“Pickleball has absolutely exploded in the last eight years!”
Avid Pickleball player Sue Thaler visits Caloosa Park often to play the sport of Pickleball with her husband and friends. As a 30-year racquetball 
player, Thaler discovered Pickleball when she and her husband, a 40-year tennis player, wanted a sport that would suit both of them. “We each tried playing each other’s sport, I wasn’t good enough at tennis, he wasn’t good enough at racquetball,” Thaler said. Enter – Pickleball.
Pickleball is a “derivation of tennis and badminton and ping pong,” according to Thaler. It involves hitting a whiffle ball with a paddle on a court that’s about half the size of a tennis court. The game can be played in singles or doubles. Thanks to the structure of the court and the ease of hitting the whiffle ball, Pickleball is easy on the joints, allowing people of all ages to get out on the court. Thaler says it’s an easy game to learn and regardless of whether a player is a novice or an expert, the game can be enjoyed by anyone. Now, there’s no reason not to stay active!
Best of all, Thaler says through Pickleball, she’s met a number of new friends and 
teammates, like teammates Leslee Roach and Bob Sumislawski, featured in the video. “We’ve met dozens and dozens of players that we’ve developed friendships with and it’s because of Pickleball – it’s a shared interest that we all have,” Thaler said. Thaler went on to say that during the fall and winter months, the courts are packed with Pickleball players at Caloosa Park who are looking to enjoy the breezier South Florida winter, meet new people, and stay active through a game that’s easy to play and enjoy!
Check out our eight Pickleball courts at Caloosa Park – visit pbcParks.com for more information.
We make the quality of life for Palm Beach County residents and visitors better by providing diverse, safe and affordable recreation services, welcoming parks, and enriching social and cultural experiences. We achieve this by promoting wellness, fostering environmental stewardship, contributing economic value, and by improving our community every day for this and future generations.
For more opportunities for healthy, happy living, visit pbcParks.com.
John Prince Park in Lake Worth will not disappoint the little ones. Kids can enjoy 5 playgrounds throughout the park, including a boundless playground that provides children with and without disabilities a colorful, sensory-rich, accessible experience. Located next to the boundless playground is a splash park where kids can run through a series of spray arches, stand under a giant splashing tail, and more, all under three shade sails that provide sun protection. The park also offers a Fitness Zone® Exercise Area so parents can stay active while their kids play. Adults can work out using 17 pieces of outdoor, resistance exercise equipment that uses one’s own body weight for strength training purposes. The Fitness Zone® is located near a large pavilion and playground.
Located in West Palm Beach, Westgate Park and Recreation Center features a playground, splash park and fitness station, making it an ideal location for activity for both parents and kids. On a hot day, kids can cool off by splashing through the brightly-colored water playground. When the kids are enjoying the newly-remodeled playground, adults can take the opportunity to work out on a 10-piece exercise station with equipment while watching their kids.
a makeover, courtesy of the Office Depot Foundation and Palm Beach County. Now, Lake Worth West residents can enjoy a new playground with accessible equipment for all abilities, as well as a free library, green space, basketball court, and a butterfly garden. With an exercise station located next to the playground, adults can do an array of exercises while watching their kids.
Every year, the U.S. National Park Service encourages people and park agencies throughout the country to celebrate 
The Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department is partnering with members of the healthcare community to promote physical activity and improve the health of patients and the public in Palm Beach County through a “park prescriptions” program that connects them to parks and other public lands to create a healthier, happier society.
In Palm Beach County, there are nearly 120 county-operated parks and natural areas, hundreds of municipal parks, two state parks, a national wildlife refuge, and a number of public lands operated by various entities (
