YMCA of South Collier celebrates the opening of Collier County’s 9 newest Pickleball Courts

(Marco Island, FL – January 11, 2021) - Collier County is the Pickleball capital of the world and thanks to the YMCA of South Collier, the sport is growing even more. Nine new courts will be unveiled with a grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony planned for January 22nd.

Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America with over 3.5 million players. The game is similar to tennis but the courts are smaller and players use paddles and a whiffle ball. It was once thought of as a sport for those 55 and over, but thanks in part to local parks and the YMCA, pickleball is more accessible to a younger crowd. It has become an intramural sport on many college campuses.

"The biggest indicators of the enormous growth of Pickleball are product sales, tournament participation, and the building of courts and all are booming,” says Chris Evon, Executive Director of Minto US Open Pickleball Championships held every April at East Naples Community Park.

The OPEN has grown from 850 players in 2016 to 2700 in 2020. The finals of this year’s Men’s and Women’s pro events will be televised live on CBS Sports Network.

“There’s no other organization like the Y. We serve all ages, people with diverse backgrounds and every financial status,” says Cindy Love-Abounader, CEO of the YMCA of South Collier. “We’ve been strengthening the community with programs that support the mind, body and spirit for over 40 years.”

The YMCA of South Collier is taking every precaution to keep its staff and members safe. Upon entering the facility, there is a kiosk to check temperatures. Masks are required and there are sanitizer stations throughout the building. Additionally, the YMCA has invested in a state-of-the-art UV Sanitizing Lights and a Bipolar Ionization unit for the HVAC system to reduce the spread of germs.

Who: YMCA of South Collier – Marco Island

What: Grand Opening of nine new pickleball courts

When: January 22nd at 11:00 am

Where: 101 Sand Hill St., Marco Island

For more information, visit www.MarcoYMCA.org.

Financed in part by U.S. Department of Treasury, Florida Division of Emergency Management, and Collier County Community and Human Services Division.