The days are getting shorter, the temperatures are beginning to dip. What is the number one topic heard on the pickleball courts of EagleVail, Golden Peak, Arrowhead, Avon, Beaver Creek, Cordillera, and of course, Singletree? The answer: “When are we EVER going to have a great indoor place to play pickleball?” It’s impossible to keep up with recreation in the Valley and not be aware that pickleball is a rapidly growing sport with inclusiveness for those of all ages and abilities.

 

Today, there are perhaps thousands of people from Vail to Gypsum who play anywhere from a few times a month to a few times a day. There are nearly 50 outdoor courts spread throughout the valley which are used from the first rays of sun in the spring to the first snow of the winter. But when the snow falls, and the temperatures are below freezing, where do the pickleball players go?

 

There are a few indoor courts at elementary schools in Vail and Avon available for limited times on temporary courts and on surfaces that are not ideal for pickleball. There are 3 courts at the Edwards Field House - maybe three of the worst indoor courts in the country, and 3 courts available in the morning at Mountain Rec in Gypsum. And that’s about it.  

 

Does it matter that pickleball in the Vail Valley essentially goes away in the winter? Yes, it does. There are numerous medical and mental health studies that show that the exercise and camaraderie and just plain fun that pickleball brings to communities is not something to be dismissed. The sole “blue zone” (groups of people that live very long happy lives) in the US is in Loma Linda, CA; there, pickleball has been integrated into their community for decades. Many school systems in California have taught their kids pickleball starting at very young ages since the 90s. It’s easy to learn (even for very little kids), it’s cheap (the nets, paddles, and balls are a drop in the bucket compared to most other sports), and it doesn’t take up much space (you can fit 3 - 4 courts on a full size basketball court and these courts can be set up and taken down in minutes).

 

If you’re unfamiliar with the fun of pickleball, stop by any of the courts in the valley when there is ‘open play’ - that is everyone plays with everyone generally without regard to ability or age. People are laughing, trash talking, and not caring one little bit about the score. And yet in the winter, here in the Vail Valley, the fun stops, the ball stops bouncing, and people stop moving. Yes. Here it is all about outdoor activities in the winter, but there are many who want to continue to play pickleball year-round.

 

So, why don’t we have indoor pickleball in the valley? There are 55,000 plus residents with more moving here all the time. That is split between Eagle/Gypsum with about 15,000 down valley and the rest between Edwards and Vail. Clearly this number swells considerably in the winter.

 

The community model for all to emulate (and envy) is Steamboat Springs. They have just completed the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball facility. This non-profit facility has a brand new building housing 12 state of the art pickleball courts, 8 cushioned outdoor pickleball courts, 6 outdoor, and 4 indoor tennis courts. It was funded by donations from the community. A private, anonymous donor gave $1,000,000, another gave $350,000, and a third provided a match up to $1,000,000. The rest of the $11 million program came from community donations - large and small. Because it is a non-profit operation, the costs to play are low and there are ‘scholarships’ available for low-income players. There are programs for the lower and upper schools as well as programs for mothers with ways to watch their kids. It’s an incredible asset for Steamboat.

 

As it stands now, there are several locations that could be suitable for indoor pickleball in the Singletree/Avon area. The unoccupied space next to Sun and Ski in Avon, the old Office Max, has been empty for over a decade! 3rd Shot Pickleball, a commercial pickleball company with two beautiful locations in Denver came very close to opening a facility here - a centrally located easy-to-convert facility with space for 7 courts. In fact, 3rd Shot had a lease signed but backed out on the last day of their due diligence. Those of us involved in helping 3rd Shot make this work suspect it was purely a financial decision. They had a profit motive, high rent, and a basket of unknowns. So, the space sits empty.

 

Other  possibilities that are under consideration include (1) renovating and expanding the Edwards Field House, (2) building a facility on available land in EagleVail, and/or (3) hoping a commercial venture decides that the Valley is economically feasible for pickleball and builds one on the land north of Walmart. Any of these options will take years to develop and build. It is only recently that the currently available indoor courts have become inadequate for the demand. And it’s only recently that the community has started to raise issue the issue with local governments and local commercial property owners. There’s a long way to go. 

To make a non-profit, community sponsored facility a reality, it will take a LOT of people, and a LOT of work, and a LOT of money. If you’re willing, interested, and want to get involved, please contact Mike Kieler at mkieler80401@gmail.com.   

Connie & I were introduced to pickleball in the summer of 2013 when we went to the public tennis court across the street from Golden Peak in Vail. When we got there, the west court was occupied by people waiting to get on to the east court that had been converted into 2 weird courts where people were playing a game we were told is called “pickleball”. When we asked the people to get off the west court so we could play tennis, we were introduced to Joe Rink, one of the founders of PB in Vail Valley, who convinced us to try “pickleball” instead of playing tennis, and from that day on, we became PB addicts and never played tennis again!

We play a couple of times a week from spring through the fall at the Avon and Eagle-Vail courts. We don’t play much in the winter season because there is no good quality facility available in Vail Valley.

While the physical benefits are obvious, the mental challenge of staying focused during a game is very difficult, but very rewarding when successfully accomplished. The unexpected benefit of pickleball was the social aspect that PB offers in terms of meeting so many new people who have become some of our closest friends. Additionally, even during a competitive game, there is always room for good natured jesting and comments with each other that are unique to PB!

We would strongly welcome an indoor pickleball facility in Vail Valley so that we could continue to enjoy the fun of PB during the winter season, as well as the rest of the year!

Since PB has been the fastest growing sport in the world in recent years, it would be wonderful to have an indoor PB facility in Vail Valley to meet the playing needs of locals in our community, throughout the year, so they could experience the benefits of PB that we have!

The sport has become super popular and is enjoyed by folks of all ages. I think a dedicated indoor facility would be a great addition to round out our community.

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