J
ust beyond where it makes its turn to the west,
the Mississippi River runs through the heart of
the Quad Cities. The Illinois cities of Moline, Rock
Island, and East Moline, along with Davenport
and Bettendorf, Iowa, are home to John Deere and the
John Deere Classic, the Rock Island Arsenal, the world-
class Bix 7 road race, and Whitey’s—arguably the best
“homegrown” ice cream in the nation.
It is also home to a community of pickleball players who
have worked together since 2007 to advance the social,
health and economic values of the sport throughout local
cities and towns.
In an area where state boundaries and the Muddy
Mississippi divide the population, cooperative efforts
the past four years have resulted in 34 dedicated outdoor
pickleball courts in five cities. Approximately 15 other
outdoor courts and 43 indoor courts provide close to
90 area courts, serving players from four counties and
more than 25 area communities. Cross-river and inter-
community play occur daily.
The area’s large number of venues offers a wealth of
accessible playing opportunities to locals and visitors alike,
without the need of a facility membership or being part of
a retirement community. Spring, summer, winter or fall,
one can show up with a paddle at any of many locations
interspersed across the area on either side of the river and
enjoy several hours of play. As one player put it, “Pickleball
play here is welcoming to everybody, any time of the year.”
Five USAPA Ambassadors and an active Quad City
Pickleball Club (QCPC) are passionately committed to
growing the sport. The QCPC, a non-profit formed in 2013
with a board of directors and approximately 80 members,
now exceeds 450 members. There are close to 1,200
people playing locally, which includes a growing number of
younger players.
The QCPC has been a driving force in advancing
pickleball play throughout the area. Larry Miller, in his
second year as president, is an inspirational leader with
a big vision for the sport. An IPTPA-certified trainer,
Miller has encouraged players to self-rate to identify skill
levels. Miller and the club’s training team have organized a
program into beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.
For beginners, the lessons are free. In addition, many
players have attended training clinics outside of the area,
and coaches have been brought in. The club was honored to
host Dave Weinbach and Stephanie and LeEllen Lane for a
two-day clinic this summer.
Because of these efforts, skill levels are noticeably
improving. “When I began playing a few years ago the guys
would apologize to the ladies if they hit a ball too hard
in their direction. Now, ladies are bouncing balls off our
shins and apologizing to us. I hate that,” said Miller with a
smile. As skills improve, so does tournament participation.
QC players are increasingly entering tournaments around
the country and earning their places on the podium. Such
opportunities as holiday league and evening ladder games
have been offered to accommodate all levels of play.
The QCPC has a large and well-organized volunteer base,
dedicated to promoting pickleball as well as giving back to
local communities. Tournaments are being held to benefit
charities; and food drives, blood drives, youth clinics and
camps are organized by the club.
The large number of welcoming playing venues along
with excellent lodging and restaurants make the Quad
Cities area a fun destination for pickleball enthusiasts and
their families. Twilight river cruises, summer festivals, and
riverfront activities make the area popular for summer
tourists. Twenty-plus golf courses including TPC Deere
Run offer a quality golfing experience, giving the area
consistently high ratings by Golf Digest. Approximately
100 miles of recreational trail around the local cities,
including beautiful trails by each side of the river, provide
a casual bike ride or walk for families and sight-seers.
Visitors also can enjoy shops in nearby historic LeClaire
and Galena. The website visitquadcities.com offers
information about the many activities in the area.
The following five Ambassadors hail from different
communities but work together to promote pickleball
across the area. Each shares a bit about his or her locale:
Ambassador Ruth Senneff, Bettendorf, IA
In Bettendorf, play began on two tennis courts in a city
park in 2008. Thanks to then-Ambassador Dean Easterlund
and the support of more than 80 local players, the city
put the area’s first six dedicated courts in Kiwanis Park.
In 2014, seventeen