The pickleball courts at Del Mar Park in Morro Bay are a popular place to be.
Rich Raub plays pickleball there every day.
“You do it at your own pace. I’m 77 and I have bad knees and I’m still out here playing,” Raub said.
According to a recent report by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, there were 13.6 million players in the United States in 2023.
“I’ve been retired over 20 years. It gives me someplace to go in the mornings if I want,” Raub said.
“Pickleball players reliably reach levels of activity that can improve and maintain physical fitness, cardiovascular and metabolic health as well as mental health,” said Dr. Calum MacRae, a Harvard Medical School professor.
“Being able to remember people’s names and places and things like that. It really has helped a lot,” Lynda Merrill, Morro Bay resident, agreed.
Some players say socializing with other locals is another added benefit to playing pickleball.
“I lost my wife about a year ago and they really helped me through that process,” Raub said.
“We go to lunch and we do other things together after playing pickleball,” Merrill added.
Some of the local players say they are hoping to expand the current pickleball courts at Del Mar Park.
“We need four more courts,” Raub said.
“We’re getting more and more people from the valley, especially during the hot weather, and schoolteachers during the summer — a lot of them like to come and play here, so I think more courts would be really nice,” Merrill said.
City of Morro Bay Recreation Services Manager Kirk Carmichael says expanding the pickleball courts is possible, but space and funding pose a challenge.
Meanwhile, until more can be built, you’ll find pickleball diehards like Raub on these courts daily.
“You don’t have to bring a friend, they’re here already,” Raub said.
According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, pickleball continues to be the fastest-growing sport in the country.
