Pickleball, which combines elements of tennis, ping-pong and badminton with a hard paddle and whiffle ball, has become America’s fastest growing sport for 2023. It’s easy to learn, highly social and provides both aerobic and anaerobic exercise. It’s also great for reducing stress and improving balance.
A new full-scale Pickleball Athletic Club etc, will be opening soon in downtown St Petersburg. This will be the first facility with indoor pickleball courts in the area. It will host events, tournaments for recreational to professional levels, classes for all ages including kids’ programs and access to professional players. It will also offer hourly and daily public access for local residents and visiting players.
The facility will include 16 professional pickleball courts (including 9 indoor, a first for Tampa Bay) and other amenities such as lockers, showers and a pro shop. Life Time members will have priority reservations on the courts and access to tournaments, clinics and other pickleball programming. In addition, there will be private rooms available to reserve for group meetings and parties.
Open Pickleball is for individuals to play in a fun and friendly environment. This is a great opportunity to meet new people and improve your game! This session is limited to 28 spots. Coach Derek and Oliver will teach you the tips, tricks and techniques for playing at a tournament level in this 8 week clinic series. They will share drills and strategies that they use to train for tournaments, how they prepare mentally and physically to be at their best, and more!
Premier Membership includes access to all Life Time athletic country clubs, all Signature Membership benefits, notably unlimited small group training, plus access to the most indoor dedicated pickleball courts in Manhattan at Sky and Penn 1. Guests must be accompanied by a member for Court Reservations and Tournaments.
The club will feature indoor and outdoor pickleball courts, tennis, basketball, volleyball and fitness equipment for the whole family. Life Time has partnered with professional pickleball player Travis Rettenmier to manage the facility and provide coaching. Rettenmier is currently ranked 29th in the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) rankings and co-owns Smash, a premier pickleball training center in Seattle.
Rettenmier’s goal for St Pete Athletic is to be a hub of the community, a place where people can come together to enjoy the social aspects of the game while focusing on skill development and building a healthy lifestyle. He and his partners have toured many other pickleball facilities across the nation to gain insights on what the community wants from a facility like this. The team will then incorporate this knowledge into the design of the St Pete Athletic facility. The project is expected to open in 2023.