Pickleball becoming big dill in central Ohio

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As the popularity of pickleball continues to rise across the United States, so, too, does the demand for dedicated courts. For Delawareans interested in the sport, Dave Ganim is here to help with the creation of the Pickle Shack.

Located at 3218 U.S. Route 42 S., the Pickle Shack contains six indoor courts that are temperature-controlled and feature cushion court technology playing surfaces. Ganim intends to construct an additional four courts indoors, as well as 10 outdoor courts, by next spring for an eventual total of 20 courts on the site.

The Pickle Shack, which is set to open to the public within the next 30 days, will be accessible 24 hours, allowing players to enjoy the courts at all times of the day or night. When booking a court online, players will be given an access code that will unlock a door to the courts.

Memberships are not required to access the courts, although they will be offered. Players who wish to utilize the courts in individual sessions can do so through the pay-to-play model.

Ganim intends to hold leagues, camps, lessons, tournaments, and private events at the Pickle Shack. Inside the facility, there is a pro shop, and Ganim said he is currently working through the process of obtaining a liquor license for a bar. Light foods will also be served.

“This will be a huge coup for Delaware. Delaware has a huge contingency of pickleball players,” Ganim told The Gazette. “It’s huge and growing every day. It’s what racquetball was back in the 1980s. I traveled around playing competitive racquetball, so I’ve seen this all before. (Pickleball) is going to be even bigger than racquetball was.”

The Pickle Shack is set to be unveiled this Saturday when it hosts the second edition of “The Rumble,” a statewide pickleball tournament created by Ganim a little more than a year ago to showcase the best players in the state. The Rumble features the best teams from Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Columbus competing for the Rumble Cup. The inaugural tournament was held in Cleveland and won convincingly by the Columbus team, Ganim said.

“The whole point of this is to make the state better,” Ganim said of the event.

Spectators are invited to attend the tournament, which will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday at the Pickle Shack.

Ganim’s hope is that with central Ohio already serving as a hotbed for pickleball, his Delaware courts can become a hub for the growing sport in the area. Ganim estimates there have already been eight national title winners coming out of central Ohio and that number could be on the rise in the coming years. “We have crazy good pickleball in central Ohio,” he said.

For more information on the Pickle Shack, visit app.courtreserve.com/Online/Portal/Index/7878 or the Pickle Shack Facebook group page.

https://www.delgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2022/05/web1_Pickle-Shack-logo-1.jpg

The Pickle Shack is located at 3218 U.S. Route 42 S. in Delaware.
https://www.delgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2022/05/web1_Pickle-Shack-1.jpegThe Pickle Shack is located at 3218 U.S. Route 42 S. in Delaware. Courtesy photo
New indoor facility set to open

By Dillon Davis

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Reach Dillon Davis at 740-413-0904. Follow him on Twitter @DillonDavis56.

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