Sonoma Index-Tribune April 23, 2019

Most weekday mornings and again on Sunday, tranquil Larson Park comes to life. The calm is broken by the sound of exuberant players with paddles rallying to return a hollow ball across a net.

Is it tennis? Pingpong?

No, the game they play is called pickleball. It arrived in Sonoma four years ago.

“My husband Joe and I live in Palm Springs during the winter. Pickleball’s the rage there,” said Leslie Frank, Sonoma’s de facto pickleball organizer. “Seniors are flocking to the game. Moving around the court and leaning for the ball is good exercise. It helps with balance and is great fun.” READ MORE