Humans of Pickleball: Kirby Shedd moves to Whitestown, closer to pickleball hubs
Bloomington native Kirby Shedd first heard of pickleball seven years ago at a roller rink with his friends and his daughter. A formerly avid tennis player, Kirby was looking for something to fill his time since running or the gym didn’t quite fit his vibe. On that day at the roller rink, his friend who had recently returned from Florida suggested Kirby should look up pickleball on YouTube.
After that, he was hooked. Kirby played pickleball in Bloomington 5-6 days a week for the next three years straight. Progressing quickly, he even started competing in tournaments after a couple of months. Kirby now primarily plays in Indianapolis, boasting a silver medal from the U.S. Nationals and two gold medals from the U.S. Open. One year ago, he was approached to help form the Pickleball Club at Indiana University, the same school he played tennis for in his college years. Under his leadership, the team has won two national titles and is #9 in college rankings nationally.
On a more sentimental note, five years ago at a tournament in Michigan, Kirby met the woman who is now his wife. He returned to that same tournament on the five-year anniversary the weekend of July 12, his wife Courtney with him this time as both a life partner and a doubles partner.
Kirby said, “I had pretty much given up on tennis…Since I started playing pickleball it’s completely changed my life. Not only did I meet my wife but I’ve also met friends I still play with today.”
Kirby has made the hour-and-a-half journey from Bloomington to Indianapolis since he was 14 years old playing tennis. In less than two weeks, he will be moving to Whitestown, closer to where he frequently plays pickleball with his wife and friends in Indy. Kirby is excited to live near a booming center for pickleball.
“[For] indoor pickleball places, three years ago I could count on one hand where I could go. Now, there’s a lot more places that have been opened or are going to be opened. Some of them are incredibly expensive to join. If I’m able to book courts a week or two in advance, that’s incredibly convenient. If you’re able to have dedicated courts, online booking, and you’re not having a membership fee, a lot of people would be interested in that.”
Kirby is right; pickleball is becoming more accessible. Pickleball is currently the fastest-growing sport in America. 24/7 DINK will combine tech and pickleball to further democratize the sport and make it even more accessible to players of any skill level. Highly experienced and skilled players like Kirby can be matched through the app to play against opponents of similar skill. Kirby said he is excited to try out 24/7 DINK in January when the facility officially opens.