By: Lucy Panicacci

Editor-In-Chief

Pickleball is an essential part of Los Gatos recreation. Onlookers and LG residents cannot pass by the local La Rinconada and Blossom Hill parks without hearing the distinctive thwack of a ball hitting a paddle. Responding to community demand for pickleball programs, Los Gatos-Saratoga Recreation created a pickleball club, making adult leagues for all different skill levels, classes, and tournaments. 

LG residents Christine Le, Debra Chin, Denise Leffers, and Sharmin Khan play in the Los Gatos-Saratoga league, and have competed at the La Rinconada park for almost two years. Chin shared, “I work from home, so for me, it’s a chance to get outside and do something active, as opposed to just being a keyboard jockey.” For this group of women, pickleball also provides a sense of community. Khan emphasized, “[My favorite part is] the camaraderie that can develop with other players. For me, a lot of it is the social side of it. The three of us have become friends…so I love that.” Laura and Josh Grose, along with their young children Huey, Elsie, and Emme, play as a family every few weeks at La Rinconada. Splitting into three versus two, Huey, Elsie, and Emmie enjoy the competitive spirit of trying to beat their parents. L. Grose stated, “They make us run a lot.” 

Although they enjoy playing pickleball at La Rinconada, the Grose family and Leffers noticed issues with the court’s condition. Leffers said, “My concern is that some things have been done to the court that have made it much more difficult and in fact, dangerous for pickleball players to play.” Discussing the safety concern, L. Grose pointed out two large, slick stains that resulted from an unknown person intentionally pouring motor oil on the court. She explained, “We came out over Christmas break a couple times, and people had just poured it… It makes it super slippery, and then they can never get it out.” J. Grose recalls Huey falling hard as a result of slipping on the oil. Sharing his perspective, five-year-old Huey emphasized, “The motor oil didn’t even smell good.” 

This vandalism likely arose due to noise complaints of the loud pinging sound of pickleball, creating tension between La Rinconada and Blossom Hill homeowners and players. Originally strictly a tennis court, the La Rinconada court added on pickleball courts, posing an unexpected noise concern for people living across the street. Although the courts allow play from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, homeowners cite pickleball matches starting as early as 7:30 AM and continuing at night, disturbing their sleep. In a letter to the Los Gatan, Mary Holford detailed an incident at La Rinconada park on Oct. 16, 2024: “Several of us seniors felt threatened by the rage of one of the owners across from the pickleball courts. We are a very polite group and bother no one. How they complain about us constantly, film us and threaten us is escalating.”

In response to the vandalism and noise complaints, the LG Parks and Sustainability Commission is considering resurfacing the La Rinconada court and adding a sound barrier; however, both measures cost tens of thousands of dollars. To mitigate the tension, Khan emphasized the importance of communication between neighbors and pickleball players: “If we could get together for a meeting, we could talk about each of our concerns and then hear what their concerns are, and come to some sort of negotiable agreement.” 

(Sources: The Town of Los Gatos, Los Gatan, NY Times)