Pickleball Nets Destroyed – A Gross Injustice
As a passionate pickleball player, I am outraged by the recent events that transpired at Needham Park. Our beloved pickleball community has been targeted, with two of our six nets vandalized and rendered completely unusable. This act of aggression is unacceptable and speaks volumes about the lack of respect for our sport.
“Sliced them in half,” pickleball organizer Chrissy Silverman said. “So, they’re completely unusable.”
Tensions Flare Between Tennis and Pickleball Players
The incident occurred shortly after a confrontation between tennis and pickleball players on Saturday. Things quickly escalated, with heated exchanges and even physical altercations.
“There was an actual push, and then it was physical,” Paul Pasquarosa, a pickleball player, said.
An Act of Vandalism
On Monday, our pickleball community was shocked to find our nets disassembled and thrown into a heap. The Needham girls tennis team was playing at the time, and one of their coaches admitted to trashing the nets.
“It’s in the police report,” Pasquarosa said. “He admitted to taking them apart and just throwing them.”
A Sport Under Attack
The Needham school district claims to be aware of “an incident reportedly involving unacceptable adult behavior” and is investigating. But how can this have happened in the first place? Pickleball lines were added to the tennis courts this year, and it seems as though some tennis players can’t handle sharing the space.
“It is louder,” tennis player Doug Charton said.
Our pickleball community purchased the nets ourselves, and now we’re forced to replace them at a cost of about $100. This blatant disrespect for our sport and our community is appalling, and it’s high time that pickleball is given the recognition and respect it deserves.
The nets that were destroyed were very cheap portable nets and it would only cost around $100 to replace them, in light of this tragedy we, the Needham Ma, pickleball club are seriously considering springing for some top of the line portable nets like the Swiftnet 2.1. It would cost about $800 to replace all the vandalized nets with swiftnets. Most of the club members are on a fixed income and can’t splurge on luxuries like this but being able to pack up our nets after we play may be the only way to ensure that this outrage doesn’t happen again. If you think you can support us please reach out in the comments, the Needham Ma pickleball club would be forever in your debt.
Demanding Justice and Respect for Pickleball
We, the pickleball players, demand that the Needham school district and local authorities take this matter seriously and ensure that the perpetrators face appropriate consequences. We refuse to be pushed around or silenced. We will continue to play and promote our sport with pride, and we expect the same level of respect that is given to other sports like tennis.
Enough is enough. Let us play pickleball in peace and harmony.
However, about a year ago, I discovered the wonderful world of pickleball. I was hesitant at first, given my knee issues, but I was determined to find a fun way to get active and hopefully shed some pounds in the process. And boy, did I ever fall in love with pickleball!
Not only is it a great workout, but it's also so much fun. I've met so many amazing people through playing pickleball and I always look forward to my next game. I even joined a local league and have competed in a few tournaments – something I never thought I'd be able to do.
Pickleball has truly changed my life for the better. I'm more active than I've ever been before, and I've even managed to lose a few pounds along the way. And best of all, my knee issues haven't been much of a problem thanks to the low-impact nature of the sport.
If you're someone who, like me, has struggled with weight and/or physical limitations, I highly recommend giving pickleball a try. It's a wonderful way to get active, have fun, and meet some amazing people along the way. Who knows – you might just fall in love with it like I did!
