Brookfield’s Pickleball Craze: Pickleball has become very popular in Brookfield, with more people playing the sport at local parks. The village’s parks and recreation department has expanded programs to meet growing interest. A second annual pickleball tournament will take place on June 21, drawing more players than last year.
Pickleball’s Growth in Brookfield
Pickleball is a sport similar to tennis but played on a smaller court with light plastic balls. Nationwide, the number of players jumped from almost zero to 13.6 million between 2021 and 2024, according to the Associated Press.
In Brookfield, Luke Gundersen, the village’s parks and recreation director, said pickleball started being offered last year and quickly grew in popularity.
“I want to say we started offering pickleball last year. It exploded, and with that popularity, our response was offering more pickleball programs. … A lot of our programs are filling up, which is great.” – (Luke Gundersen)
The village has four pickleball courts at Ehlert Park, added in 2023 by updating existing tennis courts.
Community Participation and Support
Julie Narimatsu, a Brookfield village trustee and liaison to the parks and recreation commission, plays pickleball regularly. She often plays with her teenage son and joined village classes over the winter.
“I actually usually play with my teenage son, who has gotten into it as well. Over the winter, we did the pickleball class with the village at S. E. Gross [Middle School], and that was a really great community.” – (Julie Narimatsu)
“It’s a relatively simple game to pick up. I think the hardest part about it is the rules, which can be a little bit complicated … It’s not as difficult as tennis and a little bit harder than ping pong.” – (Julie Narimatsu)
She also mentioned that the sport is a fun way to be active without being too hard on the body.
“I’ve seen a lot of people who are very competitive, especially in the surrounding areas, and they’re really good at pickleball, but for those of us who just like to do it recreationally, it’s a great way to get outside and play and move our bodies a little bit in a way that’s not super taxing.” – (Julie Narimatsu)
Narimatsu is part of the Brookfield Parks and Recreation Foundation, which helps low-income families afford village programs. The foundation is organizing its second annual pickleball tournament on June 21.
The Upcoming Pickleball Tournament
Kyle Whitehead, president of the Brookfield Parks and Recreation Foundation, said the tournament idea came from board member Beth Damon.
“We’ve only been around for three years, so we’re constantly looking for new ways to get out in the community and promote ourselves and find ways to fundraise in the meantime. Ehlert Park had just redone the tennis courts.” – (Beth Damon)
“We had been trying to think of something to do within the parks for a while. We had thought about throwing a kickball tournament, anything like that. When the tennis-slash-pickleball courts were finished … We thought, ‘Oh my gosh, let’s do a tournament!’” – (Beth Damon)
The tournament registration costs $70 per two-person team, with each team playing at least two matches. Last year’s tournament had eight teams, but this year it has grown to 16 teams. Damon said they expanded the tournament after hearing feedback from last year’s players.
“We were very concerned about maximizing people’s playing time because they were donating and being there, but the feedback we heard was, ‘It’s OK to give breaks. We don’t need to play eight games; we’re fine with four.’ That actually helped immensely for us to be able to include more teams this year.” – (Beth Damon)
Many players praised the foundation’s effort to organize the event and welcome the growing community.
Why Pickleball Is So Popular
Beth Damon said the sport’s flexibility makes it appealing.
“It’s just fun. You can play with a partner. You can play with a group. It’s a great way to get outside, and you can tailor the level of effort you want to put in. It’s also a really fun way to meet other people in the community. I know, myself, playing at Ehlert, playing even at the LaGrange Park courts, you meet people. Everyone wants to share tips, tricks, how you learn the drill … You get what you put into it.” – (Beth Damon)
Pickleball’s fast growth in Brookfield shows how the sport can bring people together and encourage healthy, social activity. The expanding programs and tournaments suggest the sport will remain an important part of the community.
News in Brief: Brookfield’s Pickleball Craze
Pickleball is rising in Brookfield, with new programs and a growing player base. The village’s second annual pickleball tournament is set for June 21 and has doubled its team count from last year. The sport is praised for being easy to learn, social, and fun for all ages.
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