This fall, Brea residents will no longer have to trek to neighboring cities to get their pickleball fix with the addition of four new public courts, and more to come, within city limits. 

With the completion of Arovista Park’s first phase of renovations in autumn, and continued progress on the Brea Sports Park with the Brea 265 expansion, Brea will have eight new pickleball courts in total.

Currently, the closest public dedicated pickleball court is iTennis La Habra, located 4.2 miles from Brea.

Trent Preston (‘14), Recreation Services Coordinator for the City of Orange and former Brea Parks employee, asserts that the addition of pickleball courts — in Brea and elsewhere — has many benefits, both for the sport’s enthusiasts, and for the communities overall. 

“The city is providing a new space for physical activity in a sport which promotes accessibility to all ages and fitness levels reflecting Brea’s commitment to providing a healthy lifestyle,” Preston said.

The addition of the courts will be a dream realized for those Brea citizens who have been advocating for pickleball spaces. During an October 2022 city council meeting, four Brea residents addressed “the popularity of the sport” and requested that the city add courts. 

Pickleball experienced rapid growth during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the sport’s built-in social distancing, low-impact action, and minimal equipment. Since 2020, there has been a 311% increase in participation, and a doubling of pickleball courts in the U.S., from 38,000 to 68,458.

Preston said, “Pickleball has grown rapidly in popularity, specifically post-COVID, which [drove] more players to the sport as people looked for outdoor activities. Most local cities are not able to keep up with demand resulting in a lack of available court space. Many municipalities, including Brea, have recognized this gap in their recreational offerings but are currently playing catch up in order to budget for, plan, design, approve and build new courts to meet current demand in the recreational market.” 

The addition of eight new courts in Brea from the Brea 265 city-wide development project, and the Arovista Park renovations, will begin to meet that demand.

Local pickleball players are enthused by the upcoming additions. 

“I’m really happy that Brea’s adding more courts because the only thing that keeps me from playing all the time is having to wait for an open court,” Kyle Franks (‘26), a regular player, or “pickler,” said.

Also looking forward to the new courts is senior Danica Coburn, founder of BOHS’s Pickleball Club. The courts will provide Coburn and club members to play more frequently in a “competitive environment.”

Pickleball is played on a 20 foot by 44 foot court, bisected by a dividing net. Opposing sides feature “kitchens” (areas where volleying is restricted), and four “service boxes.” A match begins with an underhand serve (using a paddle specific to the sport), where the ball (made of plastic) must bounce once on each side before a return volley. Players can only score points on their serve, and games usually go to 11 points, but to win requires a two point lead.

“Pickleball is easy to learn and fast pace which I like,” former Brea mayor and current City Councilman Steven Vargas, who frequents the pickleball courts at iTennis La Habra, said.

With a court about a third the size of a standard tennis court, the game involves a lighter workout than other racket sports. The rules are relatively quick to pick up, and gameplay is fast-paced, but simple.  

With only six months of pickleball experience, Nathan Bourgeois (‘26) can attest to the sport’s quick learning curve. “I like playing pickleball because it’s fun, easy to learn, and almost anyone can play,” he said.

As the sport continues to grow in popularity, Brea’s installation of courts makes it clear: pickleball is not just a passing trend, it’s a pretty big dill.