As we go around the nation, we learn about some of the people and places that are leading their communities in joyful pickleball play.
Near the “Ground Zero” for pickleball (created in Bainbridge Island, WA in 1964?), Sideout Pickleball Centers are providing excellent year-around play in a market that has been known for having fewer sunny days than a lot of cities!
YPBG pulled up a chair to speak with Dale Garnett, co-founder of Sideout, and the latest facility, Sideout Tsunami Pickleball Center.
YPBG: Hi Dale, we live in the northeast, probably the last region of the country to fully adopt pickleball — but where we quickly added much needed indoor facilities for year-around play. My perception is Seattle, the OG of pickleball, has been somewhat slow to add indoor courts. Am I right?
Dale Garnett: 100% Some landlords did not want recreation in their buildings. In other cases, the costs on the waterfront were high.
YPBG: Sideout now has two facilities — and the marketing message includes great lighting and court cushioning? Why?
Dale Garnett: We have the best lights. And we know our active users like the cushioning effect too. Many of our most active players are 40+, a group that appreciates the benefits of cushioning and, with aging eyes, doesn’t object to great lighting either!
YPBG: The new facility is called Sideout Tsunami — is there a tie-in the the National Pickleball League team in town? Yes, we share an investor, it is a natural to have a home facility for the team.
YPBG: So, some in our audience may recognize the Garnett last name….your son, Connor, is one of the top professional players in the world. Did you beat Connor when he was younger?
Dale Garnett: No, not a chance. I played tennis for 30 years, we played backyard basketball too. But by the time I started playing pickleball, Connor was beyond me.
YPBG: We like to ask everybody for a pickleball moment that puts smiles on faces. Can you share one?
Dale Garnett: It’s hard to pinpoint one, but I would say seeing people meet new people, some who have never played before, sharing happy smiles as a community of folks who have found a common bond….well, that’s as good as it gets.
