It makes perfect sense that romance had a lot to do with Pickleball Citi in Cranston after meeting Dr. Deborah Cohen, who has a doctorate in Educational Leadership and pro-golfer Russell Johnson on Saturday, Jan. 20.

But is there a connection between Cohen’s career in higher education at Bristol County College and URI and Johnson who had dreams of playing major league baseball and pickleball that got a toehold among senior communities in Florida and is now sweeping the county with players of all ages and being talked about as a potential Olympic sport?

Pickleball has become the bane of city and town mayors and managers whose constituents demand courts, or more courts, and nearby residents who want no part of the resounding whack of a whiffle ball against a ping-pong shaped wooden racket.

When Johnson realized his high school dream of playing baseball wasn’t going to be a home run, he discovered golf. He became a pro and discovered opportunity. He loves the game and looked for ways to help others improve their game. After teaching the game in Arizona and Texas, he returned to Rhode Island to found the Ocean State Golf Academy in East Providence. At the academy golfers can work on any aspect of the game with one-on-one instruction and use of technology that analyzes their swings. He also opened V Golf in East Providence, a 4,400 square foot facility offering four private indoor golf simulator suites in 2019. Players bring their own clubs and balls.

However, it wasn’t golf or pickleball that brought Debra and Russell together.

Cohen, who was winding down her career in education, followed the advice she gives students uncertain of what to do, “always have a back up plan…find what you like to do and get paid to do it.”

Divorced, Cohen wanted a significant other and “decided to go professional.”

She turned to Deborah L’Heureux of the Rhode Island dating service, Get Ready to Date. Coincidentally, Deborah’s husband, Peter, knew Russell from golfing. Russell, who is also divorced, told Peter of his hopes of finding someone to share his life. Peter told him to reach out to his wife.

Deb and Russell went on a date discovering their common interest in sports. They started playing pickleball in 2022.

“We both fell in love with the game, did some market research to find there was a need for a dedicated indoor facility in Cranston. We then drew up a business plan and here we are,” Cohen writes in an email.

She makes it sound simple. Initially, the couple had visions of a 12-court facility but when they explored the cost were advised to take baby steps and grow from there. They listened. About two years later Pickleball Citi was ready to open.

By no means are Cohen and Johnson the first to think of satisfying the demand with indoor courts, insulated from residential communities and offering the opportunity to play regardless of the weather.  Indoor tennis courts and gyms transition space for pickleball. Pickleball Citi, however, is just pickleball. It offers “open play” meaning you can go on line, register for 90 minutes at $15 and show up to play. You’ll find a player when you get there and if you don’t have a partner they could be anyone from a beginner to a ranked player.  Games average about 15 minutes.

There was more to come from that first date than a business partnership.

Christmas morning they became engaged to be married.

 On opening day, a DJ provided lively background music to the occasional syncopation of crackling balls and the laughter and buzz of players. Food and drinks were spread out on a table that was enjoyed by players who sat at courtside in comfortable couches and chairs.

First time player Christopher Anthony joined friends. He picked up on the game quickly, although there was a bit of a learning curve to scoring and rules of where you can play.  He thought the game ideal for those looking to get out and have some fun. Michelle Wong, one of his contemporaries and the apparent ringleader of her foursome said the game has less of a learning curve than tennis. She said what’s deceiving is the range of abilities people of differing ages have. As players gain proficiency, the games gets faster and faster, she said.

No doubt in the opinions of Cohen and Johnson, pickleball isn’t a passing fad.

They’re betting their money and a life together on that.