There’s an optimism sweeping through our region that’s palpable. Life is returning to forgotten streets, new buildings and businesses are activating old corners; our neighborhoods are undergoing a period of renewal. One of Tampa’s oldest neighborhoods — Ybor City — is changing in surprising ways.
Who would have thought ten years ago that fine dining staple Mise en Place would move to Ybor (planned for November), that a new hotel and apartment blocks would dot the district, and the streetcar connecting it all would be free?
Another notable change comes from the world of sports. The Tampa Pickleball Crew is a business started by four women in a former industrial building along Adamo Drive in an area that was once nearly deserted. With the boost of Ybor City godfather Darryl Shaw, the founders reclaimed the vacant warehouse across from a shuttered strip club and turned it into a bustling spot for “indoor” — covered but not climate-controlled — racquet sports.
Pickleball, if you’re unfamiliar, is a paddle game similar to tennis and table tennis, but played on a badminton doubles court. Invented in 1965 on an island in Washington’s Puget Sound, pickleball has unique scoring rules, paddles, balls, and court lines. Pickleball is less taxing than tennis in that there’s less area to cover (the court is smaller) and less power required (the ball is lighter).
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Carole DevillersPickleball was first popular with retirees, but built an all-ages appeal bordering on a craze.Anyone with any athletic background can learn quickly and become a decent player in no time. Many retirees started playing pickleball as an alternative to tennis thanks to its relative ease and kindness to older joints. It’s now become a sport with universal appeal and genuine lore — there are competitions, tournaments, and the best players can win big prizes.
And while you can now find free courts around town, matching up with similarly skilled players and reserving court time can be challenging. Enter Tampa Pickleball Crew.
Founded in 2023 by Jennifer Plummer, Kayla Goldman, Susan Forsyth, and Dene Williamson, the space is a hive of activity. After significant renovations and modifications to the circa 1950s building, the space is sleek and organized. Twelve courts are divided by skill level. At any time, there are “scramble” games happening among players of beginner, intermediate, and advanced skill levels. Players are diverse across all metrics — old and young, multi-ethnic, and gender balanced — but everyone is there to play.
I stopped in on a Saturday morning for a Pickleball 101 class to pick up the basics — court positions, proper serve technique, and all the rules around “the kitchen” — the rectangle directly bordering both sides of the net where you are sometimes allowed to stand and hit the ball, sometimes not. The rules take some practice, but within an hour, all four of us in the class saw our serves and returns improve.
“I’m usually a yoga and pilates girl, but I wanted to try something new. It’s what the kids are doing!” says fellow 101-er Traci Salem of South Tampa.
Thanks to its convenient location along the Selmon Expressway, Tampa Pickleball Crew seems to pull from all over the region, from Brandon and Riverview to deep South Tampa folk. Of course, the bulk of their audience doesn’t come from very far at all. With all the recent development of The Channel District and Water Street, plus the forthcoming Gasworx project, which will be just a few blocks to the west and will transform the entire “vibe” of South Ybor, Tampa Pickleball Crew is bound to get busier and more popular.
I asked what they thought of potentially being across the street from a new stadium in Gasworx (that’s been debated and teased for years). Cofounder Jen Plummer says, “We can’t wait!”
A former teacher, Plummer never imagined she’d have a second career in sports. She and the other cofounders just had “this crazy idea” and began searching for suitable locations to start a pickleball club. The rest—dealing with city permitting, addressing water leaks, and managing membership, upkeep, events, and promotions—has been a whirlwind of learning and fun. It probably helps to have four partners to divide and conquer all the to-dos.
Partner Kayla Goldman is a social media marketer by day and manages The Crew’s
Instagram, which has nearly 10,000 followers and features slick reels that truly capture the energy of the space. Who knew that whacking plastic balls back and forth across a net, under 40-foot ceilings with exposed, oxidized beams, would feel so cool and urban and of-the-moment?
All told, these pickleball people just seem to be having fun. There are lots of
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Carole DevillersLots of laughs and high-fives during matches at Tampa Pickleball Crew laughs, lots of high-fives. Everyone is sweaty, but that’s the great unifier. Water breaks are essential — even with cover from the sun, the peak Florida summer heat is no joke.
Tampa Pickleball Crew has doubled its membership in the last year, and hopes to double it again in the coming year. The facility offers monthly memberships, drop-ins, conditioning clinics, and a whole slew of events, tournaments, and they even had a kids pickleball camp this summer. They also offer corporate events, in case you’d like a chance to whip your boss in a friendly match or two.
August 8 is National Pickleball Day, so look out for a headline schedule of competitions and socials celebrating America’s fastest-growing sport.
The Tampa Pickleball Crew is just one indicator that Ybor City is no longer only a nighttime district. Instead, it's becoming a daytime destination and an integral part of the broader evolution of urban Tampa — from a patchwork of abandoned buildings and surface parking lots to sleek new (or repurposed) construction housing residents, offices, retail businesses, and activities.
Ybor City started as a lively alternative to downtown Tampa, where people lived and worked and socialized. It’s now returning to those roots. Its future is very much a well-rounded neighborhood where people want to be, and where they can truly live, work, and play.
It’s an exciting time.
For more information, go to Tampa Pickleball Crew