Pickleball coming to Shawnee Sports Complex as officials
Pickleball coming to Shawnee Sports Complex as officials, which is one of the sports with the most rapid expansion in the United States, is gaining popularity in Kanawha County.
On Tuesday, the Shawnee Sports Complex hosted the groundbreaking ceremony for a brand new pickleball facility. The facility will feature eight lighted courts measuring regulation size. The complex’s administrators and the Kanawha County Commission are working toward the goal of having the courts operational by the month’s end.
The paddle sport, which combines many aspects of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, was named the fastest growing sport in the country by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association in the last two years with over 5 million players. The paddle sport combines many elements of the sports of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong.
“Pickleball’s popularity is skyrocketing, not just in the United States but also in Kanawha County and the rest of the world.” According to Hal Pendell, who serves as the District Ambassador for USA Pickleball in the North Mid-Atlantic Region, “to have these pickleball courts here is a fantastic step forward for pickleball.” Pendell made these remarks to the media on Tuesday.
Pendell was only one of numerous pickleball community members that attended the groundbreaking ceremony.
Courts
Each of the eight courts will be regulation size, which means that they will be 22 feet long from the border of the service area or baseline to the net and that the service areas will each be 10 feet wide. The width of the non-volley zone, sometimes known as the kitchen, will be seven feet. At the sideline, the net height measures out to be exactly 36 inches.
Pendell attributed the sport’s meteoric rise in popularity to the fact that participants of any age can participate. Pendell anticipates the construction of additional pickleball courts all across the county and the region in the near future. These new pickleball courts recently debuted in South Charleston.
“Anyone can pick it up and start playing right away. I don’t care if you’re a youngster or if you’re as old as I am or even older than that; everyone deserves a second chance. According to Pendell, being competitive is possible at every level, regardless of your level of experience or skill. “You can play in your age group and still be competitive,” he stated. “You can be competitive at all levels.”
The ARP monies needed to complete this project brought the total cost to $386,000. They were supplied by the Kanawha County Commission. The courts’ construction will be handled by BBL Carlton, LLC.
Ben Salango, a Kanawha County Commissioner, stated that he expected the facility to be used for recreational purposes as well as potentially for regional and national championships. Salango made this statement to 580-WCHS.
We estimate that we will be able to host 700 players for a competition that lasts for five days. “You’re talking about thousands of individuals that can come in for a single tournament if they bring family members and friends,” Salango said. “If they bring their own family members and friends, that is.”
According to Salango, the addition of pickleball was the activity that residents of the Shawnee expansion wanted most. The courts will be positioned within the complex on what were formerly tennis courts, and in addition, there will be a championship basketball court.
“This is a very significant undertaking. “This is the topic that has generated the most interest among our customers and has resulted in the greatest number of emails and phone calls,” Salango explained.