WOODBRIDGE – People interested in playing and learning about pickleball should attend the exhibition at the Chili Cook-off and Fall Festival on Saturday, Sept. 7 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The exhibition is taking place at Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center.
Woodbridge Pickleball Ambassador Barbara Tyrrell and the Woodbridge pickleball community coordinated an exhibition at the Taste of Woodbridge event in June.
The demonstration was so popular, they were invited to host this second exhibition.
“We want to go bigger with our exhibition this time. We’re getting a whole street to set up a full court and inviting local instructors to come chat with any interested beginners,” said Tyrrell.
Interested players ages 17 and older are invited to try out pickleball for free at the Chili Cook-off and Fall Festival.
Players should come wearing comfortable clothing and tennis shoes.
Pickleball combines accessibility, cardio, and strategy.
Played on a badminton-size court with a tennis net using oversized table tennis paddles and a whiffle ball, pickleball has quickly become the fastest growing sport in the nation.
Seniors and folks with limited mobility appreciate a challenging fast-paced sport on a small court.
The rallies play out quickly. Games are played to 11 points, yet rarely take more than 15 minutes to finish. Players can squeeze in at least three games of pickleball.
Young adults also enjoy the quick games that focus more on technique and strategy rather than speed and power.
Jason Shriner, Marketing Manager for the City of Manassas Park Department of Parks and Recreation, witnessed pickleball’s explosion in popularity at the Manassas Park Community Center over the past few years.
An avid player himself, he met the Woodbridge group a year ago and has played games at the Ferlazzo Building and at Veteran’s Memorial Park.
“Another reason I love pickleball is the low commitment. It’s very inexpensive to get started and because games are played so fast, I can squeeze in a game or two before work every day,” said Shriner.
