Every Ynot piece starts in the same place: on a court in Carson, California. So the first story in yNot News had to be about home.

Five years ago, that home did not exist.

A city without a court

In 2021, pickleball was taking over Southern California. City after city around Carson was adding courts, starting open play, and filling them up. Carson had not started yet.

Tony Senior noticed. A USA Pickleball ambassador and a retired LA firefighter, he was not the type to wait for somebody else to fix it. He took the idea straight to the people who could make it real: the City of Carson Parks and Recreation, Public Works, and the council office.

There were meetings. There was planning. And then there was Carson Pickleball.

Where to play today

Fast forward to 2026 and Carson has 16 free public courts across three city parks, all open to anybody with a paddle:

  • Hemingway Park — 8 courts. 700 E. Gardena Blvd, Carson, CA 90746. Mon–Fri 8 AM–8:30 PM, Sat–Sun 8 AM–4:30 PM.
  • Stevenson Park — 4 courts. 17400 Lysander Dr, Carson, CA 90746. Mon–Fri 8 AM–8:30 PM, Sat–Sun 8 AM–4:30 PM.
  • Dominguez Park — 4 courts. 21330 S. Santa Fe Ave, Carson, CA 90810. Mon–Fri 3 PM–8:30 PM, Sat–Sun 8 AM–4:30 PM.

Hemingway is the flagship. Eight blue courts, a line of chairs and bags along the fence, and on a good morning, every one of them in play. That is the photo at the top of this page.

Beyond the parks, the city now has pay-to-play private outdoor courts and a membership indoor/outdoor club too. From zero options to a real pickleball town in five years.

More than open play

Courts are only half of it. Carson Pickleball runs open play, free and paid training, leagues, tournaments, and programming for juniors and seniors. League play runs through Rally Leagues, so you can find a match at your level and track how you are doing.

Everybody gets in the game

Here is the part that makes Carson different. Walking up to a new court for the first time is intimidating. You do not know anybody. You do not know the paddle rack rules. You are not sure you are good enough.

In Carson, the whole philosophy is built around that moment. The community goes out of its way to welcome new players, of every level, and help them find their spot. Nobody has to earn their way onto the court here.

Look at any group shot from Hemingway and you will see it: dozens of players, every age, every skill level, one banner behind them.

Paddles up… 0-0-2.

Why this is where Ynot lives

Ynot is Tony spelled backwards. The same guy who pushed for these courts designs every piece we drop. When you wear Ynot, you are wearing something that came out of this community: the early mornings at Hemingway, the new player who came back the next week, the league night that went to 11-10.

Carson is the place to be for pickleball. It is a vibe.

Come play. Find a court at carsonpickleball.com, or follow along on Instagram @carsonpickleball.