New pickleball courts are fast becoming one of Brecksville’s most popular destinations

by Emily Canning-Dean

Since the city of Brecksville opened its new pickleball courts Oct. 24, the courts have seen daily use.

“We even played right after the ribbon cutting on that very first day,” said George Themelis, a Brecksville resident and avid pickleball player. “We all contact each other on an app called TeamReach to find out who wants to get together to play. We have 320 members and I think about 200 to 250 of them are from Brecksville with the others coming from nearby.”

The four new outdoor pickleball courts are adjacent to Kids Quarters on the community center campus.

“I’m excited to add this amazing facility for all ages to the vast offerings the Brecksville Recreation Department has for the community,” Recreation Director Rachele Engle said. “The pickleball courts are an excellent start to the Kids Quarters renovation.”

The new courts are part of the city’s ongoing efforts to enhance its recreation facilities and promote active lifestyles for residents of all ages, Mayor Daryl Kingston said.

“These courts are open for all to enjoy the fun, fitness and friendships this sport offers,” he said.

While Brecksville doesn’t have an official pickleball league, interest in the sport has increased over the last several years.

Brecksville resident Elizabeth Themelis said even without leagues, pickleball enthusiasts can play regularly.

“Having these outdoor courts offers open play and it’s free of charge,” she said. “During open play, you can have a whole bunch of people come to participate and rotate every five minutes.”

“It’s a very social sport and a great way to meet new people and make friends,” George Themelis said.

Pickleball is somewhat similar to tennis but has its own distinctive rules and style of play, which requires a bounce on each side of the court before players are permitted to hit volleys. However, players may not volley the ball while standing in the “kitchen.”

Brecksville resident Scott Campbell said he first learned about pickleball when a fellow member of his church asked him if he would like to play.

“He was a snowbird who lived part time in Florida and it had become popular there,” he said. “So we would go to the old basketball courts in Brecksville and we would take chalk and hand draw the pickleball lines.”

As the city noticed the increase in pickleball popularity, workers painted lines for three pickleball courts inside the old basketball courts.

“But the lines weren’t put down correctly and they were laid out north to south instead of east to west so the sun was a problem,” Campbell said. “But then three years ago when Rachele Engle became our new recreation director, she was very open to working with pickleball players.”

Before the new outdoor pickleball courts were constructed, the recreation department offered times for open pickleball play inside the field house.

“But the nice thing about having these outdoor courts, is we can play at any time and not just designated hours,” George Themelis said. “This is so wonderful, especially when the weather is nice.” 

“We are hoping by next spring the courts will have lights so we can even play past dark,” Campbell said. ∞