Name the newest, hottest sport in the Coachella Valley. Was pickleball the first thing that came to mind? Well, there’s certainly a case to be made. To the ire of some tennis players, more and more courts are filling up with pickleball players. Even the new subterranean courts between the Kimpton Rowan Hotel and the Palm Springs Art Museum are dedicated to the sport. But, that’s not the correct answer.
Perhaps you were thinking ice hockey. After all, during the Coachella Valley Firebirds’ regular season, Acrisure Arena is packed to the rafters with screaming fans. Last year, the ‘birds made the AHL finals and missed the championship trophy by a whisker. Though it’s a bit early to predict, they might make another post-season run this year due to their winning record under a new coach. Fingers crossed. But again, that’s not the answer I was looking for.
Well, there’s tennis, golf, croquet, paragliding, soccer golf, hiking, rock climbing, dirt biking, figure skating, inline skating, road cycling, mountain biking, yoga, and people watching (though it’s non-aerobic). So, what else is there?
Believe it or not, there’s surfing. Yes, on waves. Made of water. In the desert. The Palm Springs Surf Club is set on the site of the old Wet ‘n Wild water park just off Gene Autry Trail and south of Ramon Road. At the club, guests can book a surf session in the 60,000-square-foot pool that’s filled with over three million gallons of fresh water. Our sports writer, Judd Spicer, tells the story in this issue.
Surf technicians in a tower control the waves’ height and intensity. The technology behind making a perfect wave is complex, and the people at the Surf Club have toiled endlessly over the last few years to produce waves that challenge every level of surfer. The word is out, and surfers are traveling from all over the world to sample the Surf Club’s menu of waves.
During a recent Desert Magazine fashion shoot, a large contingent of excellent Brazilian surfers braved the chilly waters while a gentle breeze rustled the tops of nearby, towering palm trees with snow-capped Mount San Jacinto in the distance. It was a bit surreal.
You’re probably thinking, “Well, what can top that?” How about the Coachella Valley becoming a destination for Major League Soccer (MLS), as well as the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)? Though it occurred in February, editor-in-chief Kent Black felt it was important to report on the fourth annual Coachella Valley Invitational. It’s sort of a MLS/NWSL spring training and scrimmage event that takes place over three weeks.
Staged by AEG (who now owns the Empire Polo Club), the event is an extraordinary chance to see some of the major players in North America. The setting is so intimate that you can literally pat Lionel Messi on the back as he’s throwing in the ball. (But, please don’t.)
At times, it seems like there’s no limit to the energy and creativity in this Valley. It wouldn’t surprise me if they cleaned up the Salton Sea just to bring water skiing, fishing, windsurfing, and sailing back to the Valley. Stranger things have happened.
