By Alex Gillenwalters, Sports Editor
Much like the sport of pickleball, Pellissippi State’s newest recreational Pickleball Club was formed using the ingenuity of its creator along with some trial and error. Braxton Sims, a Pellissippi State student, formed the club during the fall semester. This week, Pellissippi State is hosting its first tournament on Friday, Feb. 21 at 10 a.m.
Sims says that the road to the creation of the pickleball club was a long, but productive one. Although it may be a relatively unknown sport, pickleball’s popularity is growing. According to the website Picklehead, pickleball has experienced a 223.5 percent growth over the last three years, with an astounding 36.5 million players in the United States. In Tennessee, the sport is growing in popularity as well.
The sport of pickleball takes inspiration from tennis, badminton, and table tennis. Enthusiasts of the game say it captivates players of all ages and creates a fantastic opportunity for those looking to stay active and competitive in a fun, safe environment.
The game is played with a paddle, a hard plastic ball, and a hip-height net. Many players prefer it to tennis because it requires more strategy and less running. Enthusiasts argue that the game is more socially focused and allows for a better sense of camaraderie.
“My love for pickleball started over this past summer, when I played multiple games with my peers,” says Sims, the organizer of Pellissippi State’s Pickleball Club. “I instantly fell in love with the game, but, as I improved and wanted to play a little more competitively, I had trouble finding out where to start.”
Sims says that he tried looking for a club at Pellissippi, but learned that the school did not yet have one, even though there were both indoor and outdoor pickleball courts on campus.
“My friends and I spent a couple weeks playing constantly, hoping to improve to a point that we could seriously compete,” Sims recalls. “As we played, I invited whoever was interested in playing; steadily, our player count rose, creating more competition, which inspired me to finally take action in creating a club at the school.”
3 x 3
Pickleball Tournament
Friday, February 21, 2025, 10 AM – 12 PM
Even is FREE and open to all PSCC students.
Having played in the rec center when they had time, Sims and his friends decided to get in touch with someone who could help them get the club started up. After speaking with Phillip Ems, the manager of the Student Recreation Center, Sims says that they all came to a consensus. In a brief moment, the far-fetched idea of creating their own pickleball club turned into a real possibility, yet there was still one problem… the head count.
“I was told we can start a club for it, but I just had to get people involved,” Sims recalls.
Sims did his homework to learn more about the sport, particularly at the collegiate level and in Tennessee. He says, “While researching I found out there were other colleges playing tournaments around us. Competitively! Which was exactly what I was looking for. I wanted to join them.”
Sims says that he wished for nothing more than to play in a competitive tournament with a Pickleball Club. That goal drove his work on forming the club.
“I knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” he says. “But, knowing how bad I wanted all of this to come true, I knew I could get it done.”
Once he had the go-ahead to form the club, Sims contacted everyone he knew, trying to get even more people involved. Quickly, he had more than fifteen people sign up, which led to the club hosting an event at the Rec Center.
“After the first meeting together, we were able to schedule times and play more regularly, which then led to more people being interested in the club and asking where and how to join,” Sims says.
The Pellissippi State Pickleball Club offers regular meetings and is open to new members joining. To play in the tournament, sign up with the Student Recreation Center. For more information about the club, contact Braxton Sims or the Student Recreation Center.
“Pellissippi Pickleball Club is just starting but will expand to more in the future,” Sims says.
