Members of the Signal Mountain pickleball club gather at the home of Gary and Pat Patrick.What do you get when you combine elements of badminton, tennis and ping pong?
Pickleball, a sport that continues to grow in popularity on Signal Mountain.
A pickleball club meets at the Signal Mountain Town Gym Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon.
New members are always welcome, and extra paddles are available, said club member Keith Wallace.
He has participated in the club for all five years of its existence, he said.
"It's fun, and it's a good social game," said Wallace.
The club has about 20-25 members who participate on a regular basis, he said.
"It's an easy sport to learn, and you get to meet different, new people," said Wallace. "It's competitive, but anyone can play."
A pickleball court is much smaller than a tennis court - about half the size, said Wallace - and wooden paddles are used to hit a wiffleball-style ball that moves slower than a tennis ball.
Wallace said many of the club members played tennis at some point but no longer have the agility to get around the tennis court like they did when they were younger.
"You don't have to be in shape or able to run," he said in regards to pickleball.