STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

They call themselves picklers. They spend their time picking. They say “pickle” when they mean “sorry.”  They love PIG events, that being short for “pickleball is great.” And, when they lose, they’re pickled.

They are among the growing legion of pickleball players in the Sun Valley area who have traded hiking and biking for pickleball, preferring to spend their waking hours trading lobs, volleys and lots of laughs and giggles.

Pickleball in Sun Valley started out with 10 players in the summer of 2016. Now, 345 pickleball players belong to the Wood River Valley Pickleball Alliance, batting perforated wiffle-like balls the size of baseballs around with paddles that are shorter than tennis racquets.

And last week 138 players showed up for a three-day Sun Valley Pickleball Classic tournament at Sun Valley Resort despite dire weather predictions of rain each day.

“We had hoped for 60!” said Lee Sponaugle, the president of the Wood River Valley Pickleball Alliance.

Sponaugle had never played pickleball before he moved to Sun Valley three years ago, despite being in the racquet sports business in Salt Lake City.

“I wasn’t ready to be an old person. But, while it’s considered a sport for old people, young people are picking it up,” he said. “It’s the fastest growing sport in the United States with 9.8 million people now playing pickleball and 45 million trying it last year.  And it’s the fastest growing segment in the sports industry among those under 35.”

One of those young people is Stephen Snyder, who was among those showing up for the tournament.

“I’ve been hooked ever since I tried it,” he said. “I’m a super fan and this is a great community of players.”

Jake Moe looked around at the enthusiastic players as they assembled for a cocktail party before the tournament.

“Isn’t this exciting? You’d think they were giving out drugs everyone’s so happy,” he said. Seriously, loneliness is huge in our society right now. You go play pickleball and you instantly have three people texting you the next day to see if you can play pickleball. It’s such an inclusive sport.”

Those taking part in last week’s tournament enjoyed two nice fall days, despite somewhat chilly starts. And they didn’t let it stop them when they woke up to rain on Sunday. A few braved the soggy conditions to move the nets, drinks and podium to Gravity Fitness in Hailey.

“Meanwhile, Tom Bowman led a team of volunteers to tape the tennis courts at Gravity so we could continue the tournament,” said Joanne Wetherell, an avid player. “Everyone jumped in to make it happen and Stephanie Schmidt at Sun Valley Resort and Oliver Whitcomb at Gravity Fitness were amazing. It’s a wonderful community!”

Wetherell said she and others are hopeful that their first annual Sun Valley Pickleball Classic will be the first of many. Sponaugle thinks the tournament could even put Sun Valley on the map as a destination pickleball resort, much as the resort used to be a big draw for tennis.

“There’s a lot of great things going on in Sun Valley and pickleball is one of those,” he said. “The pickleball community here is one of the best. We teach free pickleball classes every week so people can give it a try. And it’s easy to see why people get hooked. It’s such a social activity.”

WANT TO TRY IT FOR YOURSELF?

Volunteers offer free clinics from 10 to 11:30 a.m. every Friday at Atkinson Park in Ketchum. Balls and paddles are provided.

And play won’t stop just because it’s winter. Games will continue at the BCRD’s indoor courts in the Community Campus, Gravity Fitness and the Valley Club. Learn more at www.woodriverpickleball.org.

CO-ED DOUBLES

1-Carol Felsenthal and Susan Kase; 2-Serena Chin and David Nauman; 3-Libby Johnson and Jerry Johnson

MEN’S DOUBLES/SINGLE ELIMINATION

1-Robert Fallowfield and Don Baker; 2-Sandeep Seth and Macleod Sawyer

MEN’S DOUBLES SKILL/ROUND ROBIN

1-Gus Sabina and Gabriel Storm; 2-Frank Gilbert and Race Gilbert; 3-Grayson Brandon and Erik Knak

MEN’S DOUBLES SKILL 4.0

1-Sam Adicoff and Jim Kanellitsas; 2-Robert Shuford and Jamie Shuford; 3-Sutherland Wyatt and Lynn Schaal

MEN’S DOUBLES SKILL 4.5 and ABOVE

1-Mark Snyder and James Snyder; 2-Eli Stein, Richard Brown; 3-George Foster and Stuart Simon

MEN’S SINGLES 3.5/4.0

1-Gus Sabina; 2-Samuel Brownell; 3-Norb DeKerchove

MEN’S SINGLES SKILL 4.5 and ABOVE

1-Ryan Nielson; 2-Lee Sponaugle; 3-Richard Brown

MIXED DOUGLES 3.0 and UNDER

1-Linda Swisher and Gurmeet Singh; 2-Holly Seth and Sandeep Seth; 3-Sandra Caulkins and Luis Lecanda

MIXED DOUBLES 3.5 for those 60 AND ABOVE

1-Joanne Wetherell and Richard Evans; 2-Maureen Baker and Munzer Qaddourah; 3-Hanna Bigelow and Jim Siegel

MIXED DOUBLES 3.5 for THSE UNDER 60

1-Michelle Sabina and Gus Sabina; 2-Jennifer Schwartz and Chase Schwartz; 3-Sue Bundgard and Grayson Brandon

MIXED DOUGLES 4.0

1-Christine Freitas and Anthony Hollis; 2-Becky Hill and Steve Nelson; 3-Susan Hamilton and Tom Bowman

MIXED DOUGLES 4.5 and ABOVE

1-Susan Ring and Lee Sponauge; 2-Julianne Grimm and Ryan Nielson; 3-Mimi Griswold and Richard Brown

MEDAL MATCHES FOR WOMEN’S DOUBLES 3.5 UNDER 58

1-Kristin Miller and Wendy Speth; 2-Bonne Larsen and Carol Gullstad; 3-TJ Joseph and Joanne Wetherell

MEDAL MATCHES FOR WOMEN’S DOUBLES 4.0/4.5

1-Lisa Griffin and Valerie (Shelly) Schwers; 2-Susan Hamilton and Jennifer Embree; 3-Shylo Farnsworth and Jodi Bridges

WOMEN’s DOUBLES 3.0 and UNDER

1-Gail Dwyer and Jenny Femling; 2-Aleta Taylor and Christl Holzl; 3-Susan Conner and Sandra Caulkins

WOMEN’S DOUBLES 3.5/4.0 AGE 57 and UNDER

1-Valerie (Shelly) Schwers and Lisa Griffin; 2-Bonnie Larsen and Carol Gullstad; 3-Kristin Miller and Wendy Speth

1-Susan Hamilton and Jennifer Embree; 2-TJ Joseph and Joanne Wetherell; 3-Jane Peterson and Lisa Hamilton

WOMEN’S DOUBLES 3.5 AGE 58 and ABOVE

1-Spooky Taft and Jill Pollock; 2-Sue Bundgard and Stephanie Worden; 3-Cydney Conger and Robin Phillips

WOMEN’S SINGLES 3.5/4.0

1-Ruby Campbell; 2-Susan Hamilton; 3-Caitlin Gardner