Pickleball Courts at Buddy Risher Park: A group of volunteers from the Inglis area have turned an abandoned tennis court at Buddy Risher Park into a thriving pickleball hub over the past 18 months, offering a new place for players from Marion, Levy, and Citrus counties to gather and play.
Turning a Tennis Court into Pickleball Courts
Susan Steinhorst, who has lived in the area for 28 years, said she started playing pickleball seriously 16 months ago. She credited a meet-and-greet organized by Helen Ciallella from the Inglis-Yankeetown Women’s Club for getting her involved.
“There were quite a few people who showed up. And the ones that wanted to get serious stayed.” – (Steinhorst)
Steinhorst described the project as a “work in progress.”
“When we came out here, this was a blank canvas. It used to be an old tennis court. And then between Helen, Bill and Bear and some other of the players, it took shape.” – (Steinhorst)
Volunteer Work Brings Courts to Life
Larry “Bear” Gabbard explained the volunteer efforts.
“Last fall we resurfaced the courts and painted lines. Everything is volunteer work except the city donated the nets. We painted the lines and put up windscreens.” – (Gabbard)
“It is a decent looking court. As good as any around.” – (Gabbard)
The courts are now located at Buddy Risher Park on Canal Road, just off State Road 40 East. A group of 15-20 players, many from Nature Coast Landing RV Park, play there on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings.
“I would like to see more people take advantage of it now that it is there.” – (Gabbard)
Players See Growing Interest
Bill Phillips, a former tennis player, talked about the rising popularity.
“Nobody plays tennis anymore here, so pickleball got really popular last year here with as many as 16 people here. And we, um, asked the city to pay for permanent nets, and they bellied up and bought the nets, and we did the installs. We painted the court, we painted the lines. And that’s what you see today, and we built a little divider now here. The city’s got a couple grand in it, we got maybe a grand in the windscreens and the divider net, the paint, and that is how we did it.” – (Bill Phillips)
Helen Ciallella noted the impact of their clinic.
“We had a clinic, and we got some more players. Then the gang from Nature Coast, they’d been playing here before we were when the courts were east and west. So this has been a group effort to make it work.” – (Ciallella)
“Then we got the County Commission involved and they put the pressure on it. The guys painted, they put everything up and did a good job. Next round, we want the county to come in and resurface it.” – (Ciallella)
Better Facilities Draw More Players
Phillips highlighted the advantage of their windscreens.
“In Crystal River, they have short fences and so they can’t put up windscreens. We have full windscreens all the way around. We wouldn’t be able to play today with the wind the way it is, but with the windscreens you aren’t affected.” – (Phillips)
Steinhorst compared the Inglis pickleball courts to other places.
“I play there a few times, and you really, you have to put your paddle up and wait. Sometimes 30 minutes or more.” – (Steinhorst)
A Bright Future for Pickleball in Inglis
The players now invite others from nearby counties to join them at the pickleball courts on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings. Their efforts have created a welcoming space for pickleball fans and could inspire more community-driven projects in the future.
News in Brief: Pickleball Courts at Buddy Risher Park
Volunteers in Inglis have transformed an abandoned tennis court into four pickleball courts at Buddy Risher Park. With help from the city and community, players now gather every week. The pickleball courts feature windscreens and resurfaced lines, providing a great playing environment for pickleball enthusiasts across Marion, Levy, and Citrus counties.
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