07/12/2022
Looking back...
A short history lesson of the Indpendence Pickleball Courts.
Back in 2014 I asked if I could teach a badminton clinic to those who may want to learn and start a new activity. I was then asked if I could introduce this “new” pickleball game as well along with badminton. I taught them both as a P.E teacher so it was no big deal. I set up a few clinics for the recreation department and pickleball was the big hit and those who attended the clinics wanted more. Pickleball Independence started to take root. I was able to get 8-10 ladies who would help set up indoor nets and then learn to play. In the nice weather we went out to the nonexistent courts at the time, chalked and taped the lines down each and every time we played and had to set up portable nets so we could play on the tennis surface in the then open space. As time went on people became curious and even more wanted to play. We were then able to mark courts on the gym floor so that we could play inside as well during cooler weather. No field house yet!
By spring of 2015 the Rec. Dept was looking to expand to the outdoors. Laura E., I spent six weeks prepping the courts for painting and lining so that we could open our new six court complex. By June we had permanent nets systems in place.
As it started to catch on, the ladies and had friends and the friends had friends, and so on. I had to ask the city Rec. Dept if we could invite these nonresidents to participate with us at a low fee for indoor play, but this would mean it would have been more than the 4:1 ratio. They kindly agreed, and a punch card was created for those paying individuals. The group began to grow each month and over the years since then, if I had to guess, we have probably seen 800+ different people come on the courts over the years including the Kiwanis winter tournaments.
Players have told me they come to the Independence courts because it was organized for level play and had a system of rotation that allows many to participate at their current skill level of play enjoyment.
The rotational model that we use today has been used widely around the country for decades as pickleball spread nationally. Each successful community program has some sort of organizational play so that those of like skill and/or age can enjoy the game at either, what I’ll call here, “casual competitive recreation play” or “higher assertive competitive play.” Some communities are very strict on level of play attendance.
As an ambassador to the sport over the years locally and across the nation I have experienced the sports accelerated growth firsthand. In just the last eight years alone since I have been active at a higher level not only in play but at the national organizational level, pickleball is moving towards the six million+ mark of active players rapidly here in the states and not to mention what is happening across the world. Thus, the reason for it being called the “fastest growing sport”.
Just six years ago communities were still asking what pickleball was or if they did know about it, they may have built 1 or 2 courts. Now in many cases, communities are building or refurbishing existing space at the rate of 4-20+ court complexes nationally.
Independence was on the leading edge of recreation departments back in 2015 when they so generously added the six permanent courts as we have now. Since they were originally set up, they have been resurfaced one time and upgraded for community use. It’s no wonder others come to take advantage of what our taxes have paid for. Soon they will need another “face-lift”.
