Brandon Mackie, co-founder of Pickleheads, holds a pickleball paddle after playing a rigorous game. Image: Brandon Mackie/Contributed

School is out of session, and Appomattox children are now playing sports everywhere throughout the Appomattox community. As the summer break of 2023 continues to progress, a new sport is quickly gaining popularity in Appomattox. Businesses, churches and other organizations have already constructed designated areas to allow children to play this new sport. People of all ages are quickly falling in love with the sport’s easiness to learn and difficulty to master.

Pickleball is quickly gaining popularity in Appomattox and remains the fastest growing sport in the United States of America.

“They are saying pickleball is a great way to bring the community together and that local residents really enjoy it,” stated Brandon Mackie, co-founder of Pickleheads.

The game was created in 1965. According to ActiveForLife.com, pickleball “is played on a badminton-sized court with ping pong-type rectangular racquets, a wiffle-type ball, and tennis-like rules.”

Appomattox’s quick increase in interest regarding pickleball has caused businesses to build more pickleball courts, children to socialize more, and people to obtain a higher quality of life.

Grace Hills Baptist Church and Memorial United Methodist Church were the first two churches to build pickleball courts, and these two places are the most popular pickleball courts in Appomattox.

There’s more to this in the current issue of the Times Virginian newspaper. Support local journalism by purchasing the issue at a local newsstand or subscribing at www.timesvirginian.com/subscriber_services to receive the print edition or view the full article in the e-edition version.