Durant Family Foundation to Help Fund Pickleball Courts in Brooklyn After Noticing Makeshift Court Created by Anna Garwood

Anna Garwood, a USA Pickleball Ambassador, and Samin Odhwani, director of business operations at 35 Ventures, are working together to bring new pickleball courts to Brooklyn. Garwood had noticed an unused slab of asphalt at Brooklyn’s McCarren Park during her frequent walks around the neighborhood and started hosting open play pickleball games there.

Brooklyn currently has a population of 2.5 million people, but only three parks through the parks department with official pickleball courts. This translates to long waits for those looking to play. Garwood’s makeshift courts at McCarren Park have helped to fill the need, with more people wanting to play than there is room to accommodate.

Garwood met Odhwani at an event hosted by CityPickle, which is installing 14 pickleball courts at Wollman Rink in Central Park. They soon realized that they both wanted to create more places to play pickleball in and around their shared neighborhood.

Garwood has now identified unused spaces in three north Brooklyn parks where pickleball courts could be located.

Odhwani is the director of business operations at 35 Ventures, which was founded by NBA star Kevin Durant, who recently purchased the Brooklyn Aces of Major League Pickleball. The Durant Family Foundation has agreed to help fund the construction of the new pickleball courts, a focus through the foundation to bring sports to underserved communities. Odhwani hopes to bring a similar vibe to the pickleball courts as they have to the basketball courts they've funded, with murals and artwork, and a laid-back feel that's accessible to the community.

“That’s the great thing about pickleball is that everyone can compete, whether you’re a beginner and you just want to be out in the fresh air having fun with your friends, or looking for intermediate play or you’re hyper-competitive,” Garwood said. “There’s a lot of passion and enthusiasm for pickleball in Brooklyn. Once people start playing, they get obsessed very quickly. It’s a thriving scene.”

https://usapickleball.org/news/anna-garwood-brooklyn-pickleball-durant-family-foundation/