Several years ago, a local resident, Morris Wheat, introduced a game called “pickleball” to Warrenton, Va.; he subsequently became the pickleball “Ambassador-at-Large” to Fauquier County. Morris single-handedly recruited, cajoled, and encouraged adults in this area to get out on the tennis courts and hit a whiffle ball with a special paddle. A number of these individuals had been fervent tennis or racquetball players, but they found that these sports were becoming a bit more demanding now that they were older. Enter Pickleball! Soon Morris had a group of dedicated men and women helping him spread the word.
The group started playing locally around 2007 on the tennis courts at Auburn Middle School on Riley Road, with Morris and associates getting on hands and knees to chalk lines for pickleball. Now, thanks to the support of the Fauquier County Parks and Recreation Department, the three tennis courts have lines painted for pickleball at Auburn. Many of these founding members are still playing in Fauquier County and surrounding communities. Today the game encompasses both young and old and is growing exponentially across Fauquier County and the globe.