Pickleball has been surging in popularity in our culture. From retired adults down to high schoolers, it seems like everyone is playing the game that involves a tiny green ball whistling over a 34-inch net.

It’s played on the same court size as badminton with two to four players. The premise is simple and similar to tennis: one team serves and the point continues until one side can no longer return the ball or commits a foul. 

Now, there’s even the new Pickleball Club here at Venice after senior Kavi Seidman, the president, tried playing one day.  

“And that ever since then, we haven’t been able to put the paddles down,” he said. “It’s just so addictive.”

The club boasts 45 members with a very active population. Pickleball has also been used for networking and numerous business opportunities throughout history, he said.

“Pickleball to me, means a world of opportunity along with incredible competition,” he said. 

“I’ve met so many new people and we’re creating a great community,” he said. Week after week the club meets together to format tournaments for themselves where they meet up and play after school, earning themselves bragging rights.

Seidman said club activities also include studying pickleball and watching professionals.

Steve Hosohama, a retired physical education teacher who worked at Venice, now works full-time for Komodo Pickleball, a large pickleball equipment manufacturer. He’s also pushed for a community surrounding pickleball here at Venice. In his years as a P.E. teacher, Hosohama, introduced plenty of students here to pickleball.

Recently when visiting Venice Hosohama saw what he envisioned pickleball could be. Students playing in their P.E classes, Hosohama said, “Oh my God, they’re not playing tennis,” he said, “kids just whacking the pickleball over the net.”  

Here at Venice Hosohama supports pickleball by donating extra equipment to P.E. classes and beginning to be active in the Pickleball Club.

The pickleball community has rapidly grown at Venice. With the rise of the club, many students have found a new love for the sport.