MOUNT VERNON – Bob Frost, Larry Smith and Larry Miller are the founding fathers of the sport of pickleball in Knox County.
Back in 2009, even they had no idea pickleball was a thing.
Twelve years later, the trio was honored by the Mount Vernon Pickleball Club at their meeting at Memorial Park on Wednesday, June 9. The three of them were the official ribbon cutters at the opening of the area’s newest pickleball facility.
The four newest pickleball courts are not so new at all. They were designed and built a few years ago to facilitate some of Mount Vernon’s youngest athletes. The courts were specially designed to allow beginners — some as young as 5 years old — to learn how to play tennis. The addition of extra wind screens on the fences and the painting of pickleball lines on the court’s surface will allow a greater number of people to use the courts more often.
Now in their 80s, Frost, Smith and Miller are seeing their dream of transplanting pickleball — a game that was already popular in places like Florida — take root and flower in Knox County.
“I went down to see Larry (Smith) in Florida,” Frost recalled, “and he said, ‘Hey do you want to play some games?’ and I said, ‘You know how I like games.’ So we went over and played something, and I don’t remember what it was. I said, ‘I don’t think I like this.’ Then he said, ‘We’re going to play bocce ball,’ and I didn’t like that either. He asked me, ‘Don’t you like anything?’”
That was when they tried their hand at pickleball. As soon as Frost swung the paddle and hit the ball a couple of times, he knew they were on to something. When they got back to Mount Vernon in the spring, the three of them were on a mission to establish the game in Knox County.
“In a couple of weeks, we had five or six guys and we were playing pickleball with tennis nets,” Smith said. ”It wasn’t anyone else for about a year or so.”
Although the game was very popular in places like Florida, it was relatively unknown in Mount Vernon. The trio struggled to find others in Knox County who were willing to join them. At one point, they were flagging down cars on the side of the road just to find people who were interested in giving the sport with the funny-sounding name a try.
It took a year to establish the first group of players, and from there it took off. On Wednesday, the Mount Vernon Pickleball Club had over 40 attending the meeting.
“I think it’s good for them that they got into this,” Smith said. “It keeps you young. It keeps you active. It’s something that everyone can play no matter what your condition is. Even if you’re big or small, man or woman. Bob’s got both knees and hips replaced. I’ve got both knees and an Achilles done. A lot of people here have physical problems, but they persevere.”
Once the pickleball club got permission from the City of Mount Vernon and Mount Vernon High School coach Steve Tier, they were able to multi-purpose the youth tennis courts. Funding for retrofitting the courts to facilitate pickleball was provided by the Knox County Foundation and the Landers Foundation.
“If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be able to do this,” said Mount Vernon Pickleball Club president Kurt Hinterschied. “We’re so grateful for all of their help. Pickleball is such a great sport for young and old. I have met so many people through pickleball. It’s a very social sport and it’s good for the whole family.”
Future plans include a tournament that is tentatively scheduled for August 27–29. More details will be forthcoming in the next couple of weeks. For more information on area pickleball, including lessons, go to the Mount Vernon Pickleball Club’s Facebook page.
