New Courts In Ohio’s Pickleball Capital: Middletown has created its reputation as the Pickleball Capital of Ohio by adding nine new courts to the existing 18 at Lefferson Park. With 27 courts in total, this facility is now the largest single-location pickleball venue in the state, according to Michell Cook, Middletown Pickleball Association (MPA) board member and tournament director.
While the number of courts is impressive, Cook is most proud of their usage. “It doesn’t matter how many you have if they sit empty,” she emphasized.
The additional courts have introduced more players to the nation’s fastest-growing sport, reduced wait times for open courts, and will enable the MPA to host larger events, attracting more players and boosting the local economy.
$577,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding funded the expansion, which included nine new courts and a pavilion, along with the resurfacing of the existing 18 courts. Cook envisions adding more benches and shade structures in the future, acknowledging, “It’s just a process. Members need to be patient.”
Stanley Volkens, the pioneer who brought pickleball to Middletown in 2006, received the courts’ dedication during a recent grand opening ceremony. Volkens, now 94, had played pickleball in Arizona and saw the potential for the sport at Lefferson Park’s underutilized tennis courts. He raised funds to convert two tennis courts into six pickleball courts.
Reflecting on the expansion, Volkens said, “I never, in my wildest dreams, believed what has happened.”
At the grand opening, where they cut the ribbon to inaugurate the new courts, Volkens and his wife, Marcia, received honors.
Cook highlighted the MPA’s efforts to promote pickleball among younger generations through camps and collaboration with Berachah Church. “This is a generational game, and we need to keep it going,” she said.
Every Wednesday at 6 p.m., the MPA offers a free introduction to pickleball, open to the first 48 players who register on the MPA Facebook page. This Wednesday will be the year’s final clinic.
Lefferson Park will host the 17th Annual Middletown Tournament for amateurs on August 3-4, attracting 420 players from 11 states. We encourage participants to stay in local hotels and patronize nearby restaurants and bars.
The MPA will also host a Labor Day Marathon benefiting both the organization and Smiles Closet, a charity providing clothes and shoes to needy Middletown students. Doug and Gayle Lear will direct the marathon, which will take place from noon Sunday to noon Monday, regardless of the weather conditions. The participation fee is $20. The MPA and Smiles Closet will split the event’s proceeds.
News in Brief: New Courts In Ohio’s Pickleball Capital
Middletown, Ohio, has expanded its pickleball facilities at Lefferson Park by adding nine new courts to the existing 18, making it the largest single-location pickleball venue in the state. The $577,000 expansion, funded by Community Development Block Grants, also included a new pavilion and resurfacing of existing courts.
The dedication honored Stanley Volkens, who introduced pickleball to Middletown in 2006. The Middletown Pickleball Association (MPA) promotes the sport through camps and free clinics, and will host the 17th Annual Middletown Tournament and a Labor Day Marathon, benefiting both the MPA and Smiles Closet charity.
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