Columbia plans to become next hub in growing wake of pickleball

One sport has gained national attention as city residents embrace the versatility it provides. 

Pickleball is a racket sport played on small courts with short nets and a plastic ball. It’s easy for anyone to play and offers an unparalleled social dynamic. That’s why the sport has had a 223.5% growth rate over the past three years, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. 

Cities such as Columbia are embracing the rise of the sport through public leagues and state-of-the-art facilities. USC adjunct pickleball professor and Lexington County School District 2 Board of Trustees member Abbott ‘Tre’ Bray is a strong advocate for the sport’s growth.

“I don’t know how fast it’s growing, but it feels like one of the fastest-growing P.E. classes, and the kids who take it really love it,” Bray said. “What I love about it is it’s a skill you carry for the rest of your life – pickleball you can play until you’re 100 years old.”

Pickleball first gained popularity as a sport of retirees, but it has since spread to all demographics. It has most recently taken off in high schools and colleges, with classes such as Bray’s filling up quickly.

“My two classes this semester both had waitlists very soon after opening,” Bray said. 

One pickleball hotspot is downtown’s Columbia Fitness Club, where Mark Williams, assistant director of the Family Life Center, explains why the sport attracts such dedicated players.

“That court that’s significantly smaller than a large tennis court is less intimidating to someone who maybe hasn’t run a lot or isn’t in the best shape,” Williams said. “You can use pickleball to get in shape. But you can just go play even if you’re not in shape.”

Pickleball also acts as a social lubricant. It’s less intense than other sports. The game’s accessibility to beginners and experts create a large demand for more opportunities to play, Bray said. 

“It’s one of those games that everybody can get out and play,” Bray said. “You just go out to an open court, and you introduce yourself before every game and you talk during the points.” 

Columbia resident and pickleball enthusiast Ed Schuler has seen the impact firsthand.

“I started playing a year ago, and I was hooked immediately,” Schuler said. “It’s not just about playing a sport – it’s about the community. You meet people from all walks of life, and it keeps you coming back.”

New facilities have been proposed to meet the demands of players throughout the city. PickleGarden, a new project near the Saluda rapids portion of the Three Rivers Greenway, is set to become Columbia’s only riverfront pickleball facility. Plans call for it to be family-friendly gathering space, with a micro-restaurant food area and what would be the city’s largest biergarten. 

Bray, a partner on the project, offered his own insight.

“We have some wonderful riverwalks, but there’s really nothing you can do at the riverwalk to take it a step further,” Bray said. “If you need to stop and eat or have a drink or you take your kids with a bike there, but then you just bike and you leave. So part of the concept is having a place you can stay a while.”

Projects such as PickleGarden are helping Columbia to position itself as a key player in the pickleball boom. Bray is confident Columbia could be the next pickleball hub.

“There is a great population of pickleball in Aiken, Augusta,” Bray said. “There’s really strong pickleball in Greenville. … But when you start to get in the higher levels, you can’t just rely on one city to be competitive; you need a broader range. … Columbia could poise itself really well to be the Opelika of the Southeast.”

The city of Opelika, Alabama, a highly regarded pickleball location, setting the standard for future projects for attracting players of all skill levels and proving that the sport is here to stay. Columbia is aiming to follow suit, positioning itself at the forefront of the sport’s rapid expansion.

What would set Columbia apart is building a pickleball culture that extends beyond casual play.

“I think the overall diversity of pickleball is just something that just doesn’t get spoken about enough,” Bray said. “If you get a chance to go to an open play, … you will not find a more diverse group of people all hanging out having a fun time than you’ll find at a pickleball court.”