STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

It wasn’t that long ago that a couple Wood River Valley residents canvassed the valley to coax a few players into swatting wiffle-like balls with short tennis-like paddles on pared-down tennis courts.

Now, the Wood River Pickleball Alliance boasts more than 400 players, robust league play and a couple of annual tournaments.

And it’s expanding its outreach into the community, providing scholarships for students,  hosting Champs Clinics for youngsters and refurbishing valley courts. And it’s even offering a moneyball tournament for locals and pickleball enthusiasts from elsewhere.

The 10-member Pickleball Alliance board donated a few raffle items at the 2024 picnic.

“A lot is happening between the scholarships and the leagues and the fundraisers,” said Lee Sponaugle, a nationally ranked pro and one of the local pickleball scene’s biggest cheerleaders.

While early snowmelt allowed local players to hit the courts early, the season officially gets underway on Friday, June 19, with the Wood River Pickleball Alliance’s annual picnic and Play with the Pros demonstration.

Even non-players are welcome to bring a dish to Atkinsons Park in Ketchum at 4:30 p.m. to join in the potluck, mingle with pickleball fans and watch 12 pros play in a tournament.

Twelve semi-pro players coming from as far away as California and Florida will be offering clinics on Friday and Saturday with proceeds going to the Alliance, scholarships and other community outreach. Spots are still available at https://www.woodriverpickleball.org/events/the-wrpa-pickleball-community-experience.

The Pickleball Alliance has awarded $10,000 scholarships to two students so far with money originating from the Legends tournaments featuring such tennis greats as Mats Wilander and John McEnroe.

Recipient Ruby Campbell is headed to Italy to study, and Luca Finegan plans to start studies at Washington State next fall. They are being given $2,500 each per year over four years.

“Our goal is to have up to four students getting $2,500 a year each to study at a college or trade school,” said Sponaugle. “And they don’t have to be pickleball players. Our No. 1 criteria is: What did they do to give back to the community?”

“We feel like we’ve done a really good job with our mature audience pickleball players. We want to focus on the future, building youth and providing opportunities for them.”

Additionally, The Pickleball Alliance will hold a Champs Camp clinic for kids—one in Hailey and the other in Sun Valley.

“We’ll hire a pro and have volunteers teach kids how to play pickleball. Our main goal is to get kids off their screens and onto the courts,” said Sponaugle, noting that the Alliance will once again hold a clinic for kids in the summer enrichment program at The Space.

“We’re trying to get kids involved with pickleball because they’re the future. The more kids we get, the more vibrant the pickleball community. The 18- to 24-year-old category is the fastest growing category we have now. A lot of schools making it club sport and giving scholarships for those club sports. Once parents see a line from grade school to potential college scholarships, more kids will start playing.

The fourth annual Wood River Pickleball Alliance league starts on Tuesday with more than a hundred players signed up for 12 teams. They will compete every Tuesday for seven weeks.

“The No. 1 thing people say about pickleball is, ‘Wow! I’m meeting new people.’ We have all abilities, and it’s a good way to meet people from all over the valley.”

The Pickleball Alliance also holds free Friday clinics from 10 a.m. to noon every Friday at Atkinsons Park.  It’s gotten so popular that people now have to sign up for it at https://www.woodriverpickleball.org/clinics. Paddles are provided for those that need one.

The Alliance also has invested in new nets and lines at Heagle Park as it tries to provide as many improvements as it can.

And this year its Sun Valley Pickleball Classic fall tournament (https://sunvalleypickleballclassic.org/) will be bigger than ever.

“It’s a money ball tournament so players can win cash at a certain level and above,” Sponaugle said. “We got 150 people last year and we’re hoping for more than 200 players from within the valley and outside this year.”

Sponaugle said the sport of pickleball, which now has 40 million people nationwide, is constantly evolving. Paddles are now being made with graphite, carbon and a honeycomb core so it’s easier to hit the ball than it was with the original wooden paddle.

“You can get more spin, more power, which adds to the fun. And the game’s becoming faster, more powerful,” he said.

But the bottom line remains that it’s a fun, social activity that allows players of different levels to play together and have fun.

“Even though the game is changing, the core of the sport is not changing,” he said.

Learn more at https://www.woodriverpickleball.org/.