'Kentucky Four' spreads love for pickleball with a pro camp at EP Tom Sawyer. What to know
Janet Hayden is a woman bitten by the pickleball bug.
She learned to play the game only three years ago and already the 67-year-old has won a Most Valuable Player award, is bringing a pro workshop to Louisville this week, and most importantly has assembled a treasured group of like-minded friends — all of whom adore the sport.
"For decades I was a spectator at all our kids' sports, but I never found time to take part in one myself," Hayden told the Courier Journal. "So pickleball is truly the first sport I have played since high school."
Described as a cross between ping pong, tennis, and badminton, pickleball is accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds. Hayden, who says she is on her "third knee" after multiple knee replacement surgeries, is a fan of how easy pickleball is to play.
"The court is smaller than a tennis court so even someone with three knee replacements can enjoy the game," she said. "And the friends I have made are irreplaceable."
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Last November, Hayden and three friends from Louisville traveled to Florida to attend a camp led by pickleball pro Simone Jardim.
"What an adventure we had with 62 players coming from all over, California to Ontario," she said. "We had a blast and were nicknamed 'Ky 4' for the Kentucky Four."
The Kentucky Four had such a great experience in Florida that they formed a committee to bring a similar camp to their home state. This week, the committee is hosting professional pickleball player and instructor Preston Bies, who will teach a two-day camp at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park. Hayden painted a picture of the pickleball camp committee.
"We only had space for 48 attendees and it sold out fast," Hayden said. "But if you are interested in learning more about pickleball, it would be a lot of fun to come out and learn about it by watching the camp" on Wednesday and Thursday.
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The 2023 Bourbon City Pickleball Day Camp is Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1-4 p.m. The Thursday camp runs from 6-8 p.m. and is intended for participants who play at an intermediate level
Hayden wasn't surprised how fast her camp sold out. According to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association, pickleball has been America’s fastest-growing sport for three years running, with over 2.4 million new players since 2019. And with that kind of popularity, she says you can find camps and instructors throughout Louisville to teach you how to play.
Besides EP Tom Sawyer State Park, which boasts a total of 16 outdoor counts and four seasonal indoor courts, you can find courts at Charlie Vettiner Park, Wyandotte Park, Tyler Park, Pickleball Euphoria, Good Bounce Pickleball Yard, Northeast YMCA, and locations throughout the city.
A good place to get connected to the pickleball community is joining a Facebook group that posts regular updates concerning upcoming events around town. Derby City Pickleball, Louisville Pickleball, Louisville Beginners Pickleball, E.P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park – Pickleball and Pickleball Forum.
Reach features reporter Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: 2023 Bourbon City Pickleball Day Camp: dates, location
