If Surprise is not the epicenter of pickleball in the United States, it is definitely one of the cities on the brochure for players that travel the country in search of tournaments.
The sport that started with seniors and crossed over to other age groups is thriving in the city, as private courts pop up in the city’s HOA communities.
But the sport is exploding in popularity nationwide, and members of the Surprise Pickleball Association are concerned that the city’s 16 public courts will soon not be enough to attract major tournaments people travel for. The group only has access to public courts for events.
“I moved to Surprise and Sterling Grove because it’s the best pickleball in the state. It’s not only the best pickleball in the state, it’s known across the United States. Everywhere my wife and I travel people say, ‘Oh, you’re from Surprise.’ I don’t think the city could possibly realize what a great asset they have here. It saddens me because I moved here and I see these great tournaments leaving, going to Mesa and other places,” resident Brett Augsburger said during a March 15 Surprise City Council meeting.
He also mentioned lessons tend to take away courts on Tuesday and Thursday mornings that are on the days most of the top players play.
Surprise Parks and Recreation Director Holly Osborn stated in an email that it is Surprise’s understanding that SPA would like more pickleball courts built in the city in general.
“There is not an option for the city to add additional courts at the Surprise Community Park. Other park amenities would have to be eliminated to do so,” Osborn stated. “As the city plans for new parks, many park amenities will be considered, including pickleball, and decisions will be guided by the voices of residents.”
Augsburger mentioned the new facility in Bell Bank Park. This showpiece complex in far east Mesa near the Eastmark community features 41 courts.
“I don’t want us to lose our status and this unbelievable atmosphere I moved here for,” Augsburger said. “I know earlier we were talking about the tennis facility and some accommodations. I hope you keep an open mind to that. And if you haven’t been out there on a Tuesday or a Thursday or Saturday are some of the best days. But every day now it seems like the courts are packed.”
Private courts are also filling up as newer communities focus less on the golf and tennis lifestyle. Lennar’s Heritage at Asante in the West Valley has been a model for this new concept.
Instead of building the community with tennis courts, Lennar opted for 12 lighted pickleball courts. The decision a hit with residents like Frank Marquart, who moved to Heritage purely because of the burgeoning sport.
“When I drove through the entrance of Heritage at Asante, the pickleball courts were the first thing I saw,” Marquart stated in a press release. “I knew this was the place for me!”
Today, Marquart is president of the Heritage Pickleball Club, at 78 members strong and growing.
The city courts also attract local high school and college students.
And pickleball’s popularity reaches far beyond active adult communities.
Augsberger’s job duties and choice of residence are proof of that.
“I am the designated broker in the state for Premiere Property Group. I also do real estate and personally last year, I sold nine houses in the city of Surprise,” Augsburger said. “It’s incredible how many people are reaching out to me from Oregon, Washington and California and want to move here to be closer to these facilities.”
Lennar opened the courts at Heritage at Asante in January 2019.
It was the final amenity in an active adult community within a larger single-family community, neither of which has a golf course.
“There is less focus on golf although we do have a partnership with Briarwood in Sun City West, so that experience is 15 minutes away,” said Mike Dowell, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Lennar.
Plans for Heritage at Asante originally included eight tennis courts. Dowell said he convinced his boss to just build 12 pickleball instead.
In the latest survey, about a third of Heritage residents are pickleball club members.
“We’ve had people move to Asante specifically about the availability of pickleball courts,” Dowell said. “Pickleball is the future in active adult communities. As long as you can walk, you can play pickleball.”
Richard Smith Senior News Editor | Glendale & West Valley Preps @rsmithYWV
Richard Smith has been with Independent Newsmedia since 2016, and worked at a Sun City-based news outfit covering the Northwest Valley for 22 consecutive years.
An NAU alum and lifelong Arizona resident, Richard began as a copy editor and page designer at Surprise Today and the Daily News-Sun, then rekindled his love of sports writing by taking the reins on West Valley Preps in 2008.
For most of the mid-2010s he was the Surprise editor and West Valley Preps reporter. Now he’s the West Valley Preps Editor and Surprise Associate Editor.
As COVID restrictions slowly lift, Richard is cautiously optimistic he will visit book stores, football fields and gyms again this fall.
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