Pittsfield Pickleball Lessons for Seniors: Pittsfield is helping seniors learn pickleball with free lessons at Springside Park every Tuesday from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Led by certified instructor Gail Kapiloff, these lessons aim to introduce older adults to one of the fastest-growing sports in America.
Growing Interest Among Seniors
Eight people joined the first class on Tuesday, including Cheryl Bartini. She wanted to learn pickleball because “everyone is playing.” Gail Kapiloff had expected only four participants but was happy to teach more.
Kapiloff said, “It’s addicting. It’s fun. You can play with people at your level, and it’s also very social.”
Pickleball is a paddle sport that uses a plastic ball with holes. It looks like tennis but is played on a smaller court. The game has grown quickly, with over 68,000 courts in the U.S. and 130 new ones added each month, according to the Pickleball Athletic Club.
Building Skills and Confidence
Gail Kapiloff teaches players about footwork, serving, grip, and rules. She also focuses on helping students feel comfortable and confident.
Susan Smith, who recently retired, joined the class to stay active and meet new people. She said, “Wherever we go, we see pickleball courts. People are very welcoming.”
Smith called Kapiloff “amazing,” noting that she was patient and organized. Cheryl Bartini, who was playing for the first time, enjoyed the session. “I would definitely like to stick to it,” Bartini said. “It seems at first there’s a lot to learn, but after playing a couple times, I’m sure it’s fine.”
The lessons are approved by the Pittsfield Parks and Recreation Department. Jim McGrath, the park, open space, and natural resource program manager, said in an email, “Now that we offer community courts on Benedict Road, we felt partnering with Gail Kapiloff to offer pickleball lessons was an easy way to get the sport promoted to those who might wish to try but are wondering where to start.”
Sport on the Rise
Pickleball grew by 311 percent between 2021 and 2024, says the Pickleball Athletic Club. JP Barbeau, director of tennis and racquet sports at Bousquet Sport, said, “Pickleball has taken off huge. It’s a very inclusive activity.”
Barbeau believes the game is popular because players don’t need to be young or athletic to enjoy it. “You can get out there and in an hour, you can be competing,” he said.
Bousquet Sport now has 12 courts to serve around 300 members. Pittsfield has also shown its commitment by opening six new courts at Benedict Road within the Doyle Softball Complex in June 2024. The $520,000 project was funded by the American Rescue Plan Act.
A Sport for Every Generation
Gary Schiff, a member of the Berkshire Mountain Pickleball Steering Committee, said players usually range from 50 to 70 years old. But younger people in high school and college are joining in, too.
“The more you play, the better you get,” Schiff said. “You meet a lot of people and you just want to keep playing.”
Berkshire Mountain Pickleball started in 2018 with about 10 players. Now, the group has over 400 members. They supply nets, balls, and lessons, and use Pittsfield’s courts six days a week. Schiff said, “People love playing there,” and the courts are “well taken care of.”
“We have people who drive up from Great Barrington to play there, and we have people who drive down from Adams or North Adams,” Schiff added.
Pickleball vs. Tennis
Some tennis players are leaving the sport for pickleball. Clare “Bunnie” Lahey, executive director of the Lee Community Tennis Association, said it’s hard to keep adult tennis players involved.
“[I’m seeing] tons of people leaving the game,” said Lahey.
JP Barbeau explained that it’s easier to start playing pickleball. “You can jump on a pickleball court and play right away, and [in] tennis you can’t do that,” Barbeau said. He added that tennis players can switch to pickleball more easily than the other way around.
Barbeau believes the pickleball craze might last another five years. “It’s the same as racquetball used to be… everybody who comes up with a new offshoot or something, it has its popularity,” he said.
Still, Gary Schiff said the sport is clearly growing in Pittsfield. “If you go over to Herberg Middle School… It’s relatively rare to see people come play tennis, but there’ll be a couple of dozen people playing pickleball,” Schiff said.
News in Brief: Pittsfield Pickleball Lessons for Seniors
Pittsfield is offering free pickleball lessons for seniors at Springside Park. Led by Gail Kapiloff, the sessions teach basic skills and rules. The sport is growing fast across the U.S., with new courts opening and more players of all ages joining. Local leaders are investing in the game’s future.