Great News for Sarasota Pickleballers
The Pickleball Club™ of Sarasota
SARASOTA, August 2020
Development of the first dedicated indoor pickleball facility, The Pickleball Club™, will soon have a home at the Sarasota International Trade Center. The Pickleball Club’s mission is to provide a superior experience for the Sarasota pickleball community by providing a high-quality indoor sports facility with club level amenities. Dedicated indoor pickleball simply does not exist anywhere in Sarasota, or in the state of Florida.
The Pickleball Club will be located on 2.43 acres at 1251 Global Court & Center Sarasota Blvd., just north off Fruitville Road, east of I-75. The Pickleball Club will have 12 indoor climate-controlled courts, a coffee/juice bar and pro shop. The facility will have spacious bathrooms, lockers and showers. Deco Turf sport surfaces will provide high-quality cushioning that’s easy on the joints and will extend everyone’s play.
The Pickleball Club’s CEO Brian McCarthy states; “The local Sarasota market is ideal for an indoor pickleball facility. As in all of Florida, rain, heat, wind and humidity frequently disrupt the opportunity to play on outdoor courts. Our mission is to provide a superior experience.”
The Pickleball Club will offer a full slate of leagues, tournaments, clinics and instructional programs. The Pickleball Club’s director of instructional programs will be Dominic Catalano. Dominic is a 5.0 rated teaching-pro with multiple tournament victories. Dominic states, “I expect that The Pickleball Club’s indoor facility will draw top instructors, who put a premium on working in a climate-controlled environment that allows them and their students to have uninterrupted court access, irrespective of the weather. The facility will also be wired for video recording of games and lessons allowing the teaching staff to provide crucial video analysis. There’s nothing like it in pickleball today.”
McCarthy added; “The Pickleball Club is about reinforcing the community and social aspects of the sport. The facility will have over 2,000 square feet of common space where members can enjoy pre and post play food and refreshments from the coffee and fresh juice bar, or just spend time with their friends.” Full shower and bathrooms facilities will be available to members and those visiting – attending clinics and tournaments.
The retail Pro Shop will be run by Joe Capuano, who operates Pickleball Sarasota, the premier retailer for Pickleball equipment in Sarasota. Joe will be on hand to help advise members on equipment selection. The pro shop will offer a complete and well stocked inventory of paddles, balls, sportswear and equipment.
Pickleball is Americas fastest growing sport. Currently 85 new pickleball facilities are opening each week in the US. Pickleball, invented over 50 years ago, recently exploded in popularity as America’s aging and retiring baby-boomer cohort needed an active competitive sport that had lower physical demands compared to tennis, squash and racquetball. Pickleball is played on a smaller version of a tennis court, requiring less running, overall strength, and less strain on aging joints. Over 75% of the current players are baby-boomers and retirees; however, the sport is growing rapidly among younger segments of the population. The sport is most often played as doubles, with four players on the court at a time.