Harmon Park Pickleball Court Project: In Stamford, Texas, a new pickleball court has opened at Harmon Park, thanks to a senior project led by high school student Allie Caddell. The court, completed in 2025, was part of Caddell’s community project under the Ford Scholarship program. She noticed that her classmates were getting into pickleball but lacked a proper place to play.
A Student Project Turns Into a Community Effort
Allie Caddell came up with the idea after seeing students tape off lines on tennis courts at the high school. This caused damage and extra costs for the school.
“A lot of my friends had started picking up pickleball. However, they were taping off the high school tennis courts, and with that, they were leaving tape residue on our high school courts that were getting used for district matches or any kind of tournaments that our school was hosting. So that was putting more financial burden back on our school district,” Caddell said.
Caddell received strong support from Mayor James Decker throughout the project. Even when she couldn’t be there for the start of construction, the mayor kept her updated.
“From the get-go, [Mayor Decker] has been there right by my side, encouraging me on. I actually wasn’t even here when the concrete got poured. He was sending me pictures, letting me know what was happening, a lot of the financial stuff that had to be done,” she said.
Funding Challenges and City Priorities
The court cost $27,000 to build. Mayor James Decker explained how tough it can be for a small city to fund such projects.
“When you’ve got a city that’s got a lot of needs and streets and waterlines and sewer lines, it’s very tough. You’ve only got a certain amount of money to go around. Then it’s really hard to figure out how much of that money to pry away from other pressing needs to quality-of-life stuff like the park that matters,” Decker said. “We added some playground equipment and removed some old playground equipment within the last two years. But something like this magnitude, it’s probably been about 20 years.”
Giving Back to the Community
Caddell wanted the court to be her way of giving back to the town that raised her.
“I can promise you, whether you notice it or not, this community has been giving to you. That was the whole idea behind this project to begin with is to give back to the community that’s given me so much,” Caddell said.
She also shared how Harmon Park used to be a fun place during her childhood, and she hopes the new court brings back that energy.
“[In elementary] we would get to walk to the local Sonic, go get our drinks, and then we would walk back to the park and get to play for hours, and unfortunately, that’s kind of dwindled down,” Caddell explained. “Now that [the pickleball court] is completed and it’s been done, I can drive by the park almost any day and there’s going to be somebody playing on the court.”
Looking Ahead
Allie Caddell will attend Texas Tech University in the fall. She plans to double major in agricultural communications and energy commerce. Her project leaves behind a lasting gift to Stamford and a strong example of student leadership.
News in Brief: Harmon Park Pickleball Court Project
Allie Caddell, a Stamford High School senior, led the creation of a new pickleball court at Harmon Park. Supported by Mayor James Decker and funded at $27,000, the project aims to boost community life. Caddell hopes her work inspires others as she heads to Texas Tech University.