Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States. There has been a 39.3% increase in pickleball players resulting in 4.8 million players in the US in the two-year span of 2021-22. The sport is not trending as a fad, as it has attracted plenty of former high-end tennis players and now has a major league pickleball association.

Here in District 3, the census track area of Englewood, that falls within Charlotte County, FL, there are three county public outdoor tennis court locations with a total of 8 tennis courts: Rotonda, Tringali and Ann and Chuck Dever Parks. With the recent growth, most tennis courts have been additionally marked to allow pickleball to be played. All pickleball nets are temporary where the tennis nets are permanent. None of the 8 courts are dedicated to pickleball but are dual purposed with tennis courts. As the addition of lines and portable nets are surely appreciated, there's ongoing turmoil between tennis players and pickleball players. A few examples are all the lines on the courts for both sports become confusing to both sport’s players, tennis players feel pickleball being played on an adjacent court is too noisy with all the communicating pickleball players do during and between plays and the sound of the wiffle ball, and also the inconvenience of pickleballs that frequently roll onto the tennis court during play. In addition, when a tennis ball is hit it travels much faster and with more weight than a pickleball. A stray tennis ball could seriously injure any other player on adjoining courts if they are not paying attention to the tennis game beside them. These are a few of the contentious issues between the two sports and both sides have valid points. However, to engage many people at once, to bring quality of life to more and more older citizens, who now have an outside sport they can play regardless of age, experience, and health, to provide an outlet to our technologically overloaded youth, and to make a safe outside environment for both sports, take into consideration the following: One tennis court can be turned into 4 pickleball courts allowing 16 people to play. That's 16 people outside enjoying the weather and the sun, getting exercise and socializing, compared to 2-4 people playing tennis on that one court. If we had 4 tennis courts dedicated to pickleball (16 pickleball courts) it would allow 64 people to be engaging in outside activity compared to 8-16 people playing tennis. With hundreds of new homes being built in our community, the need will only grow.

No dedicated courts in Englewood (Charlotte County) have been built for this all-inclusive game that is sweeping the nation. Limited court availability means that pickleball and tennis players are increasingly at odds. To defray this tension, adding dedicated pickleball courts would benefit both groups. It would stop the need for additional lines for pickleball on existing tennis courts and would allow tennis to be played in a “quiet” environment. It would allow for further development of this wildly popular game and encourage more citizens, especially those who don’t think physical activity is possible for them, to play. Pickleball is a highly accessible and inclusive sport that is affordable, friendly and inherently fun. The game can be played by anyone; even those who have never played a sport before are able to keep the ball in play and have a good time. That said, there are many levels of complexity to the game that can provide interest and challenge for years to come. 

Adding dedicated pickleball courts to our district addresses the County's Strategic Goal of increasing/enhancing the quality of life for its residents. With hundreds of new homes being built in the county and more specifically in District 3, people moving here are going to need and are looking for activities to be engaged in.  Pickleball allows everyone to play - if there is a place to play. The Charlotte County Parks and Recreation Master Plan, published in 2014, does not include outdoor sports in its research of activity trends in Florida and is outdated. Surely Charlotte County officials have seen or at least heard about the uptick in pickleball and should be addressing its citizen’s and future resident’s needs.

We, the undersigned, petition the Charlotte County Recreation Department, Charlotte County BBC, and the Charlotte County Commissioners to plan, develop, and bring to fruition a minimum of 16 dedicated pickleball courts by the summer of 2025.