Here’s how metro Detroit’s pickleball explosion first ignited in Canton
Former Canton Township supervisor and trustee Tom Yack played a role getting pickleball on the map in southeast Michigan.
Admit it: The first time you heard the word pickleball, you laughed out loud (or at least chuckled a little bit).
Nobody’s laughing now at pickleball — arguably the fastest-growing sport in the world.
As spacious indoor pickleball facilities are popping up regularly throughout southeast Michigan as the demand for courts grows at a fast and furious pace, it is widely believed that the area’s first official outdoor courts were opened at Canton’s Freedom Park in 2016 — well before the current pickleball craze materialized.
Compelling backstory
The ground-breaking courts’ backstory near the intersection of Sheldon and Palmer roads is fascinating.
Former 20-year township supervisor (and later township trustee) Tom Yack was first introduced to pickleball after he retired and moved in the winter months to The Villages, the sprawling “active retirement” community in Florida.
“I loved pickleball right away because it’s played on a more compact space than other racquet sports like tennis,” Yack recounted.
“And pickleball is played typically with four players, so it’s more manageable. If your opponent’s skill level in tennis isn’t close to yours, you’re always chasing the ball. Pickleball is more forgiving and more competitive.”
One spring, once Yack returned to Canton for the warmer months, he helped spearhead an indoor pickleball pick-up program at Canton’s Summit on the Park.
In the beginning …
Residents soon grew to share Yack’s passion for the soon-to-grow sport thanks to the portable nets set up on the gymnasium’s main floor.
The building of the six-court set-up at Freedom Park (on what was formerly two tennis courts) was the result of a development agreement with Pulte Homes, Yack revealed.
“We had a requirement for development agreements that there had to be a community benefit provided by the developer, whether it was roads, parks or open green space,” Yack explained.
“We had a great relationship with Pulte, so when it was recommended to them by the township that they fund an outdoor pickleball set-up at Freedom Park as their community benefit, they were all-in.”
Closing in on 10-year anniversary
The six courts — which with the exception of a few cracks in the foundation still look brand new — were opened in 2016.
Yack said the cost of the project was approximately $110,000.
“What makes these courts nice is the wind barriers surrounding them,” Yack said. “You’re playing with a plastic ball, so without the barriers, the wind can blow the ball several inches, which definitely increases the degree of difficulty.
“The residents of Canton loved the new pickleball courts and they’re used frequently, especially now as the popularity of the sport grows. A lot of kids are picking up the sports, which is great for the sport’s growth.”
While Yack emphasized the building of the Canton pickleball courts was a team effort, he admits he takes pride in being a part of the project.
“It’s hard not to when you see how much these courts are used and how much fun the players are having,” he said.
Yack said he’s heard about long-term plans to build more pickleball courts at Heritage Park — a development that the fast-growing community of pickleball players will no doubt embrace.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
