Founded by former college and professional tennis players Shannon Hudson and Johan den Toom, Matrix Club in Lowell, Arkansas, opened in early 2021 and features tennis, padel and pickleball in one facility. Owners Shannon and Johan are keen to adapt space, programming and strategy as demand and member tastes change. Being finely tuned to their community has allowed them to make decisions resulting in long-term success for the club.
Collegiate players at the University of Arkansas, the couple designed Matrix Club in 2018 and dived deep into pickleball to learn more. Shannon says they knew the best way to learn about pickleball was to become consumers themselves. They both played professionally around the world to learn the industry before opening the club’s doors to the public in early 2021.
“We thought it was very important to learn about pickleball and see what made clubs special firsthand,” Shannon says. “Our biggest piece of advice is to be hands-on and involved in the sport and your members.”
The club is home to three gyms and 42 total racquet sport courts with a mix of outdoor and indoor, including their most recent conversion of two outdoor tennis courts into eight pickleball courts. Shannon says many members crossover with their play and demand drove the addition.
“We were making temporary pickleball courts on the tennis courts. Creating a dedicated pickleball space also allows us to have a dedicated tennis court space for more programming and happier members.”
Shannon adds that with over 10 acres of property, there is plenty of room for more courts should they be needed in the future.
Shannon and Johan credit their success in large part to their community and their hands-on involvement in the club. One way to ensure members remain involved and engaged is through the club’s Member Committee. The 15-person committee is hand-selected by the owners to capture diverse perspectives with a range of ages, lifestyles and social circles. Shannon and Johan meet with the committee quarterly with an agenda that lasts around an hour and they say it is a great way to improve the connection between them and the members.
“No real surprises come out of it, but these meetings are a good way to bounce ideas back and forth, go through policy changes or other announcements coming down the pike,” says Shannon. “Some members might not feel comfortable telling us about an issue, but they will tell a committee member. We want to stay connected and accessible to all of our members, and this is a great way to do it.”
Shannon adds that the members are all volunteers and don’t receive any compensation. They enjoy being a part of the club and helping to keep it thriving and strong.“
Just as Matrix allows the clubs’ growth happen naturally, they did the same with programming, including junior programming.
Matrix has started junior programming successfully, and notes it isn’t something that can be forced. It has to happen naturally and Matrix feels fortunate that it has. By letting interest evolve with junior players through fun, family involvement and opportunities, Matrix has seen growth with the younger players.
“We had juniors playing in our tournaments and getting more and more involved because it was fun, not because it was a junior-specific tournament,” Shannon says. “Once the parents play, then the kids start and it happens naturally when you have a fun pickleball place. Then, when there is demand, you create programming. It’s fun to watch and nurture.”
Matrix enjoys trying new programming and events and shares it takes more than once to create success. Even things that don’t work can be considered a good learning experience.
To build anticipation for events, Matrix operates on a yearly calendar. This allows them to repeat successful events and build familiarity instead of always chasing something new. From member-only tournaments and formats that reinforce belonging to USTA events, the calendar keeps everyone abreast of the year to come.
With a strong community of 1,000 members, Matrix has found word-of-mouth and social media to be its best advertising, even from the beginning. Being immersed in the tennis community and then pickleball gave Shannon and Johan the personal relationships to help grow the club from the ground up along with a tremendous facility and programming.
Matrix Club’s success is a result of their commitment, preparation and 360 involvement. By committing to the club’s community and creating consistency, it has thrived and grown to be a jewel in the Northwest Arkansas racquet sport community.
