Pacific is bringing Pickleball to Stockton
The sport that has taken the world by storm is now marking its territory in Stockton.
Pickleball courts will be opening this fall in the 209 in its backyard at the University of the Pacific. Thus making the Tigers home to the first pickleball and padel complex on a college campus.
“The addition of the padel and pickleball complex is a game-changer for our tennis programs,” said Mike Erwin, Pacific women’s tennis coach. “Having access to these fun, exciting and easy-to-learn sports on campus also will have a tremendous impact on Pacific as a whole. Increases in fundraising, student and community engagement and attendance at home contests are all expected outcomes of creating this racket sports ecosystem.”
Erwin was the kickstarter to bringing the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. to the campus. He presented the idea of a partnership between Takitka Padel, a top padel operator in the U.S., and the university that would help construct and upkeep padel courts.
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“Being able to work with President Christopher Callahan to make this concept a reality has been a valuable opportunity,” Erwin said. “I believe, together with our partners at Taktika, we’ve blazed a trail that other institutions will follow.”
The 12-court complex is currently being built adjacent to Zimmerman Tennis Center and a practice soccer field on the western edge of the 175-acre campus. Eight courts will be for pickleball and four courts for padel, a racquet sport of Mexican origin that is a hybrid of tennis, pickleball and squash.
Once open, Pacific students, faculty and staff will have free access to the courts from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. to midnight. Tigers can also reserve courts during the day at a discounted price.
“Our partnership with the University of the Pacific is an American first,” said Ryan Redondo, CEO of Taktika Padel. “I’m confident we will pave the way for other college campuses to embrace these two insurgent racket sports as they gain popularity across our country.”
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Along with providing a space to play these sports Pacific plans to start a pickleball and padel club team. Pickleball and padel tournaments will also be featured at Pacific’s Homecoming and Family Weekend on Oct. 14.
“This unique and powerful partnership will serve the Pacific community by providing two exciting new sports for our students to play while filling a great need in the Central Valley for more pickleball courts and introducing people to the exciting sport of padel,” said Christopher Callahan, president of the University of the Pacific.
Record reporter Shannon Belt covers sports. She can be reached at sbelt@recordnet.com or on Twitter @ShannonBelt3. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Pacific will open first college campus Pickleball courts in America
