The Grand Island Tennis Center is one location for pickleball courts in Grand Island. The president of the Grand Island Pickleball Club said that dedicated indoor pickleball courts are needed in the proposed Sports Complex funded by the Good Life District program. The pickleball courts at the Tennis Center are temporary courts and are located on tennis courts. It can be confusing which lines on the court are for pickleball versus tennis. (Courtesy photo)
GRAND ISLAND – The president of the Grand Island Pickleball Club is concerned about plans for pickleball courts in the proposed indoor Sports Complex funded by Good Life District funds.
Karen Johnson is president of the Grand Island Pickleball Club. She is concerned about the disparity between the number of indoor pickleball courts that the Pickleball Club believes is needed versus plans for pickleball courts described in Woodsonia Real Estate’s executive summary and Good Life District application discussed at the Nov. 12 City Council meeting.
“Pickleball currently has a small presence in Grand Island, but an efficiently operated indoor space with programming for a variety of court sports could incorporate pickleball to help fill daytime hours,” Woodsonia’s Good Life District application said.
The “small presence” clashes with statistics provided by Johnson. The Pickleball Club currently has 221 members who pay annual dues of $25 per person. Johnson estimates that 1,500 to 2,000 people play pickleball in Grand Island, and the sport continues to boom in popularity for youth through senior citizens.
For example, during the winter when people play pickleball at the City Fieldhouse or Grand Island Tennis Club, more people show up to play than what court space is available, so people have to rotate in and out of the courts during the scheduled play time.
Johnson said that there is a need to have eight to 12 dedicated pickleball courts at the proposed Sports Complex.
The Pickleball Club would like to host more tournaments but doesn’t have enough courts available, Johnson said.
“The Grand Island Pickleball Club would love to have a tournament every six weeks or so but it’s even difficult in the spring/summer/fall because we only have access to eight to 12 (outdoor) courts and weather/wind can be a problem. We typically only have one tournament a year because of nowhere to go if weather is bad,” she said.
Indoor pickleball tournaments are offered in Lincoln and Omaha and are popular.
Johnson described the indoor pickleball courts available in Grand Island. The City Fieldhouse has three non-dedicated courts available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Grand Island YMCA has nets available for two pickleball courts but there are no clear lines for pickleball. The Grand Island Tennis Center can have six non-dedicated courts, but with every use, they have to lay down new pickleball court lines. So there’s a total of 11 indoor pickleball courts. All of the courts already have lines on them for sports such as tennis or volleyball, so it can be confusing where the lines are for pickleball courts.
Outdoors, there are eight dedicated pickleball courts at Eagle Scout Park and six dedicated pickleball courts at Stolley Park.
“There is nowhere to play after about 3 p.m. indoors much less. The Fieldhouse has three courts with an average of 20 to 25 players wanting to play. Only 12 people can play at one time. The Grand Island Tennis Center offers occasional mornings for players but is sporadic, especially for the beginner to intermediate players,” Johnson said.
The average age of a pickleball player is 34.8 years old, according to data from the Association of Pickleball Professionals, as of 2025, a figure that has been steadily decreasing as the sport gains popularity among younger demographics, Johnson said. While it was once considered a sport for older adults, younger players are now a major driving force in its growth, Johnson said. More than 70 percent of avid players are between the ages of 18 and 44.
More indoor courts are needed to allow for space available to teach pickleball lessons.
“I am a certified pickleball instructor for beginners, intermediate, and advanced players, and I have limited space available to teach beginners because there is nowhere or anyone to play. Many players travel to Hastings and Kearney for indoor play due to lack of availability, especially at night,” Johnson said.
Johnson recently played in Kearney at the new Sports Complex which has four dedicated courts. She talked to the Kearney Sports and Recreation director. He said they plan on expanding, and they made a mistake only having four courts, Johnson said
Johnson said that the cost per hour for indoor pickleball courts varies. The Sports Complex in Kearney charged $16 per hour per court. The GI Tennis Center charges $6 to $9 per two hours per player. The City Fieldhouse charges $5.50 for the day.
“I have played in Omaha, Kansas City, St. George, Utah, and other states and have paid as much as $20 for two hours of play. It can vary,” Johnson said.
Johnson said that pickleball was invented in 1965 in Washington. They combined elements from badminton, tennis, and table tennis, using materials like ping-pong paddles, a badminton net, and a Wiffle ball to start, Johnson said.
Johnson, who is retired, explained why she likes to play pickleball.
“For myself, I find it keeps me physically fit. I use my fast-twitch muscles. It’s a very strategic game. People can play singles or doubles. It can be very competitive or great for a family activity. For my age range, competitive sports was very limited, and I now can compete with different age ranges, skill ratings and test my skills. For the recreation player, it involves social, physical, fun and strategy all into one. It’s probably the best activity I have ever done and am so glad a friend made me learn,” Johnson said.
Johnson said that if indoor courts are not included in the Sports Complex, pickleball players will continue to have to travel to other areas to play.
In the Woodsonia Real Estate application, it said, “Pickleball…is the fastest growing sports in the United States, with at least 48.3 million players (including older adults).” Approximately 200 indoor and outdoor pickleball tournaments take place around the country each year.
“More than 36.5 million people played the sport in the United States in 2023, representing a 158.6 percent increase over the last three years, the Woodsonia application said.
