Local pickleball players are making the most of their favorite pastime

Part of Celtic Studios is bursting with action—but not the movie kind.

Instead of the snaps from a film slate or a director’s call of “Cut!” there’s the sound of pickleball paddles slicing through the air before hitting their targets and emitting playful pops. Housed at Celtic Studios’ lot is Stacks, an indoor facility with 12 courts that are usually lively with players.

Though not a new sport–it originated in the 1960s–pickleball is having a moment, to say the least. And staff at Stacks has seen the growth of the sport right here in Baton Rouge.

Even on a summer Friday at 9 a.m., Stacks is packed. But according to staff, full courts are usually the norm for the facility’s open play sessions. Players range in age and experience levels, but that doesn’t stop them from interacting. How could they not strike up a conversation over their shared love for the sport?

“Young, old, whatever you look like, wherever you come from,” one of Stacks’ owners, Bee Vo, says about the sport’s demographic. “Pickleball is so easy to learn but so hard to master that people really stick around.”

Pickleball provides players with a fun source of physical activity. But there’s another positive side effect of the sport: community. It has played a major role in fostering friendships among players. At Stacks, it’s clear to see at the Member Hub, an area where players mingle between sets. The facility also hosts social events for members and even has a group of players called Designated Dinkers, who are available to hop into a game that’s down a player or help someone new.

“Pickleball is a very accessible sport, which makes it an easy entry for young people looking for something social and fun to do, and also seniors who are maybe retired and looking to stay active,” Vo says. “When you get everyone underneath the same roof, they start intermingling and becoming friends with each other.”

Avid player and Stacks member Bob Johannessen says he’s made plenty of connections since picking up the sport. But he says he was not always on board with the game.

“When I first heard the word ‘pickleball,’ I scoffed, and I laughed and turned my nose up,” he says. “I thought, ‘That’s a sport? You’re playing on something the size of a postage stamp, and you’re calling it a sport?’ And then we gave it a try and said, ‘Oh, this is really addictive.’”

Now, he plays up to nine times a week, popping into Stacks for a match or heading to Government Street’s Electric Pickle to get some dinks in on an outdoor court. Besides playing often to get better, he’s also taking lessons with the goal of getting good enough to compete in Senior Olympics-type events. Johannessen and his wife even pack paddles when heading out of town because it’s not hard to find a place to play, even on the road.

“I don’t know if it’s just the physical act of hitting the little plastic ball or the movements involved in it, but playing pickleball is something totally different than I experienced when I was a kid playing baseball or basketball,” Johannessen says. “It was just like ‘This is fun, and I can get better at it.’”

But Johannessen didn’t just pick up a paddle and start playing. Instead, like many other Baton Rouge pickleballers, he started with a lesson at BREC from Professional Pickleball Registry-certified coach Robert Kelly.

Eighteen years after picking up his paddle, Kelly has helped thousands of “newbies” learn the ropes. He heads BREC’s pickleball program, teaching kiddie summer camps and holding private and group lessons. Kelly reaches even more players by leading pickleball courses for LSU’s kinesiology department, something he has done for the past four years.

Kelly says he was first introduced to pickleball while looking for a recreational sport to help him stay active after retirement. Like Johannessen and other players, he says he didn’t think a game that involves an “8-ounce paddle and a 3-ounce ball” would change his life. In fact, he was first taught the rules of the sport by two elderly women. Just as many locals now remember Kelly as their introduction to pickleball, he still thinks of the silver-haired players who taught him the game back in 2008.

Now he’s regarded as a “legend” or “pioneer” of Baton Rouge’s pickleball scene. And he’s got over 300 medals that he has won at competitive tournaments and matches to prove it. But beyond the accolades and a post-retirement career, Kelly says there’s something else pickleball has given him.

“I got over 2,000 friends that I’ve made,” he says. “And I was very much an introvert … But as a result of playing pickleball, I became much more of a social person.”

Stacks co-owner Joshua Nguyen echoes this sentiment. “The biggest thing is the amount of connections and friendships I’ve made,” he says. “That to me is priceless.”

It may seem silly to think that a sport like pickleball can have such a positive impact, but whether it’s growing friendships, spawning new career moves or simply improving mobility and helping to keep active, players agree that the sport has serious benefits. All it takes is an 8-ounce paddle and a 3-ounce ball.

Where to play pickleball in the Red Stick

Grab your paddle and get warmed up. It’s time to get out on the court and play pickleball. Luckily for local players, the Capital Region has no shortage of courts or facilities to get your game on. Check out these designated dinking spots for your next match.

BREC Parks

Various locations

Looking for an outdoor spot to play? Find courts across BREC Parks with the biggest pickleball action located at Greenwood and Highland Road community parks. brec.org/pickleball

Electric Pickle

1509 Government St.

These outdoor courts, opened in 2024, provide Mid City with outdoor courts to play. Open play costs only $5, and the facility has plans to open a restaurant and bar for players to hang out. electricpicklebr.com

Stacks

9550 Dawnadele Ave., Ste. B

Located at Celtic Studios, Stacks gives players a place to hide away from weather and hot temps with its 12 indoor courts. Here, members or new players can get a match going, rain or shine. stackspb.com

Court to Table

7477 Burbank Dr.

Eat, drink and dink all at one place with Court to Table. Reserve an indoor or outdoor court and squeeze in a game before catching live music or meandering to the Funky Pickle bar for a drink. Hungry? The Kitchen serves up a stacked menu of apps, mains and desserts. courttotable.com

Pickleball Kingdom

28145 Walker S. Rd., Walker

You know a sport is getting popular when a national chain comes to town. This indoor pickleball club opened last year in Walker, giving players yet another option. New to the sport? Try Pickleball Kingdom’s free Pickleball 101 class. The facility also offers memberships and event rentals. pickleballkingdom.com

This article was originally published in the September 2026 issue of 225 Magazine.