SPORTS
ANTHONY INSWASTY
Blake Casino, who competes at the Minsky Gym’s indoor pickleball courts,
has only been playing a few years but is sponsored by Adidas and wants to
eventually become a professional.
pickleball home experts ... familiar with communities and
many of the players.”
PGA Village Verano Pickleball Center, with its 27 pickleball
courts, is the largest private pickleball center in South Florida.
Valencia Walk is a new 55-plus community within the 4,000-
acre master-planned community of Riverland. Its Sports and
Racquet Club includes 37 pickleball courts. Farther south,
Lennar at Veranda Preserve has courts as well.
Sarasota-based The Pickleball Club plans to build at least
15 private indoor pickleball clubs throughout Florida, including
Port St. Lucie. Players will be able to pay for court time
and enjoy a variety of amenities.
LOTS OF ACTION
In addition to playing singles and doubles, league play is
available in the area. When the Chausses became commissioners
22 Port St. Lucie Magazine
for the league, it lasted only eight weeks. “We had
100 participants,” Jamie says. “We’re adding a fall league and
possibly a summer one. Last year, we had over 300 players.”
Jamie Chauss is also a founding partner of US Team
Pickleball, the national sanctioning body for Pickleball Team
leagues, with Tampa’s Tony Roig check out his In2Pickle
videos on YouTube. In March 2023, they will host the Florida
Cup for team league players and hope to expand nationally.
For others, playing leads to a career. Self-taught at first,
Casino took lessons as he progressed in the sport, eventually
founding BigDill Pickleball, a company that offers tourna-
4261 SW Martin Hwy, Palm City, FL 34990
772-283-1107 • www.championgolfcart.com
Come in and see the Club Car range of vehicles,
including the Onward PTV in 2, 4 and 6 Passenger,
Plus the Full Line of Carryall Utility Vehicles
In Sands Commercial Plaza
Sales, Service
and Parts.
>>
/www.championgolfcart.com
/www.saltyswatersports.com
/www.championgolfcart.com