The memes of track and baseball teams out scooping their outdoor spaces are common. In fact, more than memes, there are actual pictures: runners scooping the entire oval of the track; pitchers and hitters are clearing the baseline and the infield; tennis players trying to unbury nets, as well as tennis court trash baskets and trays.
This has been the kind of winter when even college softball teams from New York who are traveling down south to get in some early season games in Louisiana find themselves playing in temperatures barely above freezing. And while the 30 degrees down south are much higher than the single digits that they would be playing in back home, temperatures threatening the freezing mark the first week in March are out of the ordinary.
Winter Weather Is Playing Havoc on Outdoor Sports Schedules Around the Country
Fortunately, tennis is a sport that can be easily played inside and outside. With well maintained nets and courts, as well as the extra accessories like tennis court trash baskets and trays, players can bot only keep their skills, but also compete. In fact, many times tennis ball hoppers and other kinds of tennis court net accessories inside courts are often even better than the outside counterparts.
In addition to the many games of tennis that are played both inside and outside, there are also a number of places where another popular game is making use of a modified tennis court: pickleball. And while this sport may be new to some, 2019 actually marks the 55th Anniversary of pickleball. Invented in 1965, the game uses a pickleball court which is 20’ x 44’ for both singles and doubles. The net is hung at 36” at the ends and hangs 34” in the middle. Increasing in popularity, the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) currently tracks more than 200,000 pickleball players and 12,668 pickleball courts in North America alone.
With a smaller court and a wider more manageable paddle, many athletes feel like this sport is a better fit. The fact that it still helps people achieve an active lifestyle and plenty or aerobic activity means that pickleball is a great way to stay as healthy as possible. If you live in a place where your only option is to play outside, however, you may need to wait a few more weeks to get back to doing what you love!