BREEZY POINT — Parishioners at Blessed Trinity Catholic parish have found a new way to build community and stay in shape — pickleball. 

A few days a week, they file into the three courts in the Breezy Point Cooperative, a private community at the far end of the Rockaway peninsula, bringing their pickleball paddles and passion for the sport that has grown exponentially in recent years.

“Everyone is kind to each other. Everybody helps teach the sport to people who don’t know it that well,” said Lisa Nies, manager of Breezy Tennis, the group that maintains the courts.

Though the sport has existed since 1965, pickleball has only recently become well known, in large part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pickleball was discovered to be a sport that could be played while maintaining social distance, and it soon became a passion for many. As of 2023, there are approximately 36.5 million pickleball players in the United States, representing an average growth rate of 158% over three years. 

According to the Fitness Industry Association, pickleball — a combination of badminton, ping-pong, and tennis — was the fastest-growing sport for three consecutive years starting in 2020. 

Between the players who attend the larger gatherings on Monday and Wednesday open-play nights and the sporadic “drop-in” play times, around 50 players come to the Breezy Point pickleball courts every week. 

Nationwide, a majority of pickleball players are between 18 and 35 years old. However, some of the local players noted there is untapped potential in the game for the older population. 

“It probably meets my life [goal] of being active. Most of us, we like to have a healthy lifestyle so this does fit right in for all of us,” said Anne Beehler, 68. “It’s just easier than tennis and a few other sports.”

While Breezy Point is a tight-knit community, many of the Blessed Trinity players did not know each other very well before joining the pickleball program. They would wave to each other in the pews during Mass, but there was little interaction beyond that. 

Now, they spend hours on the court with each other and, afterward, often get lunch together. 

“There’s a lot of community, and [the sport] goes pretty fast,” said Kerrie Florio, a parishioner from Blessed Trinity parish. “It’s a nice community thing, and everyone gets to participate.”

Florio, originally a tennis player, has a personal connection to the courts. Her aunt and uncle were driving forces behind the construction of the Breezy Tennis courts five years ago. Prior to that, the waterlogged courts had become dilapidated and were slowly sinking into the ground.

Now, pickleball courts at the site have become more popular than the tennis courts. 

“It was in bad shape,” Nies said. “Once we turned it into pickleball courts, it became a very usable space.”

While pickleball has become a pleasant way for the Blessed Trinity parishioners to have fun and get in shape, their faith permeates the game as well.

“I do try to pray a little bit before I get here to try and keep me safe,” said parishioner Theresa Sullivan. “I always ask for God to bless me with some safety and not to get hurt.”