Submitted By Russ Jones
photos from Facebook

So here you are: retired, living in Central Florida, surrounded by nearly 500 holes of golf, 102 Pickleball Courts, more tennis courts than you can imagine in one place, shuffleboard, bocce ball, horseshoes, the list goes on.  What could be any better?  How about the very first platform tennis court complex to be built in Florida!

                The Villages, Florida is a 55+ active lifestyle community with approximately 80,000 residents and still climbing.  It has recently installed six platform (we’re calling them “Paddle Tennis”) courts and has introduced the sport to it’s residents, most of whom have never seen a paddle or a paddle ball, much less a miniature tennis court enclosed in chicken wire.  However, that hasn’t stopped the curious from coming out and giving it a try—and coming out in droves!  Every Wednesday and Friday morning, free one-hour introductory lessons are provided, followed by another hour of supervised play.  On average, about 40 people are introduced to the sport every week.   Participants have the opportunity to return session after session, if they like, and get right into supervised play.  Paddles and balls  are provided, and just recently, one of the local Tennis Pro Shops has stocked it’s shelves with a full line of paddles and balls for those who decide to take up the sport in a more serious light.

                All of the instructors are residents of The Villages who volunteer their time and expertise.  They have played “paddle” up north in places like New York, Connecticut, Maryland, and New Jersey before retiring and moving to Florida.  “It was  like meeting up with a long-lost friend,” remarked one of the instructors when the courts were completed this past March. 

                The only drawbacks, it seems, are two-fold:  it’s been a hot summer and the ball is quite lively.  Yet, newcomers to the sport have nothing to compare the liveliness of the ball with, so go about the game as is.  Some of us “experienced” players, are just now experimenting with a punctured tennis ball, and, at least for some of us, much prefer that pace. 

                All in all, the “paddle tennis” complex and program can be viewed as nothing but a success.  Seniors in The Villages are hearing about us, coming out for a peek, and signing up for our free lessons.   Since our opening in March, 2010, we have introduced “paddle” to hundreds of people and have given an option from the very popular “Pickleball” activity.   This coming July 29-30 is our Inaugural Paddle “Fun” Tournament, and already 40 people have signed up.