Asheville Pickleball Association clinches nonprofit status; What's next?

ASHEVILLE - "The orange is back," was the laughing call from City Council member Sage Turner at a June council meeting, as she watched Christina Dupuch approach the podium during public comment, sure enough in an orange and white-patterned blouse.

The outfit was more than a fashion statement — it's the signature color of Asheville's ever-eager and always growing pickleball community, an orange-clad cheer squad that was a regular fixture of City Council meetings for a months-long stretch last year.

Dupuch was often a speaker, advocating for dedicated courts for the sport, a tennis-badminton-ping pong hybrid that's become increasingly popular in recent years, both in the city and nationwide.

On June 27, Dupuch was there with good news.

"We are in business," she said, announcing the formation of the Asheville Pickleball Association, which officially received nonprofit status, a "milestone" for the group intended to promote the growth of the sport and work toward long-term goals, like clinching a dedicated facility for its players.

Previous coverage: Dual lines added at Asheville's public courts for shared use by pickleball, tennis

'A sense of urgency'

“The work is going to start now. We know that," said David Kelly, vice president of the newly-formed association. “There is no instant fix here.”

He was among about two dozen players at Murphy-Oakley Park on a morning in early July, leading a lesson on a court dual-lined for pickleball and tennis at the South Asheville park.

Conversation was punctuated by the repetitious pop-pop-pop of paddle and ball and the squeak of sneakers against the court.

While it is literally fun-and-games for many players, the sport and its growing populous has not been without its trials. Among these is the turf war over court space, played out between tennis and pickleball users on public courts, and complaints from neighbors around noise and parking issues.

The city's Parks and Recreation department has been in mediation around these conflicts, along with pickleball players and the Asheville Tennis Association, and in November announced a compromise.

As a result, in March, the city completed dual-lining several of its outdoor, public courts. The solution preserved the city's inventory of 11 public tennis courts and nearly doubled the pickleball offerings from 12 to 22 courts. It also provided semi-permanent rollaway pickleball nets for several locations. Plus, they announced a shared use schedule for the courts, which has been in effect for almost four months.

Though it took some getting used to, Dupuch, president of the Asheville Pickleball Association, said it's been a positive improvement and largely successful.

Jeff Joyce, member of the Asheville Tennis Association and former president of the nonprofit, said from a tennis perspective, it appears the shared schedule is working for both groups.

"The tennis players are appreciative of knowing a schedule, and knowing that when they go during their time that tennis is the priority," he said. "I've heard of no major fights between tennis players and pickleball players, which I was very concerned about, to be honest with you. Both groups are passionate about their game. It sounds like everybody is trying to play well together."

More: After yearslong fight, impassioned Asheville pickleball players call for dedicated courts

Yira Pia Sanchez, USA Pickleball Association Ambassador for Buncombe County, agreed that it's been a success, and said the tennis association has been a friend and a big help in the transition.

“This is such a gigantic step," she said of clinching nonprofit status.

As a nonprofit, the organization will be able to formally create community partnerships, and seek grants and other funding to pursue their mission to "be a community partner that promotes the growth of pickleball through educational clinics, competitive leagues, tournaments, and social events, and that advocates for the new construction and/or improvement of public pickleball facilities."

Over the last several years, Sanchez said, pickleball in Buncombe County has gone from 200 players to more than 2,000.

“But if we grow too much and we don’t have the infrastructure for them to play, then we are not doing our job,” she said.

More courts or a dedicated facility "has to be a part" of their long term plan, Kelly said.

"We want a healthy, thriving program, which a lot of people can get a benefit from," he said, "and to do that without facilities, we are hamstrung."

He used to recognize most players on the courts, but now there are new faces nearly every day, and the player population is getting younger.

“That’s why there is a sense of urgency," Kelly said. "The numbers are not going to suddenly filter away. It’s just growing.”

Joyce said tennis is also supportive of the pickleball community having a facility of its own, and for the city and county to work with them to get something done. Pickleball securing nonprofit status, he said, means "time to raise some money and have some skin the game. We are totally supportive of that."

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'A great equalizer'

Among pickleball players at Murphy-Oakley Park July 3 was Allison Grant, 56, a retired attorney from south Florida who moved to Asheville in the last few years, and said pickleball not only gave her a way to get outside, but exploded her social circle.

"My whole social network was born out of this," she said, laughing. By self-admission, she has a small stature, but through pickleball she can play with anyone.

“I think pickleball is a great equalizer, or it can be, in terms of athletic ability, because it’s not just strength, it’s not just speed, it’s not just power. There’s so many facets to it,” she said. She and other players all noted the growing pickleball population, and said it can still be tricky to get court time with such high demand.

"I play wherever I can," she said, and has joined Reems Creek in Weaverville, a private golf course with pickleball court offerings, to evade the lack of playing space on public courts.

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Similarly, Kristi Schleder, also out on the court, said she used to play at Montford Park, but has recently moved to Reems Creek for more playtime.

The nonprofit was a great idea, she said. “If you’re trying to advocate for turf and territory in the city, it helps to be more formal.”

Lisa Mathes, 70, has lived in Asheville for 50 years, and said after retiring, pickleball was not only good exercise, but a good way to make friends, and the younger players joining in bring "a new vitality and energy to the game."

Her husband calls pickleball "old person tennis," she joked, but for those of them who did enjoy tennis when they were younger, pickleball is a good way to have fun and stay active.

“The popularity of pickleball I don’t think has reached its maximum," Mathes said. "I think it will only grow larger, so if Asheville could grow with that, that would be great.”

Sarah Honosky is the city government reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. News Tips? Email [email protected] or message on Twitter at @slhonosky. Please support local, daily journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Dedicated pickleball courts and other goals of new Asheville nonprofit