April is National Pickleball Month, and Aiken Pickleball, Inc. will celebrate with Groovy Tuesdays on the indoor courts at Odell Weeks Activities Center. Each evening will start with free clinics from 5:00 – 6:00pm with Mo Garcia and Harve Mobley. Mixed level play will be 4:00 – 5:00 PM, and all courts will have court designation play 6:30 – 8:00 PM. Evenings will include drawings for gift certificates for lessons with Mo, and complimentary  pizza and drinks, and each week there will be a raffle for a new Paddle. 

Canned food items for Golden Harvest Food Bank will also be collected during "Groovy Tuesdays".   Bring in 5 canned items and receive an additional ticket for a chance of winning a "Pickleball With A  Purpose" T-shirt.  A shirt will be given away at each Tuesday drawing.
 
Come join the fun - no sign-up required.

Harve Mobley, our newest certified instructor, will conduct the following clinics on Saturday, May 18th. 

12 noon - 1:20 - Court Position, Shot Selection, and Game Strategy (Beginners - Must have completed a New Players Clinic)

1:30 - 2:50 - Court Position, Shot Selection, and Game Strategy (Intermediate) 

3:00 - 4:30 - Three (or four) players and a pro.  Sign up as a group of three or four. 

Clinics are limited to four players.  Cost is $15 per session.  Sign up and pay at the front desk -  bring your receipt to the clinic. 

The next New Players Clinic at Odell Weeks will be  on Saturday, May 11th. The clinic is for people new to the game of pickleball.  Sign up at the front desk to reserve a spot.  Max 8 players - these clinics fill up fast so don’t delay.  Schedule as follows:  

In April

Drills with "Little Mo" every Saturday at Odell until the first week of June. Maximum 6 players.  Sign up at front desk.    Click here for more information.

Groovy Tuesdays at Odell -  Free clinics, pizza and drinks, door prize, and raffles for new paddle every Tuesday the entire month of April.  No sign up required. Click here for more info.
 
Next Player Rating Session Saturday, April 27th.  Click here to sign up. Slots still available.
 
In May
 
Saturday, May 11th, New Players Clinic at Odell.  Sign up at front desk.
 
Saturday, May 18th, Clinics with Harve.  Sign up at front desk.
 
On the Horizon 
 
10th Annual Palmetto Doubles Invitational Tournament - July 31 - August 4, 2024,  Prize $ for Men's, Women's and Mixed Doubles Opens - SAVE THE DATE!  Registration is open .  Discount for early sign up. 

Registration will open March 3 for the 10th annual Palmetto Indoor Pickleball Doubles Invitational.  This year's tournament is in honor of Loretta and Mikel Beckner, who started pickleball in Aiken in 2010.  We've expanded to 5 days and the tournament will be USAP sanctioned and include money events at the top levels.  Discount for early registration. For more information, click here.

 

                          

Aiken Pickleball - a 501c3 Organization

Welcome to the website for Aiken Pickleball, Inc., a 501c3 organization.  If you are new to the game and wondering how to get started, click here for answers to frequently asked questions.  Our intent is to promote the game of pickleball and to provide competitive and social pickleball activities. Our goal is to encourage sportsmanship and camaraderie through fun and exercise by playing the exciting and addictive sport of pickleball.  

On January 18th, 2023, Aiken Pickleball took the first step in becoming a non-profit organization at the request of the City of Aiken. This resulted in Aiken Pickleball, Inc (API) being awarded the contract to host the Palmetto Invitational Pickleball Doubles Tournament in August 2023 and again in 2024.  We also continue to manage the City's indoor pickleball programs at Odell Weeks and Smith-Hazel Recreation Center.   In addition, API manages the pickleball program at Gregg Park Civic Center in Graniteville, SC. Our request for tax exempt status was officially approved by the IRS on September 20th, 2023.  

Everyone that plays pickleball in the Aiken area is by default a member of Aiken Pickleball Inc.  The organization is run by volunteers and wouldn't exist without them.  Our many volunteers are the heart of our organization.

Pickleball is easy to learn and really fun to play. It can be played on a variety of levels from casual to very competitive.  The game offers players of all ages a good physical workout and the opportunity to meet a diverse group of people who share the passion that surrounds this exciting sport\.

We play at the Odell Weeks and Smith-Hazel Recreation Centers, Gregg Park Civic Center, and many other venues throughout Aiken.  Odell Weeks and Gregg Park both have six indoor courts.  Smith-Hazel has three indoor courts.  Everyone is entitled to make court reservations at these facilities.   Go to the "Calendar" tab on the main menu for our current playing schedule.  In addition, we have fourteen purpose-built pickleball courts located outside at Virginia Acres Park (behind Odell Weeks).  These public lighted courts are available year round.  

Odell Weeks is located at 1700 Whiskey Rd in Aiken.  The phone # is (803) 642-7631.

Gregg Park is located at 1001 A Avenue Graniteville, SC (just 5 miles from downtown Aiken).  The phone # is 803 663-7552

Smith-Hazel is located at 400 Kershaw St NE in downtown Aiken.  The phone # is (803) 642-7634

Come join us!

AIKEN PICKLEBALL IS GRATEFUL TO THE STAFF AND EMPLOYEES AT THE CITY OF AIKEN'S PARK, RECREATION AND TOURISM DEPARTMENT, THE ODELL WEEKS  AND SMITH-HAZEL RECREATION CENTERS AND THE GREGG PARK CIVIC CENTER FOR THEIR SUPPORT TO OUR PROGRAM

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General guidelines 

In order to provide the best possible playing experience for everyone, Aiken Pickleball operates under a set of guidelines. Normally we have three types of play spread throughout the available times each day.  These include drop-in play with all levels mixing together, drop-in play with courts designated by skill level, and court reservation play.  When courts are designated by skill level, we have different schematics (weekday mornings, weekday evenings, and weekends) based on the court usage for different skill levels during those times.  These designations are periodically reviewed and adjusted.   Aiken County players will be given a FREE SKILL RATING upon request.  Click here to sign up.

All players who participate in drop-in play by skill levels need to be rated by the committee.  Visitors may play for a brief period at the level the player representatives feel is appropriate.  Players who are visiting for a longer term and who have a rating at another location should check with the player representatives at that level to determine if that rating is acceptable for our local system.

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Guidelines for reserving courts via Sign-up Genius are available at the

"Sign-ups" tab

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