Belleville Recreation debuting adult pickleball, 3-on3 half-court basketball – The Observer Online

The township pf Belleville is rolling out its inaugural adult programs through its recreation department.

Under interim director Lenny Averhoff, the township will be organizing a pickleball league featuring doubles play open to residents 18 and older. Games will be played Saturdays at 9 a.m. to noon at the Belleville Municipal Stadium Complex. Single registrants are also welcome.

The township is also launching a co-ed basketball league that will feature half-court, 3-on-3 play. Teams may have up to five players, but there must be at least one woman and one man on the court at all times. Games are scheduled for Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Friendly House in the Silver Lake section.

“I’m a retired Port Authority policeman and I have loved competing in their sports programs like flag football and basketball,” Averhoff said. “I know a lot of the residents of Belleville also love to play sports, and we are happy to debut these adult summer programs. We decided to launch basketball and pickleball first because they’re popular sports. When we offer our pickleball lessons, the time slots fill up in a day or two.”

Averhoff, a longtime coach in the Recreation Department and a football coach at Belleville High School, said the deadline to register for the pickleball and basketball leagues is July 20 with play starting July 27.

The cost is $50 per team, and checks and money orders should be made out to the Township of Belleville.

“I’m pleased that for the first time, we are offering adult programming through our recreation department,” Mayor Michael A. Melham said. “Not only are sports and recreation activities important to healthy lifestyles, but they help connect residents with their neighbors and represent a great way to make new friends. Under Lenny Averhoff, the department is already making a difference.”

For more information, call (973) 450-3422.

Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, a place where he has served on and off since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on Facebook Live, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to West Hudson to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.

Related