Pickleheads offers Burlington pickleball players a way to connect

Burlington pickleball players have a new way to dink at courts around the city. 

Pickleheads, a pick-up pickleball search engine of sorts, started listing Burlington gyms and courts for indoor and outdoor play. 

“The pandemic was a catalyst, that’s right around when we saw a lot of people that otherwise would’ve gone to the gym or done yoga find their activities of choice being off the table,” Brandon Mackie, co-founder of Pickleheads said. “Pickleball presented this way to socialize responsibly and do things outdoors. Since then, we’ve tracked a steady increase in the places to play, and where people are searching.”

Pickleheads staff can monitor where people are looking up places to play pickleball, and target those areas to include on their site. 

Mackie said the site acts as a wikipedia for those looking to find a pick-up-and-play game. 

“Anyone can go on and host, and people can contribute to the court database,” he said. “They can post their own games and use Pickleheads as a self-service platform to get people involved.”

Since May 2023, when Pickleheads started tracking more Canadian properties, searches for local courts on the site have skyrocketed by 202 per cent. Experienced and new players alike are using the service, which includes guides on how to find the right gear needed to get started. 

Mackie has a few suggestions for those looking to join in for the first time. 

“A paddle runs anywhere from $25 to $275,” he said. “I think the sweet spot, the best bang for your buck in terms of performance is between $160 and $180. Any of the big brands will run closer to $250, and some great newcomers at $150, and even some great options at $50 to $100, which wasn’t true when I started playing a few years ago.”

Anyone interested in trying pickleball for the first time, finding new people to play with, or organizing their own game, can do so through the Pickleheads website. More than 550,000 players use the website each month to find new people and places to play one of the fastest growing sports in North America. 

The site also offers videos on how to play the game for newcomers, and covers the nine basic rules that players need to know before hitting the court for the first time – including how to aim a serve, and when a bounce is allowed. 

When searching for courts in Burlington, options from Haber, Brant Hills, Ron Edwards Family YMCA, and Leighland Park appear, among others. 

Players interesting in finding new teammates or opponents for casual pickup pickleball can do so through the Pickleheads website.