Pickleball infiltrates Pueblo with new courts at Mineral Palace Park

Grab your pickleball paddles, Pueblo.

The city hosted a grand opening for eight new pickleball courts at the north end of Mineral Palace Park on Sept. 20, offering Puebloans an area to try the rapidly growing sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis.

The ceremony marked an end to yearslong efforts from Pueblo pickleball players who requested the city add public pickleball courts to its parks system.

Since opening, the courts have been quite the draw with players on them daily. On Thursday, the area was packed.

“We come here at 8 in the morning and there’s already people here to play,” said Shauna Peters. “It’s nice to have a centralized venue to play in and where everyone can show up.”

Peters was running pickleball drills on Thursday with Joni Smith, Carol Nance and Kathy Neve; each are members of the Pueblo County Pickleball Association and have years of pickleball experience.

Before the grand opening, the four would play at the Pueblo Tennis Center, Pueblo YMCA and Pueblo West Civic Center. They would always have to bring their own net — each location was suitable but imperfect for pickleball.

All four were all smiles on Thursday as the feeling of playing on courts dedicated to pickleball still hadn't quite settled in yet.

“It’s like Christmas,” Nance said.

“I can invite people who are brand new and introduce them to the sport,” Peters said. “I had three new people out here the other day and they loved it. It’s definitely a huge asset for Pueblo, giving people something fun to do.”

The city’s grand opening ceremony came one year to the day since Wendy Hunker, a Pueblo pickleball player, gave city council a detailed proposal for public pickleball courts. She worked with the city’s parks and recreation department to find a suitable location for courts. Mineral Palace Park was on an initial list of potential sites.

Hunker told city council members that she and other players used tape to set pickleball boundaries on a tennis court when playing at City Park.

Six pickleball courts had opened at the Pueblo Country Club a few months prior but lacked the public accessibility local pickleball veterans were clamoring for.

In March, Pueblo City Council approved funding to build eight pickleball courts at Mineral Palace Park, setting the stage for days like last Thursday and Saturday, the date of the Pueblo County Pickleball Association’s first Pickleball Palooza.

The four-hour event had different tournaments, prizes, a silent auction and food vendors. Players battled for supremacy on the court while gathering in a community setting. It was the type of event Hunker said last year could attract out-of-town visitors and provide a jolt to the local economy as people spend money on restaurants and shops during its duration.

“If we have tournaments here, we can draw people here in Pueblo and from Colorado Springs and Denver,” Smith said. “It’s a great opportunity and would be a big draw. It’s a big draw in other cities in Colorado and might as well ... here in Pueblo.”

Peters touted the sport’s affordability — wooden paddles typically cost around $15 — and Neve said it’s accessible to people of all ages.

All four agreed that it's also quite enjoyable.

“It’s pretty much guaranteed if somebody comes out here to play they’re hooked in 15 to 20 minutes,” Nance said.

Pickleball has grown in popularity in recent years and now has 4.8 million players nationwide, according to a report from The Sports and Fitness Industry Association. It has been the fastest growing sport in America two years in a row.

Last week, LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers made headlines after it was announced he purchased a Major League Pickleball team, which Major League Pickleball Founder Steve Kuhn said is a “watershed moment for pickleball.”

The Pueblo County Pickleball Association has pickleball leagues underway this fall. Updates on future tournaments and events can be found on the organization's website.

According to a press release from the city, shade shelters, evening lighting, benches and four additional courts are potential future improvements to the site.

Chieftain reporter Josue Perez can be reached at JHPerez@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @josuepwrites.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pickleball infiltrates Pueblo with new courts at Mineral Palace Park