Feature in the pickleball business . I want to build the highest quality pickleball facility there is .’”
DeMeritt ran into hurdle after hurdle when looking for space . Despite rejections from property owners who didn ’ t know what pickleball was , she persisted and found someone who believed in her vision . DeMeritt and partner Wanda Melampy ’ s indoor facility features six tournament-sized courts , two practice courts , a players ’ lounge and eight full-time coaches .
Farther north in Rye , New Hampshire , the New England Pickleball Club opened its doors in August of 2022 and has quickly cemented itself as a fixture of the sea coast community .
“ There ’ s just nothing like this on the New Hampshire coast , both for existing pickleball players and for beginners ,” said club owner and head pro Dave Velardo . “ We ’ re proud to be a great addition to the area .”
Velardo , who started playing in 2016 while working as a tech entrepreneur in San Francisco , quickly ascended to the professional level and achieved a ranking of 27th in the world based on DUPR ’ s ( pickleball ’ s global rating system ) summer 2021 rankings . After moving back to New England , he dedicated time to coaching pickleball before he had an opportunity in 2021 to begin construction on his own indoor pickleball club .
“ One of the biggest challenges is finding the right location ,” Velardo explained . “ When the right opportunity came , I knew I ’ d be able to make it work with my background as a player , coach , and entrepreneur .”
His club , which features six courts and three instructors teaching as part of his Four Bases Pickleball Academy , has 300 people on its membership wait list .
On the other side of the country , Pat Rolfes has been hard at work developing pickleball-specific facilities called The Hub — in San Diego and San Jose — with business partner Ted Angelo .
The San Diego location , which officially opened in January , is the largest pickleball facility in the city , with
Pickleball players compete on one of the many indoor courts at the New England Pickleball Club in Rye , New Hampshire . Photo credit : Dave Velardo .
26 courts and an elevated central viewing platform featuring 270-degree views , akin to the hub of a wheel .
Four years ago , Rolfes had no idea what pickleball was . His father-in-law introduced him to the sport , which inspired Rolfes and his wife to begin playing at the nearby Tennis and Pickleball Club at Newport Beach . He soon began volunteering at the club , installing permanent nets and building out the pickleball side of the club . He helped it grow into one of the largest pickleball clubs in the country , featuring 31 permanent , lit courts .
Now Rolfes , like many club owners , is focused on creating pickleball-specific environments , filled with social events , organized play , and fun gatherings to attract players and form a sense of community .
“ The growth of the sport has happened so fast and demand has gotten so high that it ’ s difficult for cities to keep up , hence why we ’ re seeing more and more private entities come to market ,” said Rolfes , who has big development ambitions and three additional projects in the works .
“ Private entities like ourselves are self-funded . We ’ re not competing with a public park that ’ s free , so we offer more perks as a club ,” he added . “ The holiday parties , fun events , food and drinks — all these things make our spaces unique . They make it fun to be there on a social basis , which is what people are looking for .”