Pickleball, the paddle sport that has been gaining popularity nationwide, has taken NC State by storm. Whether playing casual matches or national championships, NC State boasts a vibrant pickleball community.
Grant Johnson, a second-year studying biological engineering and vice president of NC State Club Pickleball, said pickleball can be described as a cross between ping pong and tennis. The game is played on a smaller court than tennis, with players using paddles to hit balls, which are similar to wiffle balls, over a net.
Pickleball’s presence at NC State began when Robert Valdillez, a Ph.D. student in nuclear physics, founded the club in 2019.
Valdillez said the club was the first of its kind in the United States and was the first official collegiate member of USA Pickleball. The club was featured in USA Pickleball’s magazine and is used as a model for other clubs around the country.
The club had around five frequent members in its inaugural semester. Following the COVID-19 pandemic year, the club grew to around 50 and now has over 100 active members. Valdillez said the appeal of pickleball is its ease of entry.
“The barrier of entry is so much lower than tennis,” Valdillez said. “You can pick up a pickleball paddle without ever having played a racquet sport and within 10 or 15 minutes on the court, you’re able to rally around with friends and be in some actual play.”
Valdillez said the sport has an inclusive aspect that is often not seen in other sports.
“It’s one of the only sports I know that you could be on the court with a 12-year-old and an 80-year-old playing the same sport together,” Valdillez said.
Lauren Hutchinson, a third-year studying business and a lifelong tennis player, said while pickleball can be played casually, it also has a competitive side and is more nuanced than most people think.
“The court is a lot smaller [than in tennis], so your shots have to be more calculated and less power, more angle,” Hutchinson said. “[It’s more] fast-paced; tennis is a lot more spread out because everybody’s closer together.”
Valdillez said the club hosts and competes in national tournaments. The club hosted the largest national collegiate pickleball tournament last year. He said what sets them apart from other clubs is their ability to fundraise effectively.
“Every time we go to a tournament, we bring three or four or five times the number of players that other colleges can bring just because we have the money to support hotels and travel and flights for all of our players,” Valdillez said. “We have a lot more presence because we started a lot earlier than most of the clubs, and we just have a lot more resources at our disposal.”
Valdillez said the club plays on Carmichael Gym’s tennis courts. He said the sport has risen so much in popularity that Carmichael has since painted enough pickleball lines to accommodate 24 games at once.
Despite NC State’s large competitive presence, Valdillez said there are no tryouts required to join the competitive team. Players with competitive interest have to attend required practices and the club hosts an internal tournament to send its best players to national competitions.
Johnson said as pickleball rises in popularity, its nature is constantly changing.
“New players are coming on the scene constantly, and it’s just rapidly growing as well as rapidly changing, and that’s what I love about it — it’s a very dynamic sport,” Johnson said. “It’s just incredible how quickly it’s changed, like strategy even from last year to this year, as well as how technology has changed so much recently that has created such a big shift in how it’s played.”
Club updates and practice information can be found on the club’s website and Instagram. All practices are held at the Carmichael outdoor tennis courts, and equipment is provided.
