b'Corpus Christi Athletic Club Opens New Pickleball Facility One of the countrys best athletic clubs continues to improve, almost 40 years after first opening.When the Corpus Christi Athletic Club first opened, back in the mid-1980s, locals were truly amazed at its size and vastmeaning really vastrange of top-notch fa-cilities. It was much more than a gym, and in fact, not that many of the new mem-bers were there for weight or cardio training. Many were there for the indoor tennis courts, with some members following storied coach Chris Crawford, who was hired as tennis director and coach of the Corpus Christi Advantage, the one-season World Team Tennis franchise whose home court was at the Athletic Club.The clubs aquatics facilities were second-to-none in the area, and still are, and back then the indoor racquetball courts were the site of regional and national tourna-ments. For many who grew up in Corpus Christi and were lucky enough to be members or frequent guests, and then moved away to a big city, were somewhat shocked that the level of facilities offered at CCAC were quite hard to find in one club, anywhere else. Under the ownership of the Susser family, the club has not only kept up with the fast-paced trends of the fitness industry, but is continuously upgrading and expand-ing programs and facilities to meet the needs of its thousands of members.The most recent incarnation of that investment is theTop: New pickleball facility; clubs newly-opened, indoor pickleball facility, whichAbove: Puppy yoga at CCACfeatures eight new courts and an elevated observation deck. One of the worlds fast-est-growing sports, Pickleball can be compared to mini-tennis, with shorter rackets and lighter balls, that is easier on the body and less intense than traditional tennis. Two original outdoor pickleball courts are still available, and rackets and balls can be borrowed from the pro shop for those wanting to try it out.Over the years, the Corpus Christi Athletic Club has built an amazing array of pro-gramsandactivitiesforkidsandfamilies,andthosenewtotheareawilldis-cover their new athletic and social home, after enjoying a free family day pass! Airline Road @ Holly Road(361) 992-7100CCAthleticClub.comTheCoastalBend.com THECOASTALBENDMAGAZINE67'