Advertisement

Watertown Pickleball Association raising money for new eight-court complex

roger merriam, watertown public opinion
·4 min read

One of the fastest growing sports in America is in need of a new outdoor home in Watertown.

The Watertown Pickleball Association is in the midst of a fundraising for a $750,000 project to construct eight outdoor courts on the east side of the Prairie Lakes Wellness Center.

"Everybody's building courts but Watertown," said Jolette Kosier, president of the Watertown Pickleball Association.

Pickleball is a sport that's been around since 1965 and has really taken off in popularity in recent years as a sport that children, adults and senior adults can play.

A standard court is 44 feet long with a net height of 36 inches at the posts and 34 inches in the center compared to tennis (78 feet long courts, net height of 42 inches at the posts and 36 inches at the center). The ball used for pickleball may resemble a Wiffle ball, but it has fewer holes and is heavier. Game scoring and other rules are different between Pickleball and tennis.

. The smaller court size makes pickleball the easier sport to pick up and also offers a lower impact on players' joints.

Players, from left, Roger Spahr, Mark Fransen, Chris Owen and Al Stroschein play pickleball recently on a temporary court at Highland Park.
Players, from left, Roger Spahr, Mark Fransen, Chris Owen and Al Stroschein play pickleball recently on a temporary court at Highland Park.

History of the sport in Watertown

The game has been played here for a decade or more with play beginning, along with leagues, inside at the old Watertown Community Recreation Center. There are still indoor courts that's get plenty of use at the Prairie Lakes Wellness Center, which opened in 2017, but availability can be an issue with other events going on especially in the evening.

A few years back, the city of Watertown helped convert the tennis court at Nelson Park into three pickleball courts. Some issues have affected the quality of play at Nelson Park.

"The courts were made facing east and west, which are the wrong direction," said Kosier. "The sun can be an issue for players on one side in the morning and for players on the other side in the evening. We've been using them the last three or four years, but there are some bad cracks and they're in tough shape."

To counter the sityuation this summer, members of the Watertown Pickleball Association have resorted to playing on temporary courts set up on a couple of the tennis courts at Highland Park. Pretty much every weekday morning you can find a group of players playing the game.

Bob Timm set during a pickleball match recently on makeshift courts at Highland Park in Watertown.
Bob Timm set during a pickleball match recently on makeshift courts at Highland Park in Watertown.

The Watertown Pickleball Association

The association has more than 100 members, who pay $20 a year for membership.

Other board members include vice president Vic Brownell, secretary-treasurer Paulette Cotton, director of player development Dave VanderWeide, marketing-social media director Jolene Spilde and at-large members Dan O'Neill and Troy Robbins.

A membership includes the opportunity to receive lessons from Watertown Pickleball Association members for those who want to learn to play the game. VanderWeide is around to assist players who want to become more proficient at a variety of skills.

Kosier said several of the Watertown Pickleball Association members and players also use what they've learned to help new players pick up the game.

More information on the the association, how to a become a member, how to go about making a donation to the project and other general pickleball information can be found at the Watertown SD Pickleball Association Facebook page.

Susan Nielson watches the ball hit her paddle during a pickleball match recently on makeshift courts at Highland Park in Watertown.
Susan Nielson watches the ball hit her paddle during a pickleball match recently on makeshift courts at Highland Park in Watertown.

Looking for help for the new outdoor courts

The fundraising project is actively ongoing for the new courts at the PLWC, but it hasn't been easy with the city and business having committed funds to a new ice hockey arena that is expected to cost $35 million or more.

The group has received a $50,000 commitment from the Watertown Community Foundations and has accumulated about another $240,000 in donations from individuals and a handful of businesses. Kosier said four families have donated $25,000.

"We're about halfway of what we need to start construction of the new courts," said Kosier.

Kosier said the group has approached the city the past few years in an attempt to get money budgeted for the project. The city has committed some funds and the land, but the association believes more could have been done. New Watertown Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department director Dusty Rodiek has been very helpful.

"He's done so much already for us, more than anybody else has," said Kosier.

The association is actually looking for a sizeable donation from a business (or indivdual) for naming rights to the new facility, but Kosier admits the speed of how things are moving have been frustrating.

For now, they'll keep plugging away.

"We'll keep on raising and keep asking until we get enough money," said Kosier.

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on Twitter @PO_Sports

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: The Watertown Pickleball Association's quest for new outdoor courts