Have you ever heard the expression, too many cooks in the kitchen? In pickleball, even one person in the kitchen can be too many.

The kitchen is the one learning curve to an otherwise easy and fun sport, but it has not stopped the Fountain Hills pickleball club from growing their membership by over 100 players in the past year.

A pickleball court is about the size of a badminton court. The kitchen extends seven feet on each side from the net in the middle, and players cannot stand inside the kitchen and hit the ball out of the air. If a player hits the ball in the kitchen, it must bounce first, otherwise they forfeit a point. If the ball bounces more than once, that is a point for the team that hit it over the net.

According to Fountain Hills Pickleball Club Membership Chair Jim Chase, a majority of the 600-plus club members converted over from tennis. Since they are both racquet sports, the former tennis players have an easier time learning the game than others.

No matter what kind of background – tennis, softball, or no athletic experience at all – pickleball is a simple sport to learn. Whether it was elsewhere with friends, or at a pickleball club orientation, many players had not heard of pickleball before they started playing.

“When I first found out about pickleball, it was up in Surprise,” club member Greg Woo said. “I was with some friends, and they said, ‘want to play pickleball?’ and I said, ‘what the heck is that?’ In about five minutes, I was hooked on it. It’s easy and fun.”

The Fountain Hills pickleball club offers orientation classes in the cooler months from September to March, excluding December. The classes teach the rules and etiquette while introducing new members to the game. The club’s court schedule and orientation sign-up can be found online at fountainhillspickleball.com.

The club has nine courts located at Fountain Hills High School on Golden Eagle Boulevard. All maintenance and expenses are the responsibility of the club. They expanded the west side from four courts to six in 2020, and all courts on the west side have lights for nighttime use. There are three more courts on the East side without lighting.

The Fountain Hills Pickleball Club had less than 400 members in 2019, then around 500 members last year and they grew to 614 this year. There has been national growth in the sport as well. According to the 2022 Sports and Fitness Industry Association, there were 4.8 million Americans who played pickleball in 2021. That is a 21.3% increase in nationwide players from 2020, and a 39.3% participation growth rate since 2019.

The Fountain Hills Pickleball Club had so many new members that they held their first beginners’ tournament this past April. The club has a Facebook page to go along with its website, but word of mouth advertising has worked to recruit players since the club was formed in 2002.

“One of my guys that was on my softball team, he got hooked up with Claire [Keyworth], who was president at the time,” club member Danny Gallichio said. “He just happened to be walking by, and she says, ‘we need another player,’ so they give him a paddle and he played. He comes up to me afterward and said, ‘Danny, you’re going to love this.’”

Gallichio joined the Club in 2009 and still plays with them year-round. He played in several tournaments around the Valley when he first started playing, but he’s started to slow down as the years add on. Gallichio is turning 80 years old soon, and he’s proof that pickleball can be played by anyone at any age.

Gallichio and other members enjoy the social aspect of the sport and club. There are often more players present than space available, so they will mingle on the sidelines and wait for their turn to play. The players try to stick with others near their level – beginner, intermediate, or advanced – but they’re also willing to play with anyone.

Members also added that they will run into each other at restaurants and other places around town and strike up a conversation then, too.

The pickleball club became an official 501(c)(7) social organization last year. According to treasurer Robert Hanford, the designation as a tax-exempt social organization has not affected the daily function of the club at all. The annual membership fee is $75, and the Pickleball Club’s year runs from September 1 to August 31.

The club has a newsletter that keeps members aware of upcoming events and tournaments. For more information, visit the club’s website or email board chair Jan Goodman at fhpickleball@gmail.com.