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OGDEN — There is a major championship being played in Ogden this weekend: Pickleball. And it has nothing to do with pickles.
Pickleball is played on a court similar to tennis, but smaller. Instead of a tennis ball, it is played with a whiffle-type ball. Instead of a racquet, the ball is hit with a paddle. I see it as a cross between tennis and ping pong.
The No. 1 player in this week's championship at Mt. Ogden Park in the Dennis Forbed Memorial Tournament has many other ways to describe his sport.
"It's a mix of chess, poker and table tennis," explained Timothy Nelson. Nelson lives in the Seattle, Washington area and is making his first trip to Ogden.
"It's a mental game," he said. "If you know what your opponent is going to do before they know it, then you have the advantage."
Tournament director John Gullo is thrilled to have this kind of competition in his city.
"If you like tennis and think tennis is great, with four or five volley's, Pickleball has 10-15 volleys. It will blow your mind!" Gullo proclaimed with a smile on his face.
The top 35 Pickleball players in the country will be playing in Ogden this week. The winner will receive a first place check for $3000. Over 250 other players have also signed up to be part of this tournament. The Ogden tournament will be played Thursday-Saturday and is free to all spectators.
Pickleball began in 1965 when Washington state congressman Joel Pritchard and businessman Bill Bell created the game. In 1984, the United States Pickleball Association was formed to advance the sport nationwide. Now, the association estimates there are more than 100,00 active Pickleball players in the country and are calling their sport the fastest growing sport in America.
