BATTLE POINT PARK

About

The Founders Courts on Bainbridge Island are six outdoor courts built in 2020 to honor the island as the birthplace of pickleball. Under the stewardship of Clay Roberts and co-chair Melissa Bang-Knudsen, the courts operate with an easy sign-up sheet system and have community equipment available to borrow from a shed in the back. The courts are managed by the nonprofit Bainbridge Island Pickleball (BIP) and serve as a hub for both local players and pilgrims from around the world who come to play at pickleball's origin point. The courts feature a wooden bear mascot carved by a community member and walls covered in mementos of the sport's history, including photos of the last living founder Barney McCallum and a decree from Washington Governor Jay Inslee making pickleball the state sport.