Pickleball Magazine 2-4 Courtesy of Pickleball Central | Page 55

for a wide variety
of pickleball
equipment. Our
solution was to
create the Seattle
area’s first indoor
facility devoted
exclusively to
pickleball.”
Not far from
Bainbridge
Island, WA,
the birthplace
of pickleball,
Pickleball Station
is also the home
of the Pickleball
Museum, which
celebrated its
grand opening
on June 10. Filled with displays of dozens of original
wooden paddles, historic photographs, the first pickleball
hole-drilling machine, and many other interesting items
showcasing pickleball’s early days, the Pickleball Museum
appeals to both pickleball enthusiasts and anyone
interested in sports and the region’s history. Barney
McCallum, one of pickleball’s creators, was a guest of honor
at the Pickleball Museum’s grand opening. Accompanied by
Sid Williams, the first Executive Director and President of
USAPA, and Arlen Paranto, designer of the first composite
paddle, and several others who were influential in
developing the sport in the 1960s and ‘70s, McCallum and
friends shared many interesting photographs and stories
about pickleball’s
beginnings.
Guests attending
the Pickleball
Station Open
House enjoyed
learning about
pickleball’s
history, playing
on the courts,
and getting
McCallum’s
autograph on
their paddles.
As the
world’s largest
independent
seller of
pickleball
equipment,
Pickleball Central equips Pickleball Station’s pro shop
and provides pickleball enthusiasts the ability to browse
the widest selection of pickleball products available in
the Pacific Northwest. Customers can demo paddles on
the Pickleball Station courts, try on apparel, and shop for
hundreds of pickleball accessories.
Residents and visitors to the Puget Sound area are
fortunate to have a dedicated facility that offers so many
ways to enjoy pickleball – day and night, rain or shine.
Hopefully Pickleball Station paves the way for other
communities to develop quality year-round pickleball
facilities as the sport continues to grow.  •
JULY/AUGUST 2017 |
MAGAZINE
53