About Us

The Blairsville Pickleball Club is a member organization made up of over 350 pickleballers who play in and around the North Georgia Mountains in Union County, GA. The Union County Pickleball Complex, located at 108 Chase Drive, is the home of the B.P.C.

 Club History

Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, outside of Seattle, Washington. Three dads, whose kids were bored with their usual summertime activities, are credited for creating game. Since that Summer day, Pickleball has evolved from original handmade equipment and simple rules into a popular sport throughout the US and Canada. By 1990, pickleball was being played in all 50 states.

Pickleball arrived in Union County in 2015, 50 years after its inception, when a small article appeared in the local newspaper inviting people to Meeks Park to learn about this game with the strange name. This meeting on a cloudy, overcast day, attended by 12 people, ushered in the beginning of Pickleball in Union County and the formation of the Blairsville Pickleball Club.  In order for this new group to play pickleball, a pickleball court had to be measured out and lined off with chalk, every time they wanted to play.

Eventually, through meetings with Sole Commissioner Lamar Paris, Larry Garrett, Union County Manager, and Larry Conley, UC Parks & Recreation, the BPC was able to get permanent lines on one of the tennis courts which gave the pickleball community two courts on which to play.  Also, in late 2016, this small group of pickleball players were able to convince the powers that be in Union County to allow inside play at the Rubber Gym. The stipulation to play at the Rubber Gym was that only BPC members were allowed, but Meeks Park was still open for play to the general public. During the Spring of 2017, the County striped four additional pickleball courts at Meeks Parks to meet the demand of this rapidly growing sport.  The dream that started in 2015, with those chalk lines at Meeks Park, finally came to fruition in 2020 with the construction of the Union County Pickleball Complex with 8 dedicated Pickleball courts.  Individual members of the club were given the opportunity to financially support the project, contributing 50% to the cost of the amenities (the pickleball complex sign, featuring our club, the bleachers, pavilions, and court benches).  Members donated and raised over $11,000 to go towards the amenities fund. 

Currently, the sport of pickleball is exploding in popularity. The number of places to play has more than doubled since 2010, with now over 15,000 court locations throughout the Country. The spread of the sport is attributed to its popularity within community centers, PE classes, YMCA facilities and retirement communities. The sport continues to grow worldwide as well, with 58 national governing bodies now established (summer 2021) around the world. The Olympic Charter indicates that in order to send delegates to the Olympics, a sport must be widely practiced in at least 75 countries and on four continents.  The dream is not far off on the horizon.