It is widely known that the popularity of pickleball has been steadily increasing over the past few years. One of the primary reasons for this growth is the innovative approaches that pickleball clubs are taking to attract new members, engage with the community, and organize top-notch tournaments with significant impact. That is exactly what Opelika Pickleball is doing. Since its inception in 2019, Opelika Pickleball has been a hub for pickleball in the southeast United States.
Opelika Pickleball is committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for players of all ages and skill levels and places a strong emphasis on community involvement and giving back. One of the ways Opelika Pickleball gives back to the community is through their 501c3 club, which provides opportunities for individuals to learn and play pickleball, as well as organizes events and tournaments. Jim Young is the president of the club with years of experience as a manager, referee, and USA Pickleball Ambassador. His efforts to partner with the city of Opelika, Alabama to build new courts and grow the sports have been crucial to the success of the club.
It’s clear that nearly all clubs are seeking growth in one form or another. According to Jim Young, one of the best ways to achieve this growth is by being a club that gives back to the city. “We give back a surplus from being a 501c3 about $60,000 to the city [of Opelika] each year” which goes a long way to maintaining a positive relationship with the community. The club also invests in teaching people of all ages how to play pickleball. “It’s always good to get people old and young off the couch and up and playing,” says Young. Young also recommends the use of economic impact reports to demonstrate to your city how profitable pickleball courts can be for their tourism numbers. Opelika Pickleball was able to show a direct correlation between their club and about $1.3 million in economic impact on the city of Opelika. By showing government officials the potential economic benefits of investing in pickleball courts, your club could receive more funding and support from the local government.
In addition to this, Young advises inviting your politicians or other local and regional government officials down to the courts to show them how fun the sport of pickleball can be. By getting them involved in the game, you can raise awareness of the sport and build important connections that could help your club gain more support. Young also suggests showing politicians how the sport can bring new people to the city. When you demonstrate the benefits of pickleball for the local economy, you can show government officials that your club is not just a recreational organization but a vital contributor to the community’s economic well-being. By highlighting how pickleball can attract new visitors to the area, you can make a compelling case for why the local government should invest in building more courts and supporting your club. Demonstrating how pickleball can attract tourism, generate hotel stays, and boost local eateries is crucial to getting the financial support you need to grow your club. By being proactive and strategic in showcasing the benefits of pickleball, you can create a strong case that resonates with local government officials and garners their support.
Opelika Pickleball boasts a rapidly growing membership base. Currently, it has over 706 members and adds new members every day. To ensure that the club only has active and engaged members, they reset their membership count to zero every January. This unique approach ensures that only those who are genuinely interested in being part of the club remain members. One of the reasons for Opelika Pickleball’s success is its low-cost membership model, which is priced at only $25 per year. This membership fee includes many benefits such as free balls at the courts, of which the club purchases about 6,000 per year from Franklin Sports. Apart from regular training sessions and drilling sessions, members of the club also can practice their pickleball skills with the help of pickleball machines. These machines are designed to shoot balls at various speeds and angles, thereby providing players with a challenging and dynamic practice experience. By using these machines, members can improve their hand-eye coordination, footwork, and overall gameplay. The availability of pickleball machines is yet another great benefit of being a member of the club. The club offers sport orientation and team building events through USA Pickleball ambassadors and members, at no cost to the players Members also receive discounts on tournament entry fees. Young jokes that “If a member enters a couple of tournaments per year and gets a $15 discount on tournament fees each time, they would actually be making money on the membership.”
The Opelika Pickleball facilities offer a total of 24 courts, all of which are covered outdoor courts featuring towering canopies that provide shade and shelter to players and spectators alike. These courts are arranged in two sets of 12, situated adjacent to one another on the sprawling campus of the Opelika Sportsplex and Aquatics Center. Apart from the well-maintained pickleball courts, the Sportsplex boasts a range of amenities, including ample parking, restrooms and changing rooms, a snack bar, and plenty of open space for hosting tournaments and events.
The club has implemented an interesting feature on the club’s website, a live feed of the courts. This feature allows players to check whether any courts are available at any given time of the day or night. The courts are open 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, so players can easily monitor the availability of the courts without having to really think about which hours they are open. In addition, this feature enables players to find other players who are willing to play a few games. This has made the process of finding a partner to play with much easier and more convenient for members of the club.
Opelika Pickleball Club welcomes members of all ages, shapes, and skill levels, thanks to its strong community outreach. The club’s diverse membership base is a testament to the welcoming and inclusive environment it offers. It has been noted that the demographics of players change based on the time of the day and day of the week. In the morning, it’s common to see elder players enjoying the game. They are often retired and have more free time to enjoy the sport. As the day progresses, professionals who work during the day tend to show up in the afternoon to get in a game after work. Families tend to play in the early evenings. This is because many of them have children who have finished their homework and are looking for a fun way to spend some quality time together. Finally, college students tend to play at night. This is because most of them have daytime commitments like classes, jobs, and internships. Whenever they show up, it works out well because Opelika Pickleball averages over 3500 players per month.
Opelika Pickleball has successfully organized a series of tournaments called “Paddles at the Plex” that have attracted players from over 15 different states. These tournaments have engaged people of all skill levels, from beginners to professionals, and have helped in creating a sense of community around the sport. In addition to attracting new players, these tournaments have also helped recruit new club members. The exciting and competitive atmosphere of the tournaments has made Opelika a popular destination among pickleball enthusiasts and has helped create new fans of the sport. Overall, “Paddles at the Plex” has been a great success for Opelika Pickleball, attracting players, fans, and club members from all over the country.
According to Young, the most important priority for a pickleball club is to put in as many courts as possible. This allows members to play more often and reduces wait times, which can be a significant barrier to entry for new players. “However many [courts] you were planning on, try to double it,” says Young.
Secondly, he suggests finding “philanthropic type individuals” who are willing to invest in the sport. This can potentially infuse funds used in the development of new courts and funds for your club which will help it grow. It can also help attract other philanthropic types to the club.
By collecting and documenting as much data as possible about your members, information such as how often they play, their age, and their skill level you can better understand your members’ needs and interests, and tailor your offerings accordingly.
To further improve your club, he suggests engaging with other pickleball clubs for advice. By sharing experiences and ideas, you can learn from others’ successes and failures. Additionally, he recommends using USA Pickleball and their support system for clubs. USA Pickleball provides resources and assistance to clubs and to players across the country. In summary, if you want to start or improve a pickleball club, prioritize philanthropic investment, court availability, data collection, and engagement with other clubs. With these tips in mind, your club can grow and thrive, providing a fun and supportive environment for players of all skill levels, just like what’s happening at Opelika Pickleball Club.
