO

Ten pounds and 20 points off his blood pressure.

That's how much Joe Dagrosa has dropped since he began playing Pickleball two years ago.

Dagrosa, 67, is among a growing group of die hard players who meet nearly every day at the Guilford Racquet & Swim Club to play Pickleball, a quick-paced racquet sport that is a cross between tennis, badminton and Ping Pong.

Played on a small court with a light weight paddle and a ball resembling a wiffle ball, Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States, largely because of its appeal to aging Baby Boomers.

The sport is particularly popular among veteran tennis players who have been sidelined due to injury or chronic illness because unlike tennis, it is low-impact so nearly anyone can play. 

"One of the best things about Pickleball has been seeing my friends who could no longer play tennis back on the court," said Lesly Wagner, GRSC's Pickleball coordinator. "It all began when I saw a friend who has Parkinson's disease out at dinner one night. I thought, 'She could play Pickleball,'  and she picked it up right away. I then began reaching out to other folks who were no longer playing tennis due to illness or injuries. It's been great seeing them out there."

Invented in 1965 and popular for years in retirement enclaves such as Florida and Arizona, Pickleball made its debut at GRSC last year as part of a major overhaul and expansion at the Church Street club. Sarah Boone, club manager, said adding Pickleball was part of the club's mission to become a "destination for racquet sports."

The club also added paddle tennis courts and Ping Pong, and a badminton court is also on the horizon.

Since its introduction at GRSC, about 90 people have tried the sport and there is a core group of about two dozen people who play regularly. Though most players qualify for their AARP cards, it is also popular with younger players.

The Guiford High School Boys' Tennis Team, which finished second in Class M this year, included Pickleball in its training regimen in the spring.  "A lot of people love tennis, but can't cover the court because of their age or injuries," Boone said. "Pickleball uses the same skills and hand-eye coordination as tennis and it gives people that competitive feeling. For a lot of people, there's nothing better than having a racquet in their hand and a ball to hit."

Steve Mancuso, 56, is among that group. After playing Pickleball in Florida last winter, Mancuso was hooked. He returned home determined to find a game and was thrilled to find the sport so close to home. Since he began playing several times a week, Mancuso has lost about seven pounds, has begun stretching to up to 30 minutes a day and is working out regularly so he can track down more balls.   'I really look forward to it....we're even out here playing at 8 in the morning some days. Are we serious or what?" Mancuso said. "It's a lot of fun. I've made some new friends and everyone who plays is pretty easygoing. We have a lot of laughs out there."

Dagrosa, a retired school administrator, said taking up the sport has dramatically improved his health. Prior to taking it up,, he was a "Weekend Warrior" who biked or kayaked when he felt like it. Since taking up Pickleball, he works out regularly at the gym, has changed his diet to incorporate more vegetarian meals and has brought his lifelong high blood pressure under control.  "My blood pressure dropped so much that my doctor asked what I was doing and I told him Pickleball," he said. "He said, "Don't stop."

GRSC offers one free trial of Pickleball to interested players. For more information, call 203-453-4367 or email Lesly Wagner at lesly@guilfordracquet.com.