Pickleball open house aims to generate local interest

(ABC 6 News) – As the weather gets colder many outdoor activities begin moving indoors.

But in years past for pickleball players in Rochester that meant they had to put away their rackets until spring. But not anymore.

Chip Shots in northeast Rochester has built three pickleball courts to keep people entertained and on the court year round.

Wednesday evening, the popular hangout alongside the Rochester Pickleball Association hosted an open house to welcome pickleball players indoors.

“So this used to be a Shopko, and it was just a big metal box. And we had a wild idea. We knew pickleball was the fastest-growing sport in the country. Well, let’s measure things out and see how many pickleball courts we can fit in here. So, this is fresh from April. So, we literally poured these courts the first week of April and then opened up about a week later,” Chip Shots Co-owner Nick Mclaughlin said.

Chip Shots will be starting what is called a ‘Pickle pass’, where players can sign up for this pass and receive priority access to the courts over other individuals.

The courts are open all winter long during business hours. To get involved, visit here.