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everyone in between to the same courts. “I wanted something to do after I retired, and I was always athletic,” said Adam Kazarian, 76. “Sometime in 2014 I said, ‘I think I’ll go try pickleball.’ I’ve been playing ever since — and now my granddaughters are learning about it in middle school.” On the opposite side of the net is Yousef Hamou di, 22, who first heard about the sport from a high school teacher. He introduced it to a friend, and now the two regularly drop into morning ses sions before heading to college classes. “I randomly went to an outdoor court,” he said. “I loved it, so I bought my own paddles and started

Gather

PICKLEBALL

The Kitchen Table A new place for Sterling Heights residents and friends to gather and play for years to come.

E nter the gymnasium at the Community Center on any given day and you’re greeted with the unmistakable pop of paddles meeting plastic, the scuttle of shoes across hardwood and the occasional victory cheer. Those are the sounds of America’s fastest-growing sport: pickleball. What began as a back yard pastime in 1965 has transformed into a nation al phenomenon. In 2024, an estimated 19.8 million people played pickleball in the United States, with

said Parks and Recreation Director Kyle Langlois. “We’ve placed an emphasis on completing projects in a short span so residents can experience the benefits as quickly as possible.” Part of pickleball’s widespread appeal lies in its simplicity. Played on a 20-by-44-foot court with straightforward rules, the smaller playing area makes the game easy to learn and easy to navi gate. That accessibility has made the sport uniquely multi-generational, draw ing youth, retirees and

more than 62,000 official members of USA Pickleball — a number that grew by 68 percent in 2025. After voters approved the Pathway to Play and Preservation millage in 2024, the city moved forward with plans for a dedicated facility. The new Sterling Heights Athletic Hub promises to serve as a home for pickleball and table tennis enthusiasts for years to come. “The demand comes from needing a larger num ber of courts to minimize wait times between games,”

playing all the time.” Greg Wilczynski, 76,

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