Pickleball’s local rise is bringing players of all ages together, from first-time beginners to national-level competitors.

Words by Anna Duncan Owens | Images by Al Blanton

Pickleball may have started as a casual pastime for some, but in Walker County, it has quickly become much more than that.

Andrew Ross first found the sport almost by accident while playing tennis at Bevill State. His team was helping host a pickleball tournament when Coach Eli Matthews encouraged Andrew and a friend to enter for fun. Neither knew much about the game, but their tennis backgrounds carried them to the finals. Andrew soon realized, though, that pickleball was not simply tennis on a smaller court.

“Once I started seeing higher-level pickleball, I realized how much strategy was involved,” he says.

The soft game, resets, positioning, patience, and knowing when to attack gave Andrew something new to learn, but he believes the sport’s biggest appeal is how easy it is for almost anyone to begin.

“I’ve always said that pickleball is the people’s sport,” Andrew says.

That idea is easy to see on local courts, where players can range from children to people in their 70s. Andrew has competed with children as young as nine and says age does not necessarily determine how competitive a game can be. Younger players may rely on speed and power, while older players can win points through patience, placement, and experience.

For beginners, the learning curve is part of the fun. Andrew said a new player can learn the basic rules, how to serve and where to stand, then begin playing within minutes. More advanced strategies can come later.

The community surrounding the sport also keeps people coming back. Players often help one another improve, even after competing against each other. That same sense of community carries into tournament play, although the competition becomes much more intense.

Andrew has competed through AER Pickleball at events in New York, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Newport Beach, Dallas, San Diego, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He qualified for the USA Pickleball National Championships last year, and another Jasper player qualified for the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) World Championships this year.

Those opportunities have helped Andrew see what may be possible for pickleball locally.

Through AER Pickleball, he hosts beginner clinics, offers training with certified pickleball coaches and USA Pickleball referees, and works with players interested in competing at higher levels. The group is also exploring partnerships with local governments to expand pickleball opportunities in the area.

Andrew would eventually like to see a year-round training facility in Jasper and more tournaments that bring players into Walker County instead of requiring local competitors to travel elsewhere.

“The interest is already here, and the talent is beginning to show itself too. I really believe Jasper has the potential to become a pickleball destination,” Andrew says.

For a sport built around accessibility, competition, and community, its local momentum may only be getting started. 78