FROM THE USAPA for pickleball . Repeatedly rejected , they began looking for other space , and found it at Del Mar Park . Within a three-month period , and under the auspices of the Morro Bay Active Adults ... 55 +, they raised $ 30,000 to build permanent courts on an existing under-utilized roller derby rink . With the city providing an additional $ 17,000 , four courts opened in July 2016 to the public . In an agreement with the city , the players maintain the courts and make all improvements . They also provide daily court hosts during dedicated hours to welcome new players , with balls and paddles being available for use . Unlike other venues in the district , Morro Bay players come under the umbrella of the Active Adults , and therefore are not a club in their own right . All monies for maintenance and improvements come from daily donations .
The fourth set of permanent courts within SLO County opened in Arroyo Grande in September 2016 . The group was awarded use of a tennis court that was rarely used , and striped four courts . Arroyo Grande is the only public venue currently in SLO County with night lighting . Like Morro Bay and Cambria , it has hosted several smaller , but wellattended fun tournaments .
Atascadero , Nipomo , San Luis Obispo , and Pismo Beach all have temporary public courts and are working hard toward making them permanent . Like the other venues , their battles tend to be with tennis players , roller derby , and roller hockey , none of which boast the number of players on a daily basis that pickleball has shown .
Santa Barbara County , the southernmost county in the district and the newest Central Coast venue , with eight permanent courts , recently hosted the inaugural American Riviera Classic , a USAPA-sanctioned event with 187 registered players . Santa Ynez Valley , which includes Santa Ynez , Solvang , and Buellton , recently appointed a new Ambassador and , with assistance from the Recreation Department , is also seeking permanent courts to supplant temporary ones . Santa Maria , the northernmost town in Santa Barbara County , also has temporary courts but continues to struggle with a permanent location and funding .
Monterey County , to the north , has two venues with temporary courts , and the group there is working diligently and relentlessly toward permanent courts .
Most of these venues may be found in the USAPA Places to Play guide . Costs to play range from $ 1 to $ 3 per day on the public courts , and $ 7 to $ 10 at the private clubs in Pismo Beach and Templeton .
There are certain things that have been common to the successful installation of pickleball courts within the California Central Coast district , particularly in areas where city officials are slow to accept that this is a sport that is here to stay : 1 ) there must be a leader who is driven to succeed ; 2 ) accurate stats on the number of daily players , and where they are living or visiting from , must be kept ; 3 ) a list with the names and email information for every player who visits the courts should be maintained , and regular updates should be sent to people on the list ; 4 ) there must be consistency in the days , times and locale that pickleball will be played ; 5 ) there must be a willingness to give clinics , free of charge , to all ages and ability levels ; 6 ) a positive attitude and sense of humor , even in the depths of discouragement , must be maintained ; 7 ) there should be a viable game plan ; 8 ) there must be a strong volunteer base and group of supporters who will attend Recreation Department and City Council meetings , sometimes over and over and over ; 9 ) there should be a willingness to reach out to other towns or cities that have successful programs and ask for suggestions and help ; and 10 ) as in the game of pickleball , patience and perseverance are primary virtues .
Five years ago , not more than a handful of people in the CA Central Coast District had even heard of pickleball . Now the courts throughout the district regularly report having 25-50 players a day during dedicated hours . Multiply that by our 20 venues , and that is 500-1,000 players at any given time playing pickleball on the California Central Coast . Please come join us , and be prepared to fall in love ... with the sport and with our district . •
JULY / AUGUST 2017 | MAGAZINE 57