July/August 2023 - 38

SPORT SPECIFIC
THE BIG SPORT ON CAMPUS IS ...
PICKLEBALL
O
By Mary Helen Sprecher, American Sports Builders Association
nce upon a time (maybe five years ago), the
majority of pickleball players were age 50 and
up. Now, pickleball is the hottest sport on
campus, and USA Pickleball (the national governing
body) is strongly considering a collegiate category
when it hosts its National Championships in Dallas
this November.
All that growth has trickled down to a demand for
more courts at the college level, and in some cases,
even in high schools. Members of the American
Sports Builders Association, the professional
organization for design professionals, contractors,
and materials suppliers, are on the frontline and
have seen firsthand the demand. As a result, they
have some advice for institutions.
Be ready for the popularity of the sport:
Contractors nationwide caution coaches and athletic
directors against thinking that adding some blended
lines on an existing hard court or lining an out-ofthe-way
space and adding pop-up nets will suffice. In
most cases, it will not. Worse, when lines are added
to existing courts, it can lead to friction between the
various player populations over who has the right to
play, and when.
" We are being asked to provide more quotes for
building separate courts or doing conversions of an
existing facility to a pickleball court, " says Justan
Vaughan of St. Louis-based McConnell & Associates.
" The pickleball community is continuing to grow and
athletes would rather play on standalone courts. "
Additionally, he notes, do not underestimate
the popularity of pickleball. " The most common
comment I get is, " We should have built more
courts. " If someone builds two courts, they actually
38 JULY/AUGUST 2023
need four; if they build four courts, they discover
they should have built eight. "
Location is key: Whenever possible, say
contractors, pickleball courts should be separated
from tennis courts. They can share common
amenities such as a clubhouse, concessions,
restrooms, etc. but it will be necessary to have
a buffer zone for noise control, as well as the
understanding that for the most part, the athletes are
different people.
Resources are in place: USA Pickleball has a full
listing of Pickleball Ambassadors, who can work
with colleges (and high schools, as well as clubs)
to determine the number of courts needed, how
many courts are already in the area, and what kind
of programming is reasonable. From there, it is
possible to plan for court numbers, parking needs,
lighting, shade structures, and other amenities.
And just a quick word about those amenities:
All too often, pickleball courts are added without
thought of the burden they will add to existing
parking facilities, or without putting in lighting
or fencing. All athletic facilities should not simply
conform to regulations but should be safe and easy to
use, as well as easy to access (even at night).
Get professional assistance: Talk with an
experienced court builder prior to making any
arrangements or signing off on any plans. Full
information on court dimensions, fencing, and
clearances, as well as other important data, can be
found in the ASBA's publication, Pickleball Courts:
Construction & Maintenance Manual. To order, go to
www.sportsbuilders.org, and on the top blue toolbar,
mouse over " Resources, " then select " Publications. "
http://www.sportsbuilders.org
July/August 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July/August 2023
